The world of blockchain and cryptocurrency is a quickly expanding market – the ultimate disruptor some might say, even comparable if not bigger than the internet boom. Some refer to its mystery and appeal as the "wild west". Whatever euphemism you might use to describe the space, the fact remains, the blockchain/crypto world is still largely undeveloped further translating into an unmanned, unlegislated playground with rules and laws that are still developing. That doesn't mean, however, the law is going to be understanding and kind if your business isn't meeting compliance criteria. This is where a firm like Thompson Hine comes in – specifically, professionals and attorneys like Cassandra Borchers.
Borchers is a partner in the Corporate Transactions & Securities practice group at Thompson Hine. Her specialty is counseling clients on regulatory and compliance matters including all aspects of federal and state securities law and related issues, such as registration, regulatory reporting, cryptocurrency, private fund and mutual fund matters.
The blockchain and crypto space is an exciting but daunting space for newcomers, especially for those who haven't yet a clue what compliance measures must be taken. Thompson Hine was one of the first firms to put together a practice group, initially focused just on bitcoin, which has now evolved to include blockchain and other crypto currency matters as well. The group focuses primarily on investment management, data privacy and regulatory practices in the space.
In this interview Borchers explains how critical it is that businesses involved in the blockchain/crypto space, begin to develop a compliant business model that meets the ever evolving regulator requirements To do that she describes, they should be partnering with experts and attorneys who specialize in how to do just that.