Judiciary Adviser Calls for English Law to Keep Pace With Crypto: Report

A technology adviser to the head of the judiciary wants an independent body to highlight areas of the law that are not keeping up with disruptive technologies such as crypto.

AccessTimeIconJan 14, 2022 at 10:03 a.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:35 p.m. UTC

A technology adviser to the judiciary of England and Wales said there is a need for an organization to keep track of gaps in the law to see where the legal system is failing to keep up with areas such as crypto and blockchain.

  • Professor Richard Susskind, who advises the head of the judiciary in England and Wales, has proposed an independent body to highlight areas of the law that are not keeping up with disruptive technologies such as crypto, the Financial Times reported Friday.
  • Such a body would also promote English law across the world as a standard for governing blockchain-based transactions.
  • Some lawyers are concerned that although English law is the model of choice for finance and insurance, the country's legal sector could lose out to centers such as Singapore and Dubai if it does not keep pace with innovation.
  • In 2019, legal services contributed £29.6 billion ($41 billion) to the U.K. economy, according to professional body CityUK.

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

Jamie Crawley

Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.


Read more about