Crypto-Asset Disputes
FinTech Guide 2025 : UK-wide
Band 1
Contact number
(020) 7148 7800Chambers Review
Cooke, Young & Keidan are active in cases involving the theft of cryptocurrencies, crypto-related fraud, as well as the high-profile Tulip Trading case.
Work Highlights
- Cooke, Young & Keidan represented two of the defendants in Tulip Trading v van der Laan. Tulip Trading, a company owned and run by Dr Craig Wright, claimed that it was the owner of around 110,000 BTC and equivalent tokens on forked chains, and it demanded that the defendant Bitcoin developers introduce changes to the Bitcoin Core source code to enable it to access these tokens. Following Mellor J's ruling in the COPA v Wright case that Dr Craig Wright was not Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of the Bitcoin network, Tulip Trading discontinued its action against the developers.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"CYK handled slippery opponents with ease and were always thinking strategically. The claim concerned a new area of law, and they came up with innovative ways forward."
"CYK has very strong technical knowledge coupled with a commercially-minded team who are focussed on good outcomes for their clients and are aware of the broader market."
"CYK is consistently pragmatic, developing solutions to complex and sometimes highly novel legal issues in this ever-changing area of the law."
"CYK handled slippery opponents with ease and were always thinking strategically. The claim concerned a new area of law, and they came up with innovative ways forward."
"CYK has very strong technical knowledge coupled with a commercially-minded team who are focussed on good outcomes for their clients and are aware of the broader market."
"CYK is consistently pragmatic, developing solutions to complex and sometimes highly novel legal issues in this ever-changing area of the law."
Notable Practitioners
Sam Roberts is a litigation partner at CYK with a focus on the technology sector. He advises on cryptocurrency theft and fraud cases, as well as advisory matters, and is well-regarded for his expertise on cryptocurrencies.
"Sam Roberts has an absolutely brilliant legal mind and is great at instilling confidence in the legal team and client."
"He is very good, very creative in his solutions and a real thought leader in the industry."
"Sam Roberts is a wonderful advocate, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge of this space to bear in his representations."
Stephen Elam has a background in financial services and banking litigation, and uses this expertise to advise on cryptocurrency-related fraud cases.
"Stephen Elam understands the Web3 sector and has an open and nimble mind."
"Stephen Elam is very bright, very personable and super responsive."
Elizabeth Meade is a senior associate who focuses her practice on financial services and technology disputes, with a particular focus on cryptocurrencies. Meade also has expertise in regulatory investigations matters.
"Elizabeth Meade is always on top of the detail and a huge asset to any team."
"Elizabeth Meade has great insights and instincts, coupled with excellent technical knowledge and a real desire to help her clients."
"Elizabeth is a fantastic lawyer - highly responsive, attentive to detail and very pragmatic."
Ranked Individuals at
Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP
UK-wide