Nelson Rosario (@ NelsonMRosario ) is the founder of Rosario Tech Law, a boutique law firm in Illinois focused on companies building the new economy on top of blockchain. Nelson’s widely respected commentary and analysis have been featured in the New York Times, TechCrunch and CoinDesk. In this episode of Law of Code, Nelson and Jacob discuss IP and copyright, SpiceDAO, and what the future holds for NFTs. [1:57] What sold Nelson on blockchain [11:35] Why IP law is so important [14:40] NFT & ...
Feb 18, 2022•54 min•Ep. 27
Preston Byrne (@prestonjbyrne) is a partner at Anderson Kill, where his practice is focused on early-stage high-tech companies, particularly regarding corporate transactions, IP, and other cross-border legal issues. He was previously a co-founder of Monax, the first permissioned blockchain, in 2014. In this episode, Preston gives a history of his involvement in blockchain, looks at the evolution of DAOs, and gives his perspective on running a crypto practice. He also explains landing his first c...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 26
Lewis Cohen (@ NYCryptoLawyer ) is a co-founder of DLx Law , where his practice is focused on the use of blockchain and tokenization across capital markets. As a former global top 50 partner with 20 years of experience, Lewis is a frequent speaker on blockchain and is recognized by Chambers Global across legal, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies in the U.S. In this episode, Lewis discusses creating a law firm in the crypto space, gives a master class on securities and commodities, and discusses th...
Feb 04, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 25
Lori Stein is Co-Head of the Digital Assets and Blockchain practice at Osler, Hoskin, & Harcourt LLP, and a Partner in their Corporate Department. Lori is one of the top attorneys in Canadian FinTech & Securities, playing a major role in the development of crypto investment regulations. With clients such as 3iQ Corp., Lori had an integral role in establishing the first publicly traded Bitcoin & Ethereum investment funds in the world. Lori regularly advises Canadian companies on block...
Jan 24, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 24
Addison Cameron-Huff (@ aCameronhuff ) has been practicing in the blockchain space since 2014. Addison has managed a blockchain wallet company, built dev teams, provided legal advice to founders of Ethereum, taught at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, and was one of the first Canadian lawyers to work in blockchain. Show highlights: [3:15] - Why he received a call from a co-founder of Ethereum in 2014 [4:42] - Starting a crypto-law firm: What the first few months looked like [7:35] - Buil...
Jan 17, 2022•57 min•Ep. 23
Jacob Martin (@ thenftattorney ) is an attorney based in Southern California, founder of JTM Tech Law, and General Partner at 2 Punks Capital. While in law school, Jacob founded a legal tech startup focused on "tying Testamentary documents to the blockchain." Today, as Founder of JTM Tech Law, he consults & advises NFT artists & collectors, DAOs, auction houses, entertainment & tech companies on all things crypto, blockchain, & NFT. Show highlights: - His introduction to Bitcoin ...
Jan 10, 2022•43 min•Ep. 24
Michael Bacina (@MikeBacina) is a Partner at Piper Alderman in Sydney, Australia. Michael advises companies at the intersection of cutting edge technology, automation and innovation. Michael regularly publishes on Blockchain and technology matters. He has been ranked Band 1 in FinTech by the prestigious Chambers & Partners in 2019, 2020 and 2021, and serves on the Board of Blockchain Australia and the Board of the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce. Show highlights: - Michael's blockcha...
Jan 03, 2022•50 min•Ep. 21
TRM Labs delivers cryptocurrency fraud detection and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions to financial institutions and governments worldwide. Ari Redbord (@ARedbord) is Head of Legal & Government Affairs at TRM. Prior to joining TRM, Ari served at the United States Department of the Treasury as a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary and the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI). In this capacity, Ari worked with teams from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network...
Dec 27, 2021•52 min•Ep. 21
Jake Chervinsky (@ jchervinsky ) is involved in all aspects of the crypto ecosystem & has a strong understanding of the regulatory space surrounding crypto. Jake is Head of Policy at the Blockchain Association and Advisor for the Variant Fund, and former General Counsel for Compound Labs. Rebecca Rettig (@ RebeccaRettig1 ) is the General Counsel of the Aave Companies, a group of software development companies in Europe that build open source, blockchain-based software. Rebecca began her lega...
Dec 20, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 19
Gabe and Sarah are experts on all things crypto and some of my brightest minds in the space. If you’re at all interested in Web3, you must follow both. Gabriel Shapiro (@lex_node) is General Counsel at Delphi Labs. Gabe was previously a Partner at Belcher, Smolen & Van Loo LLP, where he was a corporate attorney for builders of DeFi, DAOs, blockchain & other decentralization technologies. Sarah (Lord) Brennan (@SH_Brennan) is a corporate and securities attorney with over a decade of exper...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 51 min•Ep. 20
Jason Gottlieb (@ohaiom) is a Partner in Morrison Cohen LLP’s Business Litigation Department, and Chair of the White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement practice group. Jason is the principal author of the MoCo Cryptocurrency Litigation Tracker and was named to the National Law Journal‘s inaugural list of Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazers. Jason regularly advises U.S. and foreign companies on blockchain and cryptocurrency law relating to litigation and regulatory risk issues and ...
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 17
Sina Kian (@ SinaKian1 ) is Vice President of Strategy at Aleo , a company that is building a decentralized blockchain with significantly enhanced data security and privacy capabilities. He is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU Law School, and a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations. Sina received his BA in History at the University of Virginia, and his JD from Stanford Law School. After law school, Sina clerked for Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., on the Supreme Court. Sina practiced...
Nov 22, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 16
Nominated as one of Coindesk’s Most Influential People in Blockchain in 2017, Andrew “Drew” Hinkes (@ propelforward ) is a Partner with K&L Gates, working as part of its National Blockchain and Digital Currency practice. Drew was appointed as an Adjunct Professor by the NYU Stern Business School and the NYU School of Law, where he co-teaches “Digital Currency, Blockchains, and the Future of the Financial Services Industry.” Drew is also the co-founder and General Counsel of Athena Blockchain...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 13
Hailey Lennon (@ HaileyLennonBTC ) is one of the most well-known lawyers in crypto law. Hailey is a shareholder in Anderson Kill’s Technology, Media and Distributed Systems Group. She is based in California and affiliated with Anderson Kill’s Los Angeles office. Hailey previously spent time as regulatory counsel for various companies in the crypto space, including Coinbase, bitFlyer, and Silvergate Bank. She frequently speaks at major conferences about the laws surrounding cryptocurrencies. Show...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 16
Evan Thomas (@ evanmthomas ) is Head of Legal at WealthSimple Crypto , a platform launched by WealthSimple as the first regulated crypto exchange in Canada. Prior to joining Wealthsimple, Evan spent nearly 15 years as a litigator with Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, where he focused on cases involving technology and data. Before his legal career, Evan worked as a software developer and systems/network administrator. Show highlights: - Evan's genesis block - Why Evan left Big Law for crypto - Ad...
Nov 01, 2021•46 min•Ep. 13
Collins Belton ( @collins_belton ) is one of the brightest minds in crypto law. Collins is the founder and Managing Partner of Brookwood P.C., a boutique transactional practice focused on serving founders, startups and emerging technology companies working on frontier technology, particularly in the digital asset space. Show highlights: - NFTs: Dutch auctions vs Vickrey auctions - Collins Coin? - Equity in exchange for legal advice - Fiduciary responsibility in NFTs - Gaining crypto experience a...
Oct 25, 2021•54 min•Ep. 12
Collins Belton (@collins_belton) is one of the brightest minds in crypto law. Collins is the founder and Managing Partner of Brookwood P.C., a boutique transactional practice focused on serving founders, startups and emerging technology companies working on frontier technology, particularly in the digital asset space. Show highlights: - When Collins was introduced to blockchain technology - Why Collins founded Brookwood PC - Coinbase Lend - The Howey Test & investment contracts - Gary Gensle...
Oct 18, 2021•55 min•Ep. 11
Eric Richmond, COO at Coinsquare (formerly VP of Legal) and CEO at Tetra Trust, has extensive experience working with and advising startups and blockchain companies. Eric has extensive knowledge of the principles, applications, and current developments affecting blockchains. This interview is an excellent discussion on holding cryptocurrency for large clients, defining crypto as a security, and how to become a great crypto lawyer. Show highlights: - How Eric built a crypto practice as a young la...
Oct 11, 2021•49 min•Ep. 10
Matthew "Bitcoin" Burgoyne is a Partner at McLeod Law LLP, in Calgary, Canada. Matthew's legal practice involves securities and capital markets, with a focus on blockchain-based digital assets. He has been advising companies in the cryptocurrency space since the summer of 2013, making him one of the first Canadian lawyers to act for cryptocurrency companies in Canada. Matthew was an integral part of McLeod Law’s efforts to accept bitcoin as payment for legal services in the fall of 2013, making ...
Oct 04, 2021•51 min•Ep. 9
Geoff Costeloe is a lawyer and entrepreneur at Lindsey MacCarthy LLP , in Vancouver, Canada. Geoff’s legal practice revolves around estate planning and administration, with a focus on digital assets. Geoff knows crypto inside-out, and this episode is a deep dive into why estate lawyers are so important for holders of crypto and NFTs. We also touched on how blockchain technology will shape the estate planning profession over the next 5-10 years. Geoff was a great guest, is building a one-of-a-kin...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 8
Any Obando, Associate at Cozen O'Connor, practices intellectual property law and has a great understanding of NFTs. In this episode, Any explains what NFTs are, what businesses will benefit from NFTs, IP associated with NBA Top Shots, and what legal rights NFT holders are entitled to. This interview is an excellent primer on the laws surrounding NFTs, as Any is very knowledgeable in this space. I recommend anyone interested in NFTs use this podcast as an all-encompassing introduction. Show highl...
Sep 20, 2021•54 min•Ep. 7
James McCall, Legal Engineer at LexDAO, is building Farmapper LLC , a platform putting agriculture online through the blockchain. James does not currently represent legal clients but has a dual major finance/accounting undergraduate degree and a JD law degree. He has experience originating and servicing a large commercial loan portfolio for various lending institutions to finance agricultural real estate. We spoke about all things LEX Dao and blockchain law. Show highlights: - Transitioning from...
Sep 13, 2021•51 min•Ep. 6
Ross Campbell, Legal Engineer at LexDAO and co-founder of OpenEsquire, discusses building in the legal engineering space, the best use cases for DAOs, and why he's helping build OpenEsquire. This interview is packed with takeaways, and Ross continues to amaze me with his knowledge of this space (I am out of my league - I began studying immediately after our conversation). Highly recommend any lawyer interested in blockchain technology use this podcast to learn from Ross. Show highlights: - How t...
Aug 09, 2021•53 min
Erich Dylus, Legal Engineer at API3 DAO, discusses how API3 is building a GDPR compliant product for blockchain, along with the idea of 1st and 3rd party oracles. Show highlights: - When Erich was introduced to blockchain technology - How API3 is building compliance-focused oracle software - The EU's GDPR & international privacy regulations affecting crypto - Why learning solidity is important (Erich's github is helpful) - The legal future of DAOs - The movie of the year, Dune Thanks for lis...
Aug 04, 2021•57 min•Ep. 4
Daniel Rollingher, General Counsel at Fabrica.land, discusses how he is building a blockchain for real estate, along with the difficulties of working with jurisdictions across America. Show highlights: - When Daniel was introduced to blockchain technology - How Fabrica works to put real estate on-chain - The skills required as in-house counsel for a blockchain company - Most difficult roadblocks to gaining widespread blockchain adoption - What most people get wrong about blockchain laws - The fu...
Jul 29, 2021•46 min•Ep. 3
Dr. Muharem Kianieff, Associate Professor at the University of Windsor Faculty of Law, discusses the KYC and privacy laws affecting crypto, along with what the history of credit cards can teach us about the widespread adoption of crypto. Show highlights: - His introduction to blockchain technology - How crypto can adapt to satisfy privacy legislation - Which period of history is most analogous to the current state of crypto - Why, as an academic, he doesn't own any crypto - What most people get ...
Jul 26, 2021•51 min•Ep. 2
Welcome to the Law of Code podcast! Law of Code focuses on the legal frameworks surrounding blockchain technology. You’ll learn about the crypto laws, IP, and copyrights surrounding NFTs, and stay updated on the legal landscape of blockchain. While this podcast focuses on Canadian laws, we’ll look at best practices and new regulations across jurisdictions. You’ll hear from the top lawyers, lawmakers, and entrepreneurs in the space - we’ll touch on new legal strategies countries are implementing,...
Jul 02, 2021•47 sec•Ep. 1
