Jai Massari

Jai Massari serves as a Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and holds a Fellowship at the Berkeley Center for Law and Business, while concurrently acting as cofounder and Chief Legal Officer of Lightspark.

Her academic appointment complements extensive industry experience: after 11 years at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP—including five as partner leading the firm's fintech and cryptocurrency practice—she specializes in financial regulatory frameworks spanning digital assets, banking, derivatives, and payment systems. Educational credentials include a JD from Duke University School of Law and a BA in Chemistry from Cornell University.

Research interests center on Banking and Financial Regulation with particular emphasis on cryptocurrency applications and evolving regulatory challenges in digital finance, drawing directly from her frontline legal practice. Her industry leadership informs practical curriculum development in financial law despite limited traditional academic publication output.

Professional narrative highlights a seamless integration of private-sector legal expertise into academic instruction, with no documented student advisement or formal research grants but significant real-world impact through corporate governance and regulatory compliance initiatives at Lightspark.