Dechert added Carl Kennedy as a partner and head of commodities and derivatives in its Financial Services Group, expanding the firm’s capabilities across derivatives, fintech, digital assets, and prediction markets. Kennedy will be based in New York.
His arrival adds significant Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulatory experience to Dechert’s financial services platform.
Kennedy represents sell-side and market infrastructure clients including swap dealers, futures commission merchants, designated contract markets, swap data repositories, and swap execution facilities.
He has also developed a growing practice advising prediction market platforms.
In July 2026, Kennedy testified before the U.S. House of Representatives during a hearing examining sports-related prediction markets and their federal regulatory framework.
Before joining Dechert, Kennedy was a partner at another global law firm.
Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor at the CFTC.
During his time at the agency, Kennedy helped draft several rules and helped implement guidelines related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
He subsequently served as Assistant General Counsel and Executive Director at JPMorgan.
Kennedy also worked as counsel for a global hedge fund trade association, where he managed regulatory and legislative advocacy involving over-the-counter derivatives reform.
His hiring comes as regulatory responsibility for areas including cryptocurrency, tokenization, and prediction markets increasingly intersects with the CFTC.
Dechert has added more than 50 lateral partners during 2026.
Its Financial Services and Investment Management practice includes nearly 200 lawyers globally.
KEY QUOTES:
“As oversight of crypto, tokenization and prediction markets continues to move toward the CFTC, having Carl’s regulatory and in-house perspective helps put our clients ahead of that curve.”
David Forti, Co-Chair of Dechert
“With a substantial existing derivatives platform already in place, I’m thrilled to help clients navigate a fast-changing regulatory landscape, particularly as more activity in digital assets, tokenization and prediction markets falls under the CFTC’s jurisdiction.”
Carl Kennedy, Partner and Head of Commodities and Derivatives at Dechert
