L2L-4-384x384Cyber currency Bitcoin has seen an exponential rise in value and popularity since its inception in 2010. Consider this: If you had bought $1,000 worth of Bitcoins in 2010, it would be worth $2.4 million dollars today. But as Bitcoin gains wider mainstream use, it is surrounded by a host of legal questions. In this episode of the legal-affairs podcast Lawyer2Lawyer, my cohost J. Craig Williams and I look at what lawyers and others need to know about the legitimacy and legalities of this new currency. Helping us do that are two guests:

Lowell D. Ness is a partner in the Palo Alto office of the nationwide law firm Perkins Coie. He has extensive experience in virtual currency and is a regular contributor to the firm’s Virtual Currency Report Blog, covering the law and regulation of Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Lowell’s practice focuses on high-growth emerging companies and involves venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, and private placements.

Kashmir Hill, senior online editor of Forbes, describes herself as a privacy pragmatist with an interest in the intersection of law, technology, social media and personal information. Former editor of Above the Law, she has reported extensively on Bitcoin story from the start — even living on it for a week in San Francisco — and will be releasing an e-book documenting Bitcoin’s rise later this year.

Listen to the show at the Legal Talk Network or simply use the Soundcloud player below.

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Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.