SEC Broker-Dealer Enforcements Against Crypto Market-Makers: Summary and Implications
Written by: Aaron Krowne, Esq. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been cracking down in recent years on crypto market-makers for allegedly operating as unregistered broker-dealers—firms that execute trades, facilitate transactions, or provide liquidity for others. Many assumed they were exempt from traditional broker-dealer rules due to regulatory uncertainty. However, as the market […]
A Discussion of the Part 1 of the U.S. Copyright Office Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Written by: Eric Goldman The U.S. Copyright Office is actively engaged in monitoring the impact artificial intelligence (AI) systems are having on intellectual property, recognizing the traditionally symbiotic relationship between copyright and technology. In early 2023, the Copyright Office announced an initiative to explore the intersection of copyright and AI. A Notice of Inquiry (NOI) […]
Working with Key Opinion Leaders in Web3, a Legal Perspective
Written by: Efren Medina and Aaron Krowne, Esq. As the web3 landscape grows, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) have emerged as increasingly important figures in driving adoption and engagement for emerging projects. Unlike traditional influencers, KOLs in web3 often bring specialized knowledge in web3 gaming, blockchain, NFTs and tokenomics, making their opinions invaluable to both newer and established […]
AI Litigation Highlights: Anthropic PBC
Large language model (LLM) generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems are becoming more and more common in all aspects of life. These systems have the ability to respond to queries from users and generate responses. Who hasn’t had the experience of calling a customer service telephone line and being prompted by an automated system to answer a series […]
The SEC Has Spoken: Is it Open Season for Memecoin Issuers?
Written by: Aaron Krowne, Esq. The SEC made news on February 27, 2025, by releasing a favorable statement regarding memecoin issuances. Close SEC-watchers in the crypto world already expected that the new SEC leadership (as part of the dramatic political change in Executive Branch administration) was likely to have a more favorable stance towards memecoins – however, this […]
Legal Challenges in Defining and Regulating Smart Contracts
Written by: Aaron Krowne Smart contracts—self-executing agreements encoded onto blockchain networks—are revolutionizing business processes across industries like finance, real estate, and supply chain management. These contracts automatically execute the terms of an agreement once predefined conditions are met, reducing the need for intermediaries and promising greater efficiency, transparency, and security. However, as with any transformative technology, […]
Best Practices – Play to Airdrop
Written by: Efren Medina Play to Airdrop (P2A) is a recent tactic used by web3 projects to mass market their game to users of the project’s platform. It typically involves an incentive leaderboard structure with token rewards based on an individual’s ranking of final points. Airdrop points are given for engagement, in-game achievements and sometimes […]
ICO Securities Compliance: Navigating the Legal Landscape
Written by: Aaron Krowne Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) have become a popular method for blockchain ventures to raise capital. However, the rise of ICOs (and other forms of token-issuances, sometimes also called “Initial DEX Offerings” or “IDOs”, “Initial Exchange Offerings” or “ILOs”, or a variety of other terms–hereunder, all “ICOs”) has brought significant regulatory scrutiny, […]
SEC Partially “Walks Back” Loathed SAB 121 Rule
Written by: Aaron Krowne Introduction The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has long been a central figure in regulating financial markets in the USA. However, its stance on cryptocurrency has often drawn criticism from industry players. One such instance is the issuance of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 (SAB 121) in March 2022, a controversial guidance […]
Patent Protection for AI Generated Works
Written by: Eric Goldman The idea that the U.S. government will grant protections for works of intellectual property is almost as old as the nation itself. Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution provides that the Federal government has the right: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing […]
