Lawyers Unite to Aid Digital Currency Users Face Legal Issues
A newly formed coalition of over 50 prominent lawyers in the United States will help digital currency users – individuals – who are unable to afford legal services, with pro bono attorney referrals.
A new coalition, called the Digital Currency and Ledger Defense Coalition (DCLDC), will help individuals facing legal concerns pertaining to digital currency- and blockchain-related cases.
Jerry Brito, executive director of bitcoin and blockchain advocacy group Coin Center revealed the formation of the coalition in an announcement today.
The unified group will see over “50 of the top lawyers” from around the United States with a focus on legal issues faced by users of digital currency and blockchain technology. More specifically, the coalition represents a “unified effort to protect the individual and constitutional rights and civil liberties of innovators” who are experimenting and innovating with blockchain endeavors.
The mission statement from the DCLDC read:
The DCLDC was founded to help protect individual constitutional rights and civil liberties in connection with regulatory and law enforcement scrutiny and efforts relating to digital currencies (e.g. bitcoin) and ledgers (e.g. blockchains).
Brito references a previous legal case wherein the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) defended two MIT students who were prosecuted for writing a bitcoin micropayments program.
Brito wrote:
It [the coalition] will focus on making pro bono attorney referrals to those who cannot afford legal services, and also work on submitting amicus briefs on key issues.
The coalition will prove a significant resource for individuals facing persecution or legal hurdles in an industry that has shown to be rife with misinformation and the distinct lack of understanding the core technology by regulators and authorities.
Brito will serve as board member at the DCLDC.
Beyond helping set up the new coalition, Coin Center has had a busy few weeks. The advocacy group’s two-yea-effort in working with congressmen and others in Washington led to the formation of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Rep. Mulvaney, one of two congressmen who announced the bi-partisan congressional member organization underlined Coin Center as an “invaluable resource” that helped educate him on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.
