Uniswap Labs hires ex-Coinbase executive as chief legal officer

Uniswap Labs has hired ex-Coinbase legal executive Katherine Minarik as its new chief legal officer as the company is likely to face a legal battle with federal regulators in the U.S. 

The new CLO assumed the top legal post at the startup behind Uniswap on Monday, according to her post on X. Her appointment comes just two months after the Securities and Exchange Commission signaled it may take legal action against Uniswap Labs for allegedly violating federal securities laws.

“It is impossible to spend time in crypto and not be inspired by the potential of DeFi to change the world,” Minarik said Monday on X. “I am humbled to be taking on this new role at Uniswap Labs, continuing another part of the fight for economic inclusion and the future of finance for all of us.”

Minarik joins Uniswap Labs after a four-year stint at Coinbase, where she most recently served as vice president of legal and deputy general counsel. She is filling the shoes of former Uniswap Labs CLO Marvin Ammori, who said Monday that he plans to transition to a part-time role at the startup in November. 

Minarik has her work cut out for her in the coming months. In April, the SEC issued a Wells Notice to Uniswap Labs, signaling it may bring an enforcement action against the startup. In the notice, the SEC accused Uniswap Labs’ eponymous protocol of operating as an unregistered securities exchange, among other regulation-related allegations.