Gunnercooke expands payment options to include crypto assets

Law firm gunnercooke is now accepting payment for legal and professional services in crypto assets such as ether and bitcoin.

Crypto exchange coinpass, which is registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority, has partnered with gunnercooke to make the exchanges.

The law firm, which has offices in major UK cities including Leeds, London and Manchester, as well as Germany, boasts a full-service fintech and crypto practice that has built up a client base of around 100 cryptocurrency developers, platforms and exchanges.

Attestant, a prominent business in staking, a process used to verify cryptocurrency transactions, recently paid gunnercooke for its legal consultancy services using the Ethereum blockchain via the new payment option. The firm advises Attestant on a range of legal and regulatory matters related to staking.

Naseer Patel, finance director at gunnercooke, said: “Up to now, only a few US law firms allow for crypto asset payments so we are proud to be at the forefront of innovation in the UK. We will now be able to work with a wider variety of clients across different jurisdictions, plus offer our partners the flexibility to be paid securely in the way they choose.”

The law firm’s fintech and crypto full-service practice has experts in the UK and Germany, including James Burnie and Wolfgang Richter.

Burnie hosts the firm’s Crypto Cast podcast, a leading source of industry news, featuring guests from Ziglu, The Law Commission, Copper and Nickel Digital Asset Management.

“We are delighted to be the first major UK law firm to officially start accepting payment in crypto assets,” said Burnie, who is a partner at gunnercooke.

“It’s vital that we accept payment in this way for our substantial client base, which spans the entire blockchain and crypto asset ecosystem. Accepting payment in crypto assets demonstrates our commitment to and understanding of this important and growing community.”

“Over the next decade I expect to see a gradual transition towards cryptocurrency becoming increasingly accepted as a means of payment generally.”

Jeff Hancock, chief executive officer at coinpass, added: “The team at coinpass are proud to be gunnercooke’s crypto exchange partner. We’re especially excited to be partnered with an organisation that has ambitions to push blockchain and crypto forward in the UK.” 

Robert Olsen of Attestant said: “Attestant is pleased to make this inaugural crypto asset payment in Ether to gunnercooke. We believe accepting crypto payments will solidify their position as the premier UK law firm working in the digital asset space. The firm has been a trusted and valued partner in our journey from a startup to a thriving business, and we look forward to working with them for many years to come.”