On the brink of International Women’s Day, we spoke with a trailblazer in blockchain law. This individual is a cryptocurrency and civil liberties attorney who leads the Filecoin Foundation and its sister nonprofit, Filecoin Foundation for the Decentralized Web. They also serve as the general counsel and head of policy at Protocol Labs, and hold positions on the Board of Directors for Creative Commons and as president of the Blockchain Association. Known for championing crypto policy, they have testified before U.S. Congress and various legislative bodies worldwide.
Interviewer: If I’m not mistaken, your first notable project was No Worries Now, an organization focused on assisting teens with life-threatening illnesses. It seems quite different from the blockchain field, but did that experience shape your current endeavors?
Interviewee: Wow, that’s quite the throwback! Indeed, during my college years, I managed a national nonprofit that supported teens facing serious health challenges, not just through events and programs but also through policy advocacy. I discovered that many of these illnesses, like leukemia, could be treated with bone marrow transplants, yet many teens lost their lives because they couldn’t find suitable matches. I also learned that umbilical cord blood—leftover after childbirth—could be utilized for these transplants. Shockingly, this valuable resource is typically discarded as medical waste rather than preserved for transplants. It’s truly mind-boggling.
While in college, I began advocating for public umbilical cord blood banking, aiming to ensure that this life-saving resource was preserved instead of disposed of. Alongside my efforts with No Worries Now, I collaborated with the National Marrow Donor Program to push for funding for a national cord blood bank and worked for a California Assemblymember who successfully passed legislation to establish California’s public umbilical cord blood banking system.
This experience marked my initial foray into technology policy. For many, tech policy seems abstract—difficult to grasp in terms of its real-world impact. However, my hands-on involvement with the teens whose lives were enhanced through these treatments helped solidify in my mind the tangible effects technology policy can have. Following those experiences, pursuing a career in technology law and policy felt like a natural choice.
Interviewer: How did you first come across Bitcoin or blockchain technology? When did you recognize its significance for you? Did your interest in tech law precede or follow your interest in blockchain?
Interviewee: I began my career as a technology attorney dedicated to upholding civil liberties and the public interest. Initially, I worked as a litigator at a law firm, representing public interest groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy & Technology, and Project Gutenberg, as well as larger companies.
My introduction to the blockchain space occurred in 2015 when I assisted some of the early blockchain companies in strategizing against patent trolls, inspired by a paper I authored for the Electronic Frontier Foundation titled “Hacking the Patent System.” I was immediately captivated by the technology because of its potential to safeguard privacy and transfer the civil liberties benefits associated with cash into the online realm. It was at that moment that I became completely invested in blockchain.
I had the privilege of working with extraordinary clients on fascinating projects—including drafting the first blockchain-transferable software license, defending against the initial patent litigation aimed at a blockchain company, and composing the Blockchain Association’s inaugural amicus brief. I spent considerable time during those early years educating policymakers about blockchain, often explaining the technology to them for the very first time!
Eventually, I began collaborating with Protocol Labs during the early stages of Filecoin’s development, starting as outside counsel, then transitioning to their outside general counsel, eventually leaving my law firm to serve as their full-time general counsel. I was thrilled by Filecoin’s vision—to leverage blockchain to create an alternative to Big Tech, thereby empowering individuals to control their own data. Joining this groundbreaking technology felt like an incredible opportunity to contribute to the foundational elements of the next generation of the internet.
Interviewer: You hold numerous roles—from president of the Filecoin Foundation to general counsel at Protocol Labs and board member of Creative Commons, as well as president of the Blockchain Association. I want to ask two questions about this.
First, how do you manage your time across so many organizations?
Interviewee: I might regret sharing this, but my approach leans more towards “work-life integration” than “work-life balance” (which works for me, but may not suit everyone, so I’m not suggesting this is a one-size-fits-all solution!). Right now, I’m fully immersed in this mission of utilizing technology to defend civil liberties, and most of the people around me are engaged in related initiatives, making it natural for me to live and breathe this mission.
Interviewer: Secondly, what attributes do you find valuable and appealing in an organization that compels you to join? What is the common thread among the projects you are involved in?
Interviewee: The work I engage in across these organizations centers around a unified mission—using technology to champion civil liberties. Though I wear multiple hats, I perceive all my efforts as part of a cohesive role.
Interviewer: You received an award for your trailblazing contributions to blockchain law from the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization. There’s conflicting data regarding the gender wage gap in the web3 space. Pantera Capital claims there’s a “reverse” gap, indicating that women earn more than men, while other reports suggest the opposite. Additionally, there’s a lack of women-led companies in web3. What are your insights concerning gender disparities, their underlying causes, and the challenges and advantages of being a woman in the crypto space?
Interviewee: There are genuinely remarkable women leading in the crypto world right now. For instance, all three major crypto industry organizations were founded by women as their executive directors. I find it surprising when people label crypto as male-dominated, as my experiences in the space have been quite the opposite. When I think of leaders in crypto, the majority that come to mind are women, though I recognize this is personal perspective!
Interviewer: I’ve observed that the Filecoin Foundation team consists mostly of women. Do you believe that organizations with a majority of women differ in their operational dynamics compared to male-dominated companies?
Interviewee: Indeed, the leadership team at the Filecoin Foundation is predominantly female, our staff is nearly half women, and our board is mostly women as well. However, this wasn’t a deliberate choice—we simply sought the best talent, and that’s what we found. As I mentioned before, the crypto space is rich with exceptional women!