Dechert Adds Carl Kennedy as Partner to Deepen Derivatives and CFTC Regulatory Practice

EmitenTrust.com NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dechert LLP announced today that Carl Kennedy has joined the firm as a partner and head of commodities and derivatives in its financial services group, adding sell-side derivatives and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulatory depth to the firm's practice. Based in New York, Mr. Kennedy strengthens Dechert's capabilities in derivatives, fintech and the fast-growing prediction markets space.

"Carl's arrival reflects our strategy of adding partners who increasingly enable us to serve clients across the full arc of a regulatory shift, not just react to it after the fact," said David Forti, co-chair of Dechert. "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."

"Carl's strong ties within the CFTC community and among exchanges, intermediaries and market makers give clients a direct line to how the agency is likely to approach a given issue, which is especially valuable as prediction markets become an area companies are actively evaluating," said Douglas Dick, co-chair of Dechert's financial services group. "That perspective, paired with his experience representing key stakeholders across the derivatives industry, gives our clients another valuable resource to call on for CFTC-regulated matters."

Mr. Kennedy represents sell-side and market infrastructure clients, including swap dealers, futures commission merchants, designated contract markets, swap data repositories and swap execution facilities, and he has taken on a growing role advising prediction market platforms as that sector expands. In July 2026, he testified before the U.S. House of Representatives in a hearing examining the rapid growth of sports-related prediction markets and the federal framework governing them.

Before Dechert, Mr. Kennedy was a partner at another global law firm. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor at the CFTC, where he was a primary drafter of several rules and played a key role in the agency's adoption of guidelines implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. He also served as Assistant General Counsel and Executive Director at JPMorgan and was counsel at a global hedge fund trade association managing regulatory and legislative advocacy on over-the-counter derivatives reform.

"I have a special connection to Dechert. As a native Philadelphian who attended law school in the city and celebrated my graduation at Dechert's former office, it is serendipitous that after 26 years, I have the opportunity to join such a dynamic, forward-thinking firm and lead its CFTC-oriented practice," said Mr. Kennedy. "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."

Mr. Kennedy has been recognized by Chambers Global and Chambers USA for Derivatives and Derivatives: Mainly Regulatory. He was also recently named a Recommended Attorney by The Legal 500 United States and a Distinguished Leader by the New York Law Journal.

Dechert has welcomed more than 50 lateral partners this year, reflecting the firm's strategic goal of strengthening capabilities across its steeples of excellence in litigation, investment management, finance and restructuring, capital markets and securitization, and mergers and acquisitions.

Dechert has one of the largest financial services and investment management teams of any firm, with a bench of nearly 200 lawyers. It was the first law firm with a funds practice in all key European fund domiciles, including the UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Germany and France, as well as the U.S., the Middle East and Asia. The firm is consistently recognized as a top law firm for investment funds by leading publications, including Chambers, The Legal 500 and Best Lawyers.

About Dechert

Dechert is the law firm that helps business leaders lead.

For more than 150 years, we have advised clients on critical issues – from high-stakes litigation to first-in-market transaction structures and complex regulatory matters. Our lawyers in commercial centers worldwide are immersed in the key sectors we serve – financial services, private capital, real estate, life sciences and technology.

Dechert delivers unwavering partnership so our clients can achieve unprecedented results.

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SOURCE Dechert LLP