David Lopez-Kurtz is a U.S. attorney focused on emerging technology, with a practice that spans digital assets, blockchain products, and artificial intelligence. He is a Partner at Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC, where he advises founders, funds, and operating companies on structuring, financing, regulatory compliance, and transactional matters connected to Web3. His work typically sits at the intersection of corporate formation, securities analysis, and practical compliance implementation for businesses building in highly scrutinized markets.
Overview
Lopez-Kurtz is best known for corporate and securities counseling applied to crypto-native products and token-based fundraising. His advisory work frequently includes company formation and governance, fundraising strategy, commercial contracting, mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory positioning for token launches and secondary market activity. As the regulatory environment has evolved, he has also emphasized operational compliance, helping clients translate legal conclusions into repeatable policies and monitoring processes rather than relying on one-time legal opinions.
- Primary focus: Corporate and securities matters for digital asset and emerging technology businesses
- Common client needs: Formation and fundraising, token launch structuring, ongoing compliance programs, and transactional support
- Adjacent focus: AI and large language model (LLM) governance, privacy, and risk management
History and Background
Earlier in his career, Lopez-Kurtz was associated with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, where his practice centered on business acquisitions and securities work and expanded into Web3-related matters. His professional profile highlights a pragmatic orientation toward founder support, focusing on the legal and operational steps required to launch products and maintain compliance as teams scale. Public biographical material also notes that he has drawn on a non-traditional set of work experiences, including time working as a cook and chef and seasonal commercial fishing work, as part of a broader emphasis on relationship-driven counsel and execution under real-world constraints.
Lopez-Kurtz has also been associated with founding BSL Group, described publicly as a blockchain-focused alternative legal services provider (ALSP). That work aligns with a wider trend in which Web3 teams seek legal support that can be operationalized, for example through templates, process design, and ongoing compliance oversight, rather than purely transactional engagement.
Digital Assets and Web3 Practice
In the digital asset ecosystem, Lopez-Kurtz has advised on project formation and launch planning, securities law considerations for token fundraising, and compliance strategies for businesses operating in the U.S. and internationally. His corporate and securities work commonly covers private and public fundraising pathways, disclosure and compliance obligations, and the governance structures used by early-stage teams and investor-backed ventures. In token contexts, these services often include analysis of how a token is marketed and distributed, what exemptions may be relevant, and how ongoing obligations change as a network matures.
His practice has referenced common fundraising structures and exemptions used by U.S. issuers, including private placements and other offering frameworks, as well as alternatives to traditional venture rounds. This approach is often paired with governance and documentation work, including commercial contracting, M&A support, and regulatory readiness. For broader context on how fast-changing rules can affect market participants, see CryptoSlate’s coverage of major regulatory developments, including 2025 crypto regulation changes and evolving U.S. agency coordination such as SEC and CFTC market oversight efforts.
- Formation and structuring: Entity setup, governance, and founder and investor documentation.
- Token and fundraising counsel: Securities analysis, offering strategy, and launch risk assessment.
- Ongoing compliance programs: Policy design, monitoring, and support for scaled operations, including fractional compliance leadership where appropriate.
- Transactions: Commercial contracts, strategic partnerships, and M&A support.
AI and LLM Governance
Alongside Web3 work, Lopez-Kurtz has expanded into AI governance and counseling on the development and deployment of large language models. This includes advising on intellectual property considerations, privacy and data protection issues, and liability and compliance risk arising from AI systems integrated into customer-facing products. Crypto industry participants increasingly treat AI policy and privacy as part of enterprise readiness, a trend reflected in regulatory friction around LLM deployment, including cases such as European regulatory objections to AI assistant launches.
Teaching, Publishing, and Industry Engagement
Lopez-Kurtz is also listed publicly as an adjunct professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where he teaches business associations. His professional biography describes repeated publication and speaking on crypto, blockchain, Web3, metaverse, and AI topics, including publication by outlets such as the National Law Review and Law360. He has additionally written ongoing commentary on legal and regulatory developments in Web3, reflecting a focus on translating policy shifts into practical implications for founders and operators.
Education and Professional Affiliations
Lopez-Kurtz earned a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and a B.A. from Ohio University. Public firm materials have also listed an LLM in Taxation at NYU School of Law as in progress. He is admitted to practice in Ohio and is associated with bar membership activity in the Cincinnati and Ohio legal communities.
Risks and Considerations
Legal work in digital assets and AI is shaped by fast-changing rules, shifting enforcement priorities, and jurisdictional overlap. Token and fundraising counsel often depends on facts that evolve over time, including distribution mechanics, marketing practices, governance rights, and secondary market realities. Similarly, AI deployment raises continuing issues related to privacy, data provenance, and accountability for model outputs. As a result, a recurring theme in Lopez-Kurtz’s practice is ongoing compliance, building operational programs that can adapt as regulations and product requirements change rather than treating legal risk as a one-time milestone.
