Salim Jones 5/14/25 Salim Jones 5/14/25

When ECVC Structure Breaks the Deal

Salim Jones 5/14/25 Salim Jones 5/14/25

Token or Equity or Both? Cap Table Strategy in Web3

Founders face a unique challenge: managing both tokens and equity on the cap table. Tokens aren’t equity, but investors often treat them like they are—raising questions about rights, control, and upside. Without clear structure, that confusion can derail deals and trigger avoidable risks.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SEC Chair Paul Atkins Announces Sweeping Cuts and Contract Reviews: What This Means for Market Regulation and Enforcement

In his first major address to the agency, newly appointed SEC Chair Paul Atkins informed staff this week that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has experienced a 15% reduction in workforce, with more changes to come. The remarks, delivered during a town hall at SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C., mark a sharp pivot in tone and direction for the Commission under the Trump administration’s broader government downsizing initiative, led in part by billionaire adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

Super Micro Subpoenaed by DOJ and SEC Following Short Seller Allegations: What This Means for AI Market Investors and Compliance Officers

San Jose-based Super Micro Computer, a prominent supplier of high-performance AI server hardware, disclosed this week that it has received subpoenas from both the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The subpoenas, served in late 2024, are part of an apparent response to allegations first raised by the now-defunct short seller Hindenburg Research in August of last year.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

FOIA Docs Show NY AG Wanted ETH Declared a Security

In a striking revelation from documents obtained through Coinbase’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) efforts, the New York Attorney General’s Office asked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2023 to declare Ether (ETH) a security in support of its lawsuit against crypto exchange KuCoin. The request, made during the tenure of former SEC Chair Gary Gensler, was ultimately declined.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SEC Unmasks $91M Ponzi Scheme in Texas: Three DFW Residents Charged in Sweeping Fraud Case

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed sweeping civil charges against three Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) residents for orchestrating an alleged $91 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 200 investors. The defendants—Kenneth Alexander II, Robert D. Welsh, and Caedrynn E. Conner—now face allegations of violating the antifraud and registration provisions of federal securities laws through a complex network of deceptive investment vehicles.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

Civitas Resources Faces Securities Class Action After 18% Stock Drop: What Investors and Public Companies Should Know

Civitas Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CIVI), a prominent player in the U.S. oil and gas sector, now finds itself at the center of a securities class action lawsuit following a sharp 18% decline in its stock price. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey (captioned Lin v. Civitas Resources, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-03791), alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, spotlighting misstatements concerning production capabilities and capital expenditures.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/8/25

SafeMoon Trial Opens: Former CEO Claims Innocence, Points to Founder as Culprit

The trial of SafeMoon’s former CEO, Braden John Karony, commenced this week in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), adding another complex layer to the growing landscape of crypto enforcement actions. Facing charges of securities fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy, Karony has publicly asserted his innocence—and in a rare move, attempted to deflect culpability toward SafeMoon’s founder, Kyle Nagy.

K. Braeden Anderson 5/7/25 K. Braeden Anderson 5/7/25

Crypto Legislation Collides with Trump’s Digital Asset Ties as House Hearing Implodes

Efforts to establish a comprehensive digital asset regulatory framework were sidelined on Tuesday, not by policy disagreement, but by political uproar.

What was expected to be a pivotal joint hearing between the House Financial Services and Agriculture Committees was instead derailed by a high-profile objection from Democratic leadership, intensifying an already volatile environment around crypto legislation.

Salim Jones 5/6/25 Salim Jones 5/6/25

How to Get Formation Right: Why Entity Structure Is the First Strategic Decision You’ll Make

Formation is often treated like a checkbox, but it’s actually one of the first real strategic choices a founder makes. The right structure helps you raise money, avoid painful surprises, and stay flexible as you grow. This article breaks down what clean formation looks like, when complex structures make sense, and how thoughtful decisions now can save time, money, and stress later.

Salim Jones 4/29/25 Salim Jones 4/29/25

Do I need a lawyer yet? Why early legal strategy is a startup’s secret weapon

Early legal strategy is a startup’s secret weapon. In today’s funding climate, investors are scrutinizing structure—not just story. A clean legal foundation signals you're serious, protects value, and can make or break a deal. You don’t need to over-lawyer—but you do need a smart plan.

Selena Gabrielle 4/18/25 Selena Gabrielle 4/18/25

Generative AI and the Legal Profession

Generative AI is rapidly becoming a fixture in legal practice, transforming workflows, expectations, and client demands. According to Thomson Reuters’ 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report, usage of generative AI among law firms and in-house legal departments has nearly doubled over the past year, with 26% now using the technology and 59% supporting its use in legal work. While the pace of adoption is striking, it has outpaced the development of formal policies, training, and clear legal frameworks for responsible implementation.

K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25 K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25

Post-Liberation Day “Secondary Tariffs”

On April 2, 2025, the Trump administration declared a new “Liberation Day”—a sweeping trade policy shift marked by aggressive new tariffs that reverberate far beyond traditional bilateral trade disputes. Under Executive Order 14245, the United States now claims the authority to impose a 25% tariff on all goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, whether directly or through intermediaries. This is not merely a sanctions expansion. It is a geopolitical reshaping of trade policy through discretionary economic punishment for third-party relationships—a dramatic shift from prior norms of trade enforcement.

K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25 K. Braeden Anderson 4/18/25

The SEC’s Crypto Custody Roundtable: A Tipping Point for Regulatory Clarity or More Questions?

The Securities and Exchange Commission has released the full agenda and panel lineup for its April 25 roundtable, “Know Your Custodian: Key Considerations for Crypto Custody.” The speaker list is impressive—though, perhaps, it might have been even stronger had they invited me (a guy can dream, right?). Scheduled to take place at SEC headquarters in Washington, D.C., the event will bring together regulators, law firm partners, academics, and crypto-native custodians for what may prove to be the most consequential public dialogue on digital asset custody to date.