Shelli J Clarkston

of Counsel @Spencer Fane LLP

Kansas City, MO, US

I focus my practice on regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and strategic transactions for clients in the financial services, fintech, and technology sectors. My work combines deep knowledge of the evolving regulatory landscape with practical experience advising banks, credit unions, lenders, and technology companies on structuring compliant, forward-looking business operations.In the financial institutions and fintech space, I counsel clients on licensing, lending, payments, and consumer protection laws. I regularly assist fintech companies in navigating bank partnerships, compliance management systems, and vendor management obligations to align with FDIC, OCC, NCUA, CFPB, and state regulator expectations.My corporate practice includes entity formation, governance, and shareholder arrangements, as well as advising on mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. I manage transactions from due diligence through negotiation and closing, addressing issues such as data security, technology licensing, and regulatory approval processes.I also advise clients on privacy and cybersecurity compliance. My work includes drafting and negotiating data processing agreements, incident response plans, and information security provisions in vendor contracts. I frequently assist clients with cross-border data transfer issues, AI decisioning compliance, and cloud services contracting.In the technology sector, I draft and negotiate agreements involving software licensing, open-source components, SaaS platforms, and emerging technologies, ensuring that clients remain compliant with both commercial and regulatory requirements.My multidisciplinary approach allows me to serve as a strategic advisor to clients navigating complex regulatory, transactional, and technology-driven issues, helping them innovate and grow while minimizing legal and compliance risk.

University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

Masters of Law, Taxation

University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law

Doctor of Law (JD)

Doane University

Masters of Arts, Management

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Bachelor of Science (BS)