Use Cases and Applications of Blockchain in Legal Services

Stephen D. Palley is a partner in the Washington D.C. office of Anderson Kill. A seasoned trial lawyer and litigator with extensive experience in insurance recovery, Stephen also has significant hands-on software development and design experience. He is co-chair of Anderson Kill's recently launched Blockchain and Virtual Currency group, a cross-disciplinary team providing counsel to Blockchain entrepreneurs and investors in areas including litigation, trial practice, insurance coverage, tax, intellectual property, corporate/transactional and employment law. Stephen has written and been quoted widely on legal issues arising from the use of Blockchain technology, with appearances in both print and television media.

In two decades of litigation experience, Stephen has handled a wide variety of commercial disputes in state and federal courts across the United States, including significant construction insurance and environmental insurance matters. His most recent trial experience includes a Fall 2017 jury trial in federal court regarding coverage for decades of environmental cleanup costs under insurance policies issued in the 1970s, leading to an eight figure jury verdict in favor of the policyholder. He has also represented owners, general contractors, construction managers and others in insurance transactions concerning tens of billions of dollars' worth of construction projects throughout the United States.

In the area of software design and development, Stephen has worked with clients to develop a wide range of compliance driven software platforms, including direct response advertising and dispute resolution software, as well as advising clients developing platforms with blockchain functionality.

Stephen was selected for inclusion in the 2019 The Best Lawyers in America list for Insurance Law. In 2018, Stephen was recommended in The Legal 500 United States for Insurance - advice to policyholders.

Stephen is a fellow of both the American College of Coverage and Extra Contractual Counsel (“ACCEC”) and the Construction Lawyers Society of America, and has also been recognized as Washington, D.C. "Super Lawyer" in Construction Litigation.  He is a co-chair of the ACCEC’s Blockchain and Virtual Currency committee.  A frequent and sought-after speaker and writer on construction insurance-related topics, Stephen is the lead editor and contributing author of Construction Insurance and contributing author of Fundamentals of Construction Law, treatises published by the ABA Forum on Construction Law.

David is the founder and CEO of Integra, Inc., which is the developer of the Integra Ledger “Blockchain for Law”. He is also one of the founders of the recently announced Global Legal Blockchain Consortium, which is a legal industry group focused on standards and governance for the use of blockchain technology in the legal industry. The GLBC is composed of major law firms, corporate legal departments, software companies, and universities.

Prior to founding Integra, David was the founder and CEO of Privatim, which was a secure communication and collaboration technology platform for law firms and clients. Earlier in his career, he was the founder and CEO of Millennium Venture Group, which was a national commercial real estate finance and development platform.

David is a former chairman of the board of Youthbiz, a Denver-based non-profit focused on business education for inner city youth. He is a graduate of Rice University and Harvard Business School

Laura Jehl is a partner in the firm’s Privacy and Data Protection practice, and serves as co-leader of the firm's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) initiative and its Blockchain Technologies and Digital Currencies team. Her practice focuses on the intersection of data, law and emerging technologies, and she is ranked by Chambers USA as a leader in her field. Chambers cites clients praising her “extremely good judgement and deep experience in major cybersecurity issues."

Laura has extensive experience handling complex cyber incidents, including several of the largest data breaches ever reported, affecting high-profile clients in the healthcare, internet and hospitality sectors. She has directed forensic investigations, advised on notification of U.S. and international regulators, and led sensitive interactions with law enforcement and national security agencies related to these incidents. Laura also represents companies facing regulatory investigations and enforcement actions involving both privacy and security practices, and helps clients respond to requests from U.S. government agencies for personal data.

Laura regularly helps clients understand their obligations under the “patchwork” of U.S. privacy and cybersecurity laws, including HIPAA, GLBA, SCA/ECPA, COPPA, CAN-SPAM and the California Consumer Privacy Act, as well as state breach notification and data security laws. As co-leader of the firm’s GDPR initiative, Laura understands the growing globalization of data privacy regulation. She has helped hundreds of clients build and enhance comprehensive privacy programs, while anticipating emerging privacy and security obligations.

Her role as co-founder and leader of the firm's national Blockchain Technologies and Digital Currencies Team has Laura advising clients on a wide variety of legal and regulatory issues presented by the emergence of blockchain technologies, cryptocurrencies and digital identity solutions. She also advises companies on the legal issues associated with blockchain technologies, from smart contracts and personal identity solutions to complying with SEC guidelines on digital currencies.

With extensive experience as a senior in-house lawyer and business-side executive, Laura understands the business, legal and technological challenges and opportunities that her clients face. Chambers reports that clients praise Laura’s “excellent rapport” and her “holistic, big-picture approach” to advising them on privacy and data security issues and helping them meet regulatory requirements while incorporating practical, creative, trusted and valuable business solutions.

She received her B.A. with highest honors in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School.

Mark Halligan has been selected by Corporate LiveWire as the 2018 Innovator of the Year for his co-invention of the new Trade Secret Examiner software platform for trade secret asset management.

Legal 500 ranks Mr. Halligan as a leading lawyer in trade secrets litigation in the United States and Mr. Halligan has been inducted into The Legal 500 Hall of Fame. Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business ranks Mr. Halligan for his exceptional standing in intellectual property law. Managing Intellectual Property recognizes Mr. Halligan as an “IP Star.”

Mr. Halligan is a partner at FisherBroyles, LLP. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation and complex commercial litigation, including antitrust and licensing issues. He is a Past President of the Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago (IPLAC); the General Editor of the Intellectual Property Law Handbook (2017) published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE); and an Adjunct Professor in the L.L.M. Program at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Mr. Halligan is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and the Northwestern University School of Law.