How do lawyers view Bitcoin?

Question

Have there been any articles or presentations about Bitcoins in any influential or respected law-related websites or perhaps interviews with notable lawyers or the like?

Answer 1

There have been plenty of dollars spent on lawyers by Mt. Gox, BitInstant and others, but for specific legal issues.

For instance, a decision after Mt. Gox sued its bank in France:

• https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=41317.0

There is the CryptoCurrency Legal Advocacy Group:

• http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Cryptocurrency_Legal_Advocacy_Group
• http://www.theclag.org

There is an argument that Bitcoin isn't a security (in the U.S.):

• http://www.lextechnologiae.com/2011/06/26/why-bitcoin-isnt-a-security-under-federal-securities-law
• http://www.lextechnologiae.com/2011/06/17/extending-real-world-laws-to-virtual-worlds-is-a-terrible-idea

Is Bitcoin a commodity then?

• http://blog.bitcointitan.com/post/17789738826/what-u-s-regulations-apply-to-bitcoins-as-commodities

Other links:

Ruben Grinberg's paper: Bitcoin: An Innovative Alternative Digital Currency

• http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1817857

Real legal issues with virtual currencies:

• http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/sec/2010/051010sec2.html

Quora: Is Bitcoin Legal?

• http://www.quora.com/Is-Bitcoin-legal

There are even lawyers who accept bitcoin:

• http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Trade#Legal_Services
• http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=65482.0

But that's about the extent of it, thus far -- at least what's publicly known.

Answer 2

Perhaps the following resources will be of interest to you. I have co-authored Parts I and II of a series about Bitcoin and the recent legal developments that pertain to it.

William B. Fleming and Joseph Evans, Bitcoiners in the Courtroom Part I: Government Oversight, Ford. Corp. L. Forum (Aug. 20, 2013).

TXT: http://fordhamcorporatecenter.org/2013/08/20/bitcoiners-in-the-court-room-part-i-government-oversight/

PDF: http://www.gagespencer.com/firm-news/GSF-Bitcoin-Part-1-Government.pdf

William B. Fleming and Joseph Evans, Bitcoiners in the Courtroom Part II: Civil Litigation and Developments, Ford. Corp. L. Forum (Sept. 23, 2013).

TXT: http://fordhamcorporatecenter.org/2013/09/23/bitcoiners-in-the-court-room-part-ii-civil-litigation-and-developments/

PDF: http://www.gagespencer.com/firm-news/Bitcoiners-in-the-Courtroom-Part-2.pdf