Preston Byrne (@prestonjbyrne) is a partner at Anderson Kill, where his practice is focused on early-stage high-tech companies, particularly regarding corporate transactions, IP, and other cross-border legal issues. He was previously a co-founder of Monax, the first permissioned blockchain, in 2014. 

In this episode, Preston gives a history of his involvement in blockchain, looks at the evolution of DAOs, and gives his perspective on running a crypto practice. He also explains landing his first client on the day he was called to the bar. Listen and subscribe to Law of Code for weekly updates and interviews in the world of blockchain at the intersection of the law. 

Show highlights: 

[02:10] Preston's introduction to Bitcoin 

[13:17] The mutation doctrine: Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

[19:43] Important things to keep in mind when building a crypto-law practice 

[24:07] Current DAO trends 

[34:57] NFTs, crypto, and the broader market 

[39:51] Best practices for interacting with crypto clients 

[44:32] Why return to the USA after law school in England? 

[50:58] Why Preston joined Anderson Kill 

[52:45] “The Back of the Envelope” 

[56:07] Exposure to cities as a category of risk 

[1:00:47] Remote-first lawyers 

[1:01:49] How has Preston’s reading shaped his views? 

[1:08:52] What advice shaped Preston's career? 

[1:11:29] What habits should lawyers establish early on? 

Resources: 

Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms and Source Code in C 

Sane Society by Erich Fromm 

Preston's site: https://prestonbyrne.com/