Bak hver stor regulatorisk seier, banebrytende rettsavgjørelse og hver lov som har formet kryptoindustrien, står det en advokat. De spiller en stor rolle for den brede aksepten av digitale aktiva. Men 15 firmaer og individuelle advokater har sikret seg en plass i moderne finanshistorie.
De skrev notater, førte saker, vitnet foran Kongressen og bygget de juridiske rammene som gjorde det mulig for institusjonell kapital å gå inn i krypto med selvtillit.
Fra den banebrytende Ripple mot SEC-saken, Coinbases regulatoriske seier, til politiske dokumenter som nå finnes i Senatets høringer – her er de 15 viktigste advokatene som kjemper kryptos juridiske kamper.
| Rank | Nominee | Type | Base | Landmark Case | Credentials & Track Record | Why on the List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sullivan & Cromwell | Firm | New York, USA | FTX bankruptcy lead counsel | Major SEC defense; $180M+ approved FTX fees; Chambers Band 2 Crypto-Asset Disputes | Led the largest crypto bankruptcy to date. The FTX restructuring stands as the most complex legal mandate the industry has seen. |
| 2 | Davis Polk & Wardwell | Firm | New York, USA | Block.one EOS securities settlement | Chambers Band 1 in Crypto-Asset Disputes and FinTech Blockchain; Robert Cohen (ex-SEC Crypto Unit head) | The only firm ranked Band 1 across both core crypto legal categories. Deep regulatory ties and top-tier institutional mandates. |
| 3 | Latham & Watkins | Firm | Los Angeles, USA | Global DeFi, DAO, and NFT defense | Chambers Band 1; Multi-agency matters (SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OFAC) | Handles more DeFi and DAO mandates than any peer. Strong cross-border execution across US, EU, and Asia. |
| 4 | Debevoise & Plimpton | Firm | New York, USA | Ripple SEC defense | Chambers Band 1; Andrew Ceresney (ex-SEC enforcement director) | Played a central role in the Ripple case that reshaped how courts treat secondary-market token sales. |
| 5 | Cleary Gottlieb | Firm | New York, USA | Garlinghouse & Larsen SEC defense | Chambers Band 2; Matthew Solomon (ex-SEC litigation chief) | Led the personal defense of Ripple’s executives, a parallel case with major legal implications. |
| 6 | Fenwick & West | Firm | Mountain View, USA | Crypto SEC investigations and M&A | Chambers 2026 ranked in 4 FinTech categories; Partner Michael Dicke individually ranked for Crypto-Asset Disputes | Core legal partner to Silicon Valley crypto builders. Broadest bench across crypto, fintech, and securities law. |
| 7 | Cooley LLP | Firm | Palo Alto, USA | Early Bitcoin company advisory | Chambers FinTech ranked; Brian Klein (Band 1) joined 2025 | Involved since the earliest Bitcoin corporate formations. Continues to advise founders and funds shaping the sector. |
| 8 | Brown Rudnick (Digital Commerce) | Firm | Boston / DC, USA | FTX Bahamas counsel; BlockFi recovery | Stephen Palley (Chair); Chambers & Legal 500 ranked | Built a leading crypto practice through strategic hires. Delivered landmark DAO rulings and full BlockFi creditor recovery. |
| 9 | Paul Grewal | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Coinbase SEC case dismissal (2025) | Coinbase CLO; Former US Magistrate Judge | Led Coinbase’s legal defense to a major win against the SEC. Influential voice in policy and regulatory debates. |
| 10 | Stuart Alderoty | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Ripple summary judgment & 2025 settlement | Ripple CLO; President of National Cryptocurrency Association | Delivered a defining court outcome for crypto markets. Now leading industry-wide public education efforts. |
| 11 | Lewis Rinaudo Cohen | Individual | New York, USA | US Senate Banking testimony (2025) | Co-Chair, CahillNXT; Chambers Band 1 | Key legal thinker shaping US crypto legislation. His “ancillary asset” framework influenced policy design. |
| 12 | Miles Jennings | Individual | United States | SEC Task Force decentralization framework | CLO, Castle Island Ventures; Former a16z policy head | Developed one of the most cited frameworks on decentralization in regulatory discussions. |
| 13 | Jake Chervinsky | Individual | Washington DC, USA | Hyperliquid Policy Center CEO | Founder & CEO; Former Blockchain Association policy head | Now leading a DeFi-focused policy group with strong funding. Active in shaping US regulatory direction. |
| 14 | Amanda Tuminelli | Individual | New York, USA | DeFi patent challenges | Executive Director & CLO, DeFi Education Fund | Led successful legal challenges against patents affecting core DeFi protocols. Key figure in pre-enforcement strategy. |
| 15 | Marisa Tashman Coppel | Individual | United States | SEC Dealer Rule lawsuit | Senior Product Counsel, Phantom; Former Blockchain Association legal head | Led a major industry challenge against SEC rulemaking. Helped frame constitutional arguments for crypto firms. |
Om listen
Denne listen er satt sammen av BeInCrypto Research Division som en del av BIC 100 Institutional Awards 2026.
Nominerte velges basert på virkningen, innflytelsen og den bransjeformende betydningen av deres juridiske arbeid innen digitale aktiva. Regulatorer og offentlige tjenestepersoner vurderes separat i kategori 5.5 (regulatorisk rammeverk).
Metodikk
Rangeringen bygger på Chambers FinTech 2026 tier-vurderinger, avgjørende rettsavgjørelser, regulatorisk engasjement (inkludert senat-høringer, SEC-innleveringer og amicus briefs), samt den strategiske betydningen av sentrale saker.
Individuelle roller og tilknytninger reflekterer offentlig informasjon per april 2026, innhentet fra firmaprofiler, Bloomberg Markets og offisielle kunngjøringer.
For å nominere eller sende inn tilbakemeldinger, kontakt [email protected].
