Isabelle Corbett Sterling is a commodity and derivatives lawyer with a strong focus on blockchain technology and digital assets. She advises clients on a broad range of matters in those areas, including regulatory, enforcement, investigations, transactional and legislative. Isabelle has extensive experience in advocacy at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), prudential regulators and on Capitol Hill on issues relating to emerging technology such as blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, digital assets and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), as well as futures, options, swaps and commodity markets.
Isabelle has AmLaw 50 firm experience and spent a decade in Washington, D.C., which she draws on to advise clients on regulation of digital assets, commodities and derivatives, and to represent them in enforcement investigations involving the CFTC, SEC, National Futures Association, CME Group, ICE Futures and other regulatory and enforcement authorities. She represents crypto network and protocol development companies, custodians, exchanges (traditional and digital asset), clearing organizations, payment companies, independent software vendors (ISVs), start-ups, trade associations, financial institutions, proprietary trading firms, venture capital firms and their portfolio companies, blockchain services firms, intermediaries and end-users. Isabelle advises on the implementation of new technologies and the development of innovative products, such as virtual currencies and blockchain-based assets. She also guides clients through the registration process at the CFTC.
Prior to joining BakerHostetler, Isabelle spent seven years at R3, whose proprietary blockchain platform is purpose built for use in regulated markets. There, she supported many of R3’s partners on their innovation journeys, from large financial institutions to small independent software vendors. She engaged with regulators around the world on behalf of the company, its investors and partners to ensure regulation would not stifle innovation and to help design sensible regulatory frameworks. Prior to R3, Isabelle was at Delta Strategy Group in Washington, D.C., and was highly involved in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act rulemaking, which created the market structure for swaps. As new regulation of digital assets takes shape, Isabelle is once again highly involved in policy discussions and engaged with regulators on behalf of her clients. A frequent speaker on blockchain and digital assets, Isabelle is based in San Francisco and is frequently in New York and Washington, D.C.
