Structure, resolved.
Legal and tax counsel for regulated businesses.
Counselize advises founders, fintech companies, fund managers, and cross-border businesses on securities offerings, financial-services licensing and compliance, transactions, and tax-sensitive structuring, all through one accountable point of counsel.
Admitted, New York Bar 2013
Previously Citibank N.A., Legal & Compliance
LL.M. Georgetown University Law Center
The practice
What Counselize handles.
Four areas covering most of what a regulated or cross-border business needs from counsel.
Coordinated counsel
One structure. One point of accountability.
Legal, tax, and regulatory issues are often handled by different advisers. That can work well, but only when the advice is coordinated. A financing may affect licensing. An acquisition may change the tax structure. A payments model may trigger compliance obligations before launch.
Counselize evaluates those intersections early and remains accountable for the overall structure, while coordinating with local counsel, accountants, and other specialists when the matter requires them.
A securities offering begins with the right entity and tax structure.
A payments business needs licensing analysis and an operational AML program before launch.
An acquisition should be documented and tax-structured as one transaction.
Cross-border ownership can affect securities, tax, reporting, and banking requirements.
Why Counselize
Regulation, from the inside out.
Syed’s financial-regulatory perspective began inside a global financial institution. He began his career in Citibank’s legal and compliance function, where he monitored regulatory developments and supported the implementation of AML and BSA compliance policies.
He later practiced corporate and securities law in New York, advising on private offerings, fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, commercial agreements, and transaction closings.
19
years in legal and compliance
13
years admitted to the New York Bar
9
years in his own practice
Process & Fees
Clear scope. Clear fees. No work begins until you approve both.
Every matter starts with a brief introductory call, followed by conflict clearance and a written proposal setting out the scope, deliverables, timing, and fees.
Structure, resolved.
Tell me what you are building.
Start with a brief introductory call to discuss your objectives and determine whether Counselize is the right fit. No attorney-client relationship is created until the engagement is confirmed in writing.