Institutional Legal Counsel of the Year is an award category within The BeInCrypto Institutional 100, an annual research-driven program recognising institutional digital asset excellence across 26 categories and six pillars.
This category sits in Pillar 5: Regulation & Governance. The 15 law firms and attorneys below are its longlist, drawn from US crypto legal matters handled between April 2025 and March 2026.
A shortlist will be named in May 2026, and the winner announced at Proof of Talk in Paris on June 2–3, 2026.
• Longlist: 15 (8 firms, 7 individuals)
• Candidates screened: Screening started with more than 30 firms and individual attorneys. 15 advanced to this longlist
• Criteria (weighted): Landmark Contributions 30% · Client Impact 20% · Thought Leadership 20% · Industry Recognition 15% · Practice Breadth 15%
• Sources: Chambers FinTech 2026, PACER crypto dockets, congressional testimony transcripts, SEC and CFTC enforcement records, bankruptcy plan counsel disclosures
• Landmark matters represented: Ripple v. SEC (August 2025 settlement), Coinbase dismissal, FTX Chapter 11, BlockFi creditor recovery, SEC Dealer Rule constitutional challenge
| Entry No. | Nominee | Type | Base | Landmark Case | Key Credentials | Why on the List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sullivan & Cromwell | Firm | New York, USA | FTX bankruptcy lead counsel | Chambers Band 2, Crypto-Asset Disputes $180M+ approved FTX fees | Led the largest crypto bankruptcy to date Handled the industry’s most complex restructuring |
| 2 | Davis Polk & Wardwell | Firm | New York, USA | Block.one EOS securities settlement | Chambers Band 1 in Crypto and FinTech Blockchain Robert Cohen, former SEC Crypto Unit head | Only firm ranked Band 1 across both categories One of the most established crypto practices in BigLaw |
| 3 | Latham & Watkins | Firm | Los Angeles, USA | Global DeFi, DAO, and NFT defense | Chambers Band 1, Crypto-Asset Disputes Multi-agency cases: SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OFAC | Represents a large share of DeFi and DAO mandates Strong cross-border execution across the US, EU, and Asia |
| 4 | Debevoise & Plimpton | Firm | New York, USA | Ripple SEC defense (settled Aug 2025) | Chambers Band 1, Crypto-Asset Disputes Andrew Ceresney, former SEC Enforcement Director | Played a central role in the Ripple litigation Shaped treatment of secondary-market token sales |
| 5 | Cleary Gottlieb | Firm | New York, USA | Garlinghouse & Larsen SEC defense | Chambers Band 2, Crypto-Asset Disputes Matthew Solomon, former SEC litigation chief | Led the personal defense of Ripple executives Handled a parallel case with major legal impact |
| 6 | Fenwick & West | Firm | Mountain View, USA | Crypto SEC investigations and West Coast M&A | Chambers 2026: ranked in four FinTech categories Michael Dicke individually ranked in crypto disputes | Core legal partner to Silicon Valley crypto firms Broad bench across crypto, fintech, and securities |
| 7 | Cooley LLP | Firm | Palo Alto, USA | Early Bitcoin company advisory | Chambers FinTech rankings across three categories Brian Klein, Band 1 in Crypto-Asset Disputes | Advised some of the earliest Bitcoin companies Continues to counsel founders and venture funds |
| 8 | Brown Rudnick (Digital Commerce) | Firm | Boston / DC, USA | FTX Bahamas counsel; BlockFi recovery | Chambers and Legal 500 ranked crypto practice Stephen Palley, Preston Byrne, and Hailey Lennon | Delivered full BlockFi creditor recovery Built a leading crypto practice through key hires |
| 9 | Paul Grewal | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Coinbase SEC case dismissal (2025) | Chief Legal Officer, Coinbase Former US Magistrate Judge (N.D. California) | Led Coinbase’s successful SEC defense Key voice in US crypto policy discussions |
| 10 | Stuart Alderoty | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Ripple summary judgment and Aug 2025 settlement | Chief Legal Officer, Ripple President, National Cryptocurrency Association | Delivered a defining court outcome for crypto Now leads major industry education efforts |
| 11 | Lewis Rinaudo Cohen | Individual | New York, USA | US Senate Banking testimony (Feb 2025) | Co-Chair, CahillNXT at Cahill Gordon & Reindel Chambers Band 1 blockchain lawyer | Testified before the US Senate on crypto regulation Developed the “ancillary asset” legal framework |
| 12 | Miles Jennings | Individual | United States | SEC Task Force decentralization framework | Head of Policy & General Counsel, a16z crypto Former Latham & Watkins partner | Authored a widely cited decentralization framework Influences regulatory and industry positioning |
| 13 | Jake Chervinsky | Individual | Washington DC, USA | Hyperliquid Policy Center launch | Founder & CEO, Hyperliquid Policy Center Former Blockchain Association policy head | Leads a DeFi-focused policy organization Active in shaping US regulatory direction |
| 14 | Amanda Tuminelli | Individual | New York, USA | DeFi patent challenges | Executive Director & CLO, DeFi Education Fund Led USPTO challenges and SEC litigation strategy | Challenged patents affecting core DeFi protocols Architect of pre-enforcement legal strategies |
| 15 | Marisa Tashman Coppel | Individual | United States | SEC Dealer Rule lawsuit | Senior Product Counsel, Phantom Former Head of Legal, Blockchain Association | Led the industry challenge against SEC rulemaking Helped frame constitutional arguments for crypto |
About This List
This list is compiled by the BeInCrypto Research Division as part of the BeInCrypto Institutional 100 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 [email protected].
