The Blockchain & Law Working Group Berlin (BCLAW) is an informal group of lawyers, software developers, and entrepreneurs working with blockchain technology. In a series of meetings, the group has jointly identified a number of legal issues arising from the use of blockchain technology today and in the near future. The aim of the Blockchain & Law Working Group is to discuss those issues in depth within subgroups, based on a multi stakeholder approach. The results of our work will be shared openly with the rest of the world on this site and on our wiki. With our work, we strive to support the creation of a blockchain-friendly legal environment. That entails analyzing blockchain-hostile regulation, identifying omissions in law that cause legal insecurities, identifying opportunities to use blockchain in regulatory environments rather than as a subject of regulation and to come up with innovation-friendly solutions. The issues around which we have created subgroups are:
- BLOCKCHAIN TOKENS & DAOs
Startups trying to operate as DAOs are in need of a legal framework that allows them to conduct business not only within the closed world of a blockchain network but to interact with the physical world, the world of traditional financial instruments and that of intellectual property. - CRYPTOCURRENCIES
Legal implications of cryptocurrencies, incl. civil and tax law implications, as well as pending anti money laundering legislation which might render certain blockchain based business models unviable. - SMART LEGAL AGREEMENTS
Smart Contracts are incomplete. They need a legal layer to be compliant with today’s laws and regulations, as well as to capture the dynamic evolution of real world relationships. - BLOCKCHAIN & DATA PROTECTION
Blockchain Technology in its purest form is radically transparent. Privacy regulations make today’s Blockchain architecture difficult to implement for established corporates. - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ON THE BLOCKCHAIN
License management for intellectual goods is ready for a complete overhaul and Blockchain technology might be the key. - BLOCKCHAIN FOR E-GOVERNMENT (GOVTECH)
E-government services are gaining relevance in today’s world where consumers expect to access all kinds of services digitally.
