Justin Wales serves as the Head of Legal for the Americas at Crypto.com, overseeing complex legal operations for the prominent cryptocurrency platform. A recognized authority in his field, he authored the Crypto Legal Handbook, a textbook used by over 30 law schools nationwide. Wales remains deeply connected to his alma mater, teaching courses on digital asset law and regulation. During his time as a student at Miami Law, he served as an editor for the University of Miami Law Review and participated in the Federal Appellate Clinic. His legal career began with a focus on First Amendment law before he pioneered the digital asset practice at Carlton Fields and later K&L Gates.
What aspects or opportunities at the law school significantly influenced your legal education and career trajectory?
I felt that Miami Law gave me a lot of opportunities once I established myself in my first year. Getting on Law Review and working with the Career Center were pivotal. I didn’t have anyone in my family who was a lawyer, so I didn't know anything about being one. The school was really good at holding my hand through the beginning stages of my career and presenting me with different options.
Beyond the academics, I really enjoyed meeting people and I am still in touch with tons of people from law school all these years later. That has been a real driver of my career—meeting folks and growing with them throughout their professional lives.
What is one lesson you learned in law school that you still apply today?
A major takeaway was the importance of being generous with your time. I remember being a student and worrying if I would actually be able to have a career in law. I remember all the people who went out of their way to give me advice when I couldn't give them anything in return.
I also remember the lawyers who didn't give me the time of day, and I still carry that with me. It’s just good karma to be generous when someone is coming up, because you never know where they are going to be in the future. This philosophy guides how I interact with law students today and how I approach my own professional relationships.
What draws you to stay connected to the law school?
I feel a great deal of gratitude for the opportunities Miami Law provided me. I started teaching a class at the school called Digital Asset Law and Regulation, which is very rewarding.
Seeing how much the industry has grown since I first started writing about it back in 2014 is incredible. I try to make myself available to law students to help them get further along in their careers, just as others helped me when I was starting out. It’s a privilege to contribute to the education of future generations of lawyers in this space.
