Organizations like the ACLU, the Institute for Justice, and the EFF have long looked out for the rights of those in need. In the past, the EFF has even defended a student who faced prosecution for writing some innovative Bitcoin software. So today I’m happy to announce the formation of the Digital Currency and Ledger Defense Coalition, of which I’m honored to be a part.

This coalition brings together over 50 of the top lawyers from around the country who focus on digital currency and distributed ledger legal issues in a united effort to protect the individual constitutional rights and civil liberties of innovators experimenting with these promising new blockchain technologies. It 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 early internet could not have reached the kind of global scale we see today without the work of motivated entrepreneurs and tinkerers. Historically, defense coalitions similar to the DCLDC have played a key role in keeping the way free for innovators pushing the envelope to build out promising network technologies.