Nicole Meisner

Nicole chairs Taft’s PayTech and Payment Systems practice group. She counsels a wide range of companies in the payments and financial services industries, including acquiring banks, payment processors, independent sales organizations (ISOs), payment facilitators, marketplaces, mobile payment providers, FinTech companies, ACH providers, money transmitters, prepaid access providers, and digital currency companies. A large segment of Nicole’s client-base includes software platforms and other SaaS providers that have embedded or integrated payment processing solutions into their core offering. Clients look to Nicole to advise on contractual and compliance matters involving the impacts of dynamic state and federal regulations and industry rules, the structure of the flow-of-funds, and the creation of strategic business relationships to mitigate legal risks. Nicole also frequently advises clients on card brand compliance matters including, for example, credit card surcharge, convenience fee, and cash discount programs.

Nicole is a nationally recognized leader on the issues that intersect payments and money transmission and often advises payment companies on navigating the risks of money transmission laws and regulations. She has extensive experience advising clients on various exemptions to money transmitter registration recognized by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as well as exemptions to licensure, such as the agent-of-the-payee exemption, recognized by several states.