Jennifer Newton
Managing Attorney | StartSmart Counsel, PLLC
Florida
FL
About
But Jennifer's vision extends beyond her impressive resume. She founded StartSmart Counsel to ensure that startups and small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs), crucial to creating economic inclusion and community stability, are not locked out of receiving sound and high-quality representation due to skyrocketing legal fees. She believes that when these businesses thrive, our community thrives. Under Jennifer's leadership, StartSmart Counsel has become more than a legal firm. It is a beacon of empowerment for startups and SMBs and a champion for economic diversity.
Renowned in her field, Jennifer has been highlighted in premier publications such as Compliance Week, Law360, Daily Business Review, American Banker, the Wall Street Journal, Bankrate, and JDSupra and she regularly speaks at prominent industry conferences. Her distinguished career has earned her accolades, including being christened one of South Florida's Most Powerful and Influential Black Leaders by Legacy Magazine and consistently featuring in the National Black Lawyers’ “Top 40 under 40” in Banking and Finance. Beyond her professional undertakings, Jennifer shares her knowledge as an adjunct professor at Fordham University School of Law and plays integral roles on the boards of the Ten North Group and the Community Justice Project in Miami. Her previous leadership roles in esteemed associations further underscore her unwavering dedication to her profession and the larger community.
upcounsel
experience
Representative Clients
Practice Areas
Work History
StartSmart Counsel PLLC
Managing Attorney
Jan 2023 - Present
Providing in-house legal counsel, risk management and compliance solutions to startups, venture capital, private equity funds, founders and small to medium sized businesses, including international firms operating in U.S. regulated industries.
Key Industries: Fin-Tech, SaaS, Consumer Finance, Private Equity, Real Estate, AI, Healthcare, E-Commerce, Arts & Creatives
Fordham University School of Law
Adjunct Professor
Jan 2023 - Present
Instruct law students and graduate students on corporate compliance and governance legal matters
Caddipay
Chief Compliance & Ethics Officer
Jan 2022 - Jun 2023
Responsible for the development and implementation of a robust compliance program to ensure that financial product offerings, including buy now, pay later (BNPL) products, are provided in a responsible manner and align with regulatory requirements and industry standards
USAA
Associate General Counsel
Jan 2015 - Jan 2022
Provide in-house legal advice, compliance and risk management to holding company and subsidiaries