NY Update. Our numbers continue to rise by virtually any metric you choose, but NY still remains low by comparison with other states. In Westchester, as recently as 6 weeks ago, we were averaging less than 300 new cases per week. As of the past week, we’re now averaging 859…

By Marcus Williams, Lance Koonce, and Kennard L. Noyes There is a certain irony in the fact that the legal principles that currently govern the regulatory treatment of cryptocurrencies draw primarily from a 1946 case dealing with investment contracts in Florida orange groves. However, to experienced observers, the outcome should…

Part I: Why It Matters — Summary: In the first of a three-part series on blockchain technology, we explore why blockchain matters and how it will soon begin to affect businesses — and in particular their in-house counsel. This article was first published over at InTheHouse.org. When anyone touts a new technology as “revolutionary,” some skepticism…

Our annual DOWNLOAD event will be taking place tomorrow. Unfortunately it’s sold out, but we’ll be blogging about the blockchain session we’re doing in the afternoon. We’re especially excited to welcome our three great panelists, Carlos Mendez of Crayhill Capital and Monegraph; Yorke Rhodes from Microsoft; and Rik Willard of…

The Future of Voting — In the wake of the most intensely anticipated — and certainly the most Tweeted and meme-ified — presidential debate in history, I spoke on a panel last week on election and voting tech at the New York County Lawyers Association. (Thanks to my partner in crime Joe Bambara for organizing…

For Once, A Poll That Has Nothing to Do with Trump — By Adam Shoemaker In another signal of the growing importance of blockchain technology, the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) recently polled its members seeking information about their plans to use the technology, and came up with some surprising results. The WFE is the trade association of publicly regulated stock, futures…

Smart Contracts and Digital Asset Management — Summary: In order to promote more efficient licensing systems for content, the industry needs to encourage the development of standardized contracting languages, as well as experimentation with code-based smart contracts. There’s a moment in the new play Privacy, written by James Graham and currently running at the Public Theater in…

The Road From Legalese to Code Summary: Before we can decide whether smart contracts are going to bring significant change to business and law, we first need to make sure we’re all talking about the same thing. The term “smart contracts” gets tossed around a lot lately in the context…

Summary: NPR’s Laura Sydell highlights a push by major artists to revamp the DMCA safe harbor, and we briefly explore whether there may be technological solutions waiting in the wings. Our last several posts on this blog have been about the creative commons, and how non-commercial, open sharing of content…