Every major regulatory victory, landmark ruling, and piece of legislation that shaped the digital currency industry has a lawyer behind it. They are a driving force behind the mainstream acceptance of digital assets. But 15 firms and individual lawyers have made their mark in modern financial history.
They wrote memos, defended causes, testified before Congress, and built the legal frameworks that enabled institutional capital to enter digital currencies with confidence.
From Ripple v. SEC's landmark case and Coinbase regulatory victory to policy papers now appearing in Senate testimony, here are the top 15 lawyers fighting legal battles in the cryptocurrency world.
Rank Candidate Type Base Case Landmark Qualifications and Technical Record Why on the List 1 Sullivan & Cromwell Company New York, USA Lead counsel for FTX bankruptcy Lead defense at SEC conference; FTX fees approved at $180 million+; Chambers Band 2 disputes over digital assets Led the largest crypto bankruptcy to date. The FTX restructuring is the most complex legal mandate the industry has seen. 2 Davis Polk & Wardwell Company New York, USA EOS securities settlement on Block.one Chambers Band 1 in crypto asset and blockchain fintech disputes; Robert Cohen (former head of the SEC's digital currency unit) The only firm ranked in Tier 1 in both of the two main legal categories for digital currencies. Deep regulatory ties and Tier 1 corporate mandates. 3 Latham & Watkins Company Los Angeles, USA Global defense against decentralized finance, the Dow, and NFTs Chambers Band 1; Multi-agency matters (SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OFAC) handle more DeFi and DAO requirements than any peer. Robust cross-border execution across the US, EU, and Asia. 4. DeBoys & Plympton, Inc., New York, USA. Ripple's SEC defense team, Chambers 1; Andrew Seresney (former SEC enforcement director), played a pivotal role in the Ripple case that reshaped how courts handle token sales in secondary markets.5. Cleary Gottlieb, Inc., New York, USA. Garlinghouse & Larsen's defense at the SEC conference. Chambers Group 2; Matthew Solomon (former SEC Chief Litigation Officer) led the personal defense of Ripple's directors, a parallel case with significant legal ramifications. 6. Fenwick & West, Inc., Mountain View, USA. SEC investigations into cryptocurrencies and mergers and acquisitions. Chambers ranked 2026 in 4 fintech categories; partner Michael Dick was individually ranked in digital asset disputes. A key legal partner for Silicon Valley cryptocurrency builders. The broadest platform in the areas of cryptocurrencies, fintech, and securities law. 7. Collie LLP, Inc., Palo Alto, USA. Consulting early Bitcoin companies. Chambers ranked fintech. Brian Klein (Squad 1) joined in 2025 and has been involved since the early days of Bitcoin companies. He continues to advise the founders and funds that make up the sector. 8. Brown Rodnick (Digital Trading) Firm Boston/DC, USA. FTX Attorney in the Bahamas; Block Recovery. Stephen Paley (President); Chambers & Legal 500 Ranked. Built a leading cryptocurrency practice through strategic hiring.9. Paul Grewal, Alfredo, San Francisco, USA. Rejected Coinbase SEC Case (2025). Coinbase CLO; former US Justice of the Peace. Led Coinbase's legal defense to a major victory against the Securities and Exchange Commission. An influential voice in policy and regulatory debates. 10. Stuart Alderotti, Alfredo, San Francisco, USA. Ripple Summary Ruling and 2025 Settlement. Ripple CLO; President of the National Digital Currency Association. Delivered a landmark ruling for cryptocurrency markets. Now leads industry-wide public education efforts. 11. Louis Renaudou Cohen, Alfredo, New York, USA. US Senate Banking Testimony (2025). Co-Chair, CahillNXT; Chambers Division 1. A key legal thinker shaping US cryptocurrency legislation. His "backing assets" framework has influenced policy design. 12. Miles Jennings, Alfredo, USA. Decentralized Task Force Framework for the SEC. CLO, Castle Island Ventures; Former Head of Policy at a16z developed one of the most cited frameworks on decentralization in regulatory discussions.13 Jake Czerwinski, Individual, Washington, D.C., USA. CEO of the Hyperliquid Policy Center. Founder and CEO; former Head of Policy at the Blockchain Association. Now leads a policy group focused on decentralized finance with strong funding.Active in shaping regulatory trends in the United States. 14. Amanda Tuminelli, Alfred, New York, USA. Decentralized Finance Patent Challenges. Executive Director and CLO, Decentralized Education Fund. Led successful legal challenges against patents impacting core DeFi protocols. A key figure in pre-implementation strategy. 15. Marisa Tachman, Copple, Alfred, USA. SEC Agent Rule Lawsuit. Senior Product Advisor, Phantom; former Chief Legal Officer, Blockchain Association. Led a major industry challenge against the SEC's rulemaking. Helped craft constitutional arguments in favor of cryptocurrency companies.
About this list
This list was prepared by the BeInCrypto Research Department as part of the 2026 BIC 100 Corporate Awards.
Candidates are selected based on the impact, influence, and significance of their legal work in the field of digital assets in shaping the industry. Regulators and government officials are assessed separately in category 5.5 (Regulatory Framework).
methodology
The rankings are based on Chambers Fintech 2026 category assignments, outstanding case outcomes, regulatory engagement (including Senate testimony, SEC filings, and friend of a friend memos), and the strategic significance of the signing issues.
Individual roles and affiliations reflect general information as of April 2026, derived from company filings, Bloomberg Markets, and official announcements.
To submit a nomination or share feedback, contact awards@beincrypto.com.