When it comes to choosing your legal counsel, we recommend you reach out to several firms to get a sense of who you’d feel most comfortable working with. Some legal counsel we and our portfolio companies have worked with include:
If you have any vendor recommendations or feedback on the vendors below, please feel free to send it via the Comment Box.
General Counsel
These are firms you should use for general business matters.
Cooley LLP
Cooley LLP is an American international law firm, headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. They are one of the most respected firms when it comes to dealing with regulatory compliance. Cooley LLP has a history of representing innovative companies in the Silicon Valley area and has a keen understanding of disruptive technologies. They offer trusted legal advisors who understand how innovation and law interact, as well as key regulatory issues.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is a law firm in the United States that specializes in business, securities, and intellectual property law. WSGR provides legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, as well as the venture capital firms, private equity firms, and investment banks. Notable clients include Autodesk, Expedia, Google, Hewlett-Packard, HTC Corporation, LinkedIn, Netflix, Tesla, Twitter, and Salesforce. Note: they are very conservative when it comes to regulatory risk.
Perkins Coie LLP
Perkins Coie is an international law firm headquartered in Seattle, Washington and founded in 1912. They have been in the blockchain space since the beginning, advising clients on key topics like tokenization and use of Bitcoin. Since that time, the company has expanded to become the world’s largest blockchain technology and digital currency industry group. Their goal is to help clients pioneer the diverse and vast uses of blockchain technology.
Goodwin Procter LLP
Goodwin Procter LLP is the law firm that represented Coinbase in IRS vs. Coinbase. Having recent experience in ICO development, ICO venture funds, bitcoin ATMs, FinCEN and state registrations, bitcoin forex trading, DOJ settlements, and blockchain development, Goodwin is a go-to source when facing a difficult blockchain legal challenge.
Linklaters
Linklaters is a multinational law firm headquartered in London. Founded in 1838, it is a member of the Magic Circle of elite British law firms. It currently employs over 2,800 lawyers across 30 offices in 20 countries. Recently hired Joshua Klayman as U.S. Head of FinTech and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets, based in New York.
Manatt
Manatt is a multidisciplinary, integrated national professional services firm known for quality and an extraordinary commitment to clients. We are keenly focused on specific industry sectors, providing legal and consulting capabilities at the very highest levels to achieve our clients’ business objectives. Rebecca and Marc have worked directly with a number of DeFi projects, including Compound.
Rebecca Rettig 'rrettig@manatt.com', Marc Boiron 'mboiron@manatt.com'
Anderson Kill
Anderson Kill was founded in 1969 on the principles of integrity, excellence in the practice of law, and straightforward solutions to complex legal issues. The firm's attorneys approach engagements aggressively, and have earned a reputation for combining corporate polish with pugnacity. Based in New York City, the firm also has offices in Philadelphia, PA, Stamford, CT, Washington, DC, Newark, NJ and Los Angeles, CA, but the attorneys travel around the country and around the world to handle all types of matters. Team includes Preston Byrne 'pbryne@andersonkill.com' and Stephen Palley 'spalley@andersonkill.com'
Ketsal (fka Blakemore Fallon)
Blakemore Fallon (https://ketsal.com/about-us/our-team/) is a boutique regulatory and corporate practice that focuses on blockchain, cryptocurrency and fintech clients. The team consists of attorneys from international law firms as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission. We provide pragmatic counsel that efficiently steers compliance-minded companies through complex corporate and regulatory environments.
Fenwick (Andrew Albertson)
Orrick (Joseph Perkin)
BSV (Gabe Shapiro)
Brookwood (Collins Belton - not accepting new clients)
Litigators
These are firms you should use if you're in a pickle, if someone sues your company, you receive an enforcement inquiry, etc.
Gibson Dunn
Orin Snyder, the former Head Counsel at Apple who also represented Mark Zuckerberg is a very strong litigator with a great reputation. They both have proven track records of protecting their clients from individuals seeking to harm them. They have super strong regulatory counsel as well, if you're dealing with an enforcement matter.
Brian Klein
Brian Klein is an accomplished trial attorney at Baker Marquart who has successfully litigated in federal and state court. His practice focuses on high-stakes criminal and regulatory defense matters and civil litigation, and he aggressively and effectively advocates for his clients in a wide variety of state and federal forums. He is a former federal prosecutor with extensive trial experience, and he is known for his superior courtroom skills. He's represented Erik Voorhees, Charlie Shrem, the Breitmans (Tezos) among many others.
Regulatory
Matthew Kulkin
Partner - CFTC experience, Derivatives, Capital Markets, Regulatory Enforcement & Investigation, Regulatory Advocacy. Relevant examples: advising on crypto acquisition, act as outside GC for CFTC-regulated entity, act as public policy counsel, enforcement investigation, FCM registration. Open to fixed-fee/ retainer style arrangement for regular counsel.
Jeff Bandman
https://www.reedsmith.com/en/professionals/m/malyshev-peter-y