Clients to Benefit from Combination of New Partner’s Financial Institutions and Fintech Experience with Firm’s Global Financial Regulatory Strength Freshfields announced today that Christopher (Chris) DeCresce has joined the firm as a capital markets partner based in New York. Chris’s practice focuses on capital markets, SEC reporting and securities law compliance. He has extensive experience representing companies in capital markets transactions, including SEC-registered and exempt equity and debt offerings, with a focus on clients in the financial services, banking and fintech sectors. U.S. Managing Partner and U.S. Head of Capital Markets Sarah Solum said: “Chris brings to the firm a wealth of experience in the financial services, banking and fintech sectors, representing companies on a wide variety of transactions through both frothy and challenging economic cycles. His relentless dedication to clients and infectious entrepreneurialism align perfectly with our team, and we’re thrilled he has joined Freshfields.” Head of Global Transactions Julian Pritchard added: “Chris is an outstanding addition to our top tier transactions talent bench. Clients in the financial institutions and fintech spaces will benefit greatly from the combination of Chris’s experience and expertise with our unparalleled, global financial regulatory practice. His former positions in investment banking, alongside his significant experience leading the full spectrum of capital markets matters across the financial institutions sector and other key industries further strengthens our capital markets offering for clients in the U.S. and around the globe.” On joining the firm, Chris noted: “The collaborative culture at Freshfields was immediately attractive and I am excited to join my practice with the firm’s market leading capital markets and global financial regulatory practices. I am excited to partner with clients from global financial institutions to early stage fintech innovators – each of whom will benefit from Freshfields’ energy, dynamism and global platform over the coming years.” Chris joining Freshfields follows the recent addition of capital markets partner Jackie Marino, as well as financial services regulatory partners David Sewell and Alison Hashmall in New York this past year. The wider U.S. transactions practice has also continued to grow with the recent additions of tax partner Steven Matays and private equity M&A partners Neal Reenan and Ian Bushner in New York and M&A partner Denny Kwon in Silicon Valley.