Fernando Ortiz
About Fernando Ortiz
Fernando Ortiz serves as Senior Counsel at Zero Hash, where he provides strategic guidance on US securities laws related to digital assets. He holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and has extensive experience in legal, regulatory, and compliance roles.
Current Role at Zero Hash
Fernando Ortiz serves as Senior Counsel at Zero Hash, a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he leads legal, regulatory, and compliance functions for a B2B embedded infrastructure platform. He provides strategic support to executive teams and cross-functional stakeholders on various legal and corporate matters, including contracts, governance, and risk management. Ortiz also manages relationships with key regulators, particularly the New York Department of Financial Services under the BitLicense regime.
Previous Experience at Zero Hash
Prior to his current role, Fernando Ortiz held multiple positions at Zero Hash. He worked as Regulatory Counsel & Compliance Officer from 2020 to 2022, where he focused on compliance and regulatory matters. Before that, he served as Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance from 2017 to 2018, and as a Market Surveillance Analyst & Operations Support from 2018 to 2020. His diverse roles at Zero Hash contributed to his expertise in the legal aspects of digital assets.
Education and Expertise
Fernando Ortiz earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, completing his studies from 2015 to 2018. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from Northeastern Illinois University, which he obtained from 2005 to 2009. Ortiz is a Certified Blockchain & Law Professional, highlighting his expertise at the intersection of technology and law, particularly in the context of digital assets.
Early Career and Internships
Fernando Ortiz began his career with various roles that provided foundational legal experience. He interned at Chicago Public Schools in the Law Department from 2012 to 2013. He also held internships at Spector & Lenz, P.C. in 2017, and at ROSENFELD, HAFRON, SHAPIRO & FARMER in 2016. These positions helped him develop skills relevant to his later roles in legal and compliance functions.
Professional Background in Sales and Management
Before transitioning to a legal career, Fernando Ortiz worked in retail sales. He was a Retail Sales Consultant at T-Mobile from 2010 to 2012 and at AT&T for a brief period in 2014 to 2015. Additionally, he served as a National Account Manager at MarketSource Inc. in 2015. These roles provided him with valuable experience in customer relations and account management.