Crypto World
The 15 Lawyers and Firms Fighting Crypto’s Biggest Legal Battles
Every major regulatory victory, landmark court ruling, and every piece of legislation that shaped the crypto industry has a lawyer behind it. They’re a big driver behind the mainstream acceptance of digital assets. But 15 firms and individual lawyers have carved out their place in modern financial history.
They wrote briefs, argued cases, testified before Congress, and built the legal frameworks that enabled institutional capital to enter crypto with confidence.
From the landmark Ripple Vs SEC case, the regulatory victory of Coinbase, to policy papers that now appear in Senate testimony, here are the 15 biggest lawyers fighting crypto’s legal battles.
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 DisputesLed 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 DisputesCore 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 2025Involved 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 rankedBuilt 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 JudgeLed 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 AssociationDelivered 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 1Key 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 headDeveloped 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 headNow 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 headLed a major industry challenge against SEC rulemaking.
Helped frame constitutional arguments for crypto firms.
About This List
This list is compiled by the BeInCrypto Research Division as part of the BIC 100 Institutional Awards 2026.
Nominees are selected based on the impact, influence, and industry-shaping significance of their legal work in digital assets. Regulators and government officials are evaluated separately in Category 5.5 (Regulatory Framework).
Methodology
Rankings draw on Chambers FinTech 2026 tier assignments, landmark case outcomes, regulatory engagement (including Senate testimony, SEC filings, and amicus briefs), and the strategic significance of signature matters.
Individual roles and affiliations reflect public information as of April 2026, sourced from firm profiles, Bloomberg Markets, and official announcements.
To submit a nomination or share feedback, contact awards@beincrypto.com.
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