Law of Code

Latest Episodes:

#40 - Uniswap Class Action, LeXPunK Proposal & Much More (April 28) Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

(April 28) This episode is an overview of the legal landscape for digital assets, outlining the implications, pertinent news, and updates in the crypto law space from the past week. It is a collaboration between the Law of Code Podcast and the CryptoLaw Newsletter, by Ann Sofie Cloots. This will be a weekly installment to ensure you're up to date on the regulations impacting digital assets.

This "solo-pod" is an attempt to add value to the space by highlighting ongoing blockchain regulation across the world - with a focus on the legal implications. It's a work in progress and can only get better. I appreciate any feedback on this format - please send your thoughts to @JacobRobinsonJD. If you have suggestions for topics for future solo-pods, I'd love to hear that as well.

Now go subscribe to the CryptoLaw Newsletter (@cryptolaw_news)!

#39 - Stepan Simkin: Building for DAOs (after a Legal Career) Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Stepan Simkin (@SimkinStepan) is the co-founder and CEO of Squads (https://squads.so/) and a former attorney at the international law firm Clifford Chance LLP.

Squads raised millions to build DAO tooling for the Solana ecosystem. Squads' goal is to simplify the DAO framework and make it accessible to the majority of users who are familiar with web3 or are just discovering it.By combining the core DAO primitives under one platform and building it on a fast and scalable layer 1 blockchain like Solana, they hope that Squads will become a social hub for web3 coordination. Their focus is on a clean and simplified UI/UX combined with scalability and predictable fees to democratize the DAO framework.

In this episode, we cover Stepan's transition from lawyer to CEO, solving problems DAOs face, buying NFTs and Squads.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest episodes.

#38 - Miles Jennings: Decentralization, Web3 & a16z Apr 22, 2022

Show notes

Miles Jennings (@milesjennings) is the general counsel of a16z crypto, where he oversees the firm's investments, works on regulatory and policy matters, and works with the firm's portfolio companies and DAOs on decentralized operations, protocol design and regulatory matters.

Miles was previously a partner at Latham & Watkins in its capital markets and emerging companies group, and co-chaired its global blockchain and cryptocurrency task force, which was composed of over 80 lawyers around the globe. In that role, Miles acted as lead counsel for nearly every large investor in the sector, including a16z, Paradigm, Pantera, ParaFi, Ribbit, Coatue and others. In addition, he was a go-to, trusted advisor for countless startups and crypto projects, including ConsenSys, Uniswap, Aave, Bitwise, Avalanche, Element, Idle, Connext, 3Box, and Aztec.

Miles has written extensively on legal frameworks for digital assets and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and on the design of decentralized systems. He previously co-authored “A Legal Framework for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations” with David Kerr.

In this episode, we discuss his recently published “Principles & Models of Web3 Decentralization” paper. You find a summarized version of the paper here.

Show highlights

[5:08] Legal work in crypto

[7:52] SAFTs & issues around them

[10:45] Why he wrote a paper on decentralization

[14:00] Surprising insights while writing about decentralization

[20:20] Goal of writing on decentralization

[29:00] Howey: efforts of others & DAOs - best practices

[37:50] Conflict of interest for a16z

[48:20] VCs as legal clients

[58:00] Information asymmetry

[69:50] Writing strategies

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest episodes.

#37 - This Week in Crypto Law (April 14) Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

(April 8-14) This episode is an overview of the legal landscape for digital assets, outlining the implications, pertinent news, and updates in the crypto law space from the past week. It is a collaboration between the Law of Code Podcast and the CryptoLaw Newsletter, by Ann Sofie Cloots. This will be a weekly installment to ensure you're up to date on the regulations impacting digital assets.

Now go subscribe to the CryptoLaw Newsletter!

#36 - This Week in Crypto Law (April 7) Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

(April 1-7) This episode is an overview of the legal landscape for digital assets, outlining the implications, pertinent news, and updates in the crypto law space from the past week. It is a collaboration between the Law of Code Podcast and the CryptoLaw Newsletter, by Ann Sofie Cloots. This will be a weekly installment to ensure you're up to date on the regulations impacting digital assets.

Now go subscribe to the CryptoLaw Newsletter!

#35 - Lana Schwartzman: Chief Compliance Officer at Dapper Labs Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

Lana Schwartzman (@LanaCryptoAML) is the Chief Compliance Officer at Dapper Labs, the team behind NBA Top Shots, NFL All Day, and Cryptokitties. Lana has more than 17 years of experience specializing in compliance, cryptocurrency regulations, and AML. Specifically, in BSA/AML/OFAC program development, MSB/MTL licensure process, internal audits, independent compliance program reviews, and consent order validation for various cryptocurrency exchange companies, financial institutions, and foreign banking organizations. Prior to joining Dapper Labs, she spent close to 3 years as a Chief Compliance Officer at a regulated P2P marketplace, and previously spent 7 years at Grant Thornton LLP in the Regulatory Risk Group specializing in BSA/AML and OFAC regulations. Lana spent her early years at Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank in various compliance roles.

Lana is known as a subject matter expert in Regulations and Compliance related to cryptocurrency and she stays current on all AML regulations. Lana is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and obtained the ACAMS Virtual Currency Certification and various Chainalysis certifications. She achieved the recognition of "AML Professional of the Month" in 2019 and has been a frequent panelist at various ACAMS, ACFCS, and Bitcoin conferences. You can also find Lana on LinkedIn.

In this episode of Law of Code, Lana explains what a chief compliance officer does, building a compliance program, and why a compliance officer isn't the "fun police." We also discuss:

- Mining Bitcoin

- Dapper Labs

- Where compliance officers add value

- Learning more about compliance regulation

- Surprising aspects of a compliance role

- Changing sentiment of regulators

- Promoting inclusion and diversity

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest episodes.

#34 - David Kerr: The UNA framework for DAOs Apr 01, 2022

Show notes

David Kerr (@David_M_Kerr) is the Principal of Cowrie LLC, where he uses ten years of experience in tax strategy, financial accounting, and risk advisory in the industries of gaming, telecommunications, and technology-driven online sales platforms to assist clients. David co-authored "A Legal Framework for Decentralization Autonomous Organizations" together with Miles Jennings. This paper identified a number of taxation, entity formation, and operational issues pertaining to DAOs and suggested a domestic entity structure capable of addressing such issues.

In this episode of Law of Code, David shares his views on today's DAOs, writing techniques, settling on the UUNAA framework, and all things taxes.

[1:36] DAOs

[8:00] Proving decentralization

[16:30] Decentralization as a demonstrable principle

[19:00] DAOs & Taxes

[21:00] Section 61 & Glenshaw Glass: Dominion and Control

[28:30] Income events for token holders

[32:00] Writing concisely and the DAO Research Collective

[46:00] David’s intro to crypto & consulting background

[55:58] Tips for great writing and conducting research across jurisdictions

[60:09] Building a career

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. You can subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest episodes.

#33 - This Week in Crypto Law Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

(March 24-31) This episode is an overview of the legal landscape for digital assets, outlining the implications, pertinent news, and updates in the crypto law space from the past week. It is a collaboration between the Law of Code Podcast and the CryptoLaw Newsletter, by Ann Sofie Cloots. This will be a weekly installment to ensure you're up to date on the regulations impacting digital assets.

Now go subscribe to the CryptoLaw Newsletter!

#32 - This Week in Crypto Law Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

This episode is an overview of the legal landscape for digital assets, outlining the implications, pertinent news, and updates in the crypto law space from the past week. It is a collaboration between the Law of Code Podcast and the CryptoLaw Newsletter, by Ann Sofie Cloots. Moving forward, this will be a weekly installment to ensure you're up to date on the regulations impacting digital assets.

This "solo-pod" is an attempt to add value to the space by highlighting ongoing blockchain regulation across the world - with a focus on the legal implications. It's a work in progress and can only get better. I appreciate any feedback on this format - please send your thoughts to @JacobRobinsonJD. If you have suggestions for topics of future solo-pods, I'd love to hear that as well!

Now go subscribe to the CryptoLaw Newsletter.

#31 - Biden's Executive Order on Digital Assets Mar 21, 2022

Show notes

Last week, the @WhiteHouse released its long-anticipated Executive Order on cryptocurrencies, marking the first time this administration explicitly highlighted the need to preserve innovation and competitiveness in the US. This Executive Order lays out a process for multiple agencies to write a framework around digital assets.

This episode is an overview of the Executive Order, outlining the implications, pertinent sections, and reactions from thought leaders in the cryptolaw space.

Here are links where you can read the full Executive Order and Fact-Sheet. Jake Chervinsky's (@jchervinsky) article on stablecoins. Highly recommend following Ryan Selkis (@twobitidiot), Congressman Tom Emmer (@RepTomEmmer) and Jerry Brito (@jerrybrito), whose insightful comments were mentioned throughout this episode.

This "solo-pod" is my attempt to add value to the space by highlighting ongoing blockchain regulation across the world - with a focus on the legal implications. It's a work in progress and can only get better (right??). Would appreciate any feedback on this format @JacobRobinsonJD or by leaving a review. If you have suggestions for topics of future solo-pods, I'd love to hear that as well!

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