Benji Jones, an outspoken advocate of passing crowdfunding legislation in North Carolina, is joining the law firm Ward and Smith, P.A.

The Raleigh-based firm announced Jones’ addition on Monday.

And attorney Jim Verdonik, a Ward and Smith veteran who worked with Jones to help get the legislation passed last year, quickly praised her hiring.

“I am pleased that Benji Jones joined Ward and Smith’s Crowdfunding  team today,” Verdonik said in an email.

“For the past several years, Benji has led the quest to pass North Carolina Crowdfunding legislation.  I am pleased to have worked with her in drafting the law (passed in July 2016) and advising securities administrators on implementing regulations (effective April 2017). “

Jones, Verdonik and investor Mark Easley, who lobbied to get the legislation passed as well, were honored recently as “Editor’s Choice Award” winners at WRAL TechWire’s recent Tech Awards event.

Jones had worked at the Smith Anderson firm since 1998. She becomes part of the Ward and Smith business practice.

“Benji will be a tremendous asset to our business law team,” said Ward and Smith Co-Managing Director Ken Wooten in a statement..

” She was attracted by Ward and Smith’s unique culture, and we’re happy that she decided to come onboard. Our clients will benefit from her knowledge of securities, M&A, crowdfunding and other capital-raising approaches.”

Verdonik believes Jones’ addition means Ward and Smith “will provide the Southeast’s premier Crowdfunding services.”

Jones has been actively involved in crowdfunding as well as fintech financings.

“Jones has been a trusted counselor to numerous private and public companies in a variety of corporate and securities law matters for nearly two decades. Most recently, she has been focusing her practice on crowdfunding and fin-tech financings,” the firm noted.

“She played a critical role in the passage of North Carolina’s intrastate crowdfunding exemption (NC PACES). She represented the only platform offering peer2peer real estate loans under Regulation A and the first NC company to conduct a Regulation Crowdfunding campaign under Title III of the JOBS ACT. Benji is on the forefront of crowdfunding offerings in North Carolina.”