Experience

Secretary of State’s Office, State of Wyoming

Director of the Business Division | Wyoming | April 2023 - Present

• Lead division managing high-volume corporate filings (600K+/year), aligning operations with evolving data protection, KYC/AML, and public record transparency standards; coordinated state-level response to the Corporate Transparency Act Beneficial Ownership Information rule at FinCEN.
• Resolve cross-functional legal and operational issues through deep statutory knowledge and inter-agency coordination across legal, IT, and policy teams; improving legal accuracy and filing turnaround through deep knowledge of Wyoming corporate law.
• Advise on legislative reforms involving business and privacy law; influence state-level data governance through statutory analysis and counsel collaboration.
• Testify before state legislature to advocate for modernized digital business infrastructure, including reforms impacting privacy, data access, and automation policy; coordinated cross-agency input from legal, policy, and IT teams.
• Co-authored an amicus brief for U.S. Supreme Court in the Texas Top Cop Shop v. Garland case, on legal frameworks governing state regulatory authority, technology sovereignty, and data control.
• Prepare and file amicus brief on behalf of the Wyoming Secretary of State in the Custodia v. Federal Reserve appeal.
• Designed legal-tech automation using Python to streamline corporate name checks, reducing manual review and aligning with digital compliance strategy, saving ~1 FTE/day and boosting processing throughput by 7%.

Distributed Hash

Member & In House Counsel | Wyoming | January 2022 - Present

• Served as General Counsel for all legal matters, negotiating AI-adjacent infrastructure and data-hosting contracts, including academic partnerships, ensuring privacy compliance, IP safeguards, and commercial viability.
• Directed design and launch of digital infrastructure facility, overseeing regulatory approvals across jurisdictions, managing compliance with environmental, data handling, and emerging crypto/tech law.
• Built internal compliance systems using Python/SQL to enable real-time monitoring and generate audit-ready records aligned with internal control and risk mitigation frameworks.
• Developed Python-based automation for remote infrastructure control, improving uptime, reducing manual risk, and supporting operational compliance in remote-first environments.
• Published regulatory insights and legal whitepapers for investors and policymakers, translating complex tech issues into actionable frameworks on energy use, infrastructure, and AI-adjacent systems.
• Led regulatory engagement with local authorities to secure permits and compliance across infrastructure and data-related operations, ensuring alignment with privacy, environmental, and public trust standards.
• Negotiated long-term tech infrastructure and utility service agreements, balancing legal risk, operational needs, and data center continuity for compute-intensive systems.
• Oversee multi-jurisdictional legal and regulatory compliance, including zoning, data governance, and operational disclosures, ensuring ongoing risk mitigation for privacy-sensitive infrastructure.

Rhea Hospitality

Principal and General Counsel | Cary, NC & Las Vegas, NV | November 2007 - April 2023

• Founded and led a multi-state hospitality group, overseeing legal, financial, and regulatory operations for a 135-person team and $7M+ in annual revenue; served as de facto General Counsel for all contracts, compliance, and risk management.
• Drafted and negotiated commercial agreements across construction, vendor, and financing domains; provided in-house legal counsel across multiple jurisdictions with a focus on aligning business needs with legal risk mitigation.
• Structured and closed $17M+ in capital through private placements, public funding, and municipal partnerships; led all legal due diligence, regulatory compliance, and investor disclosures.
• Structured Regulation A+ offering via Delaware PBC, managing compliance with SEC disclosure and investor protection requirements in preparation for Tier 2 qualification.
• Drafted and secured zoning and permitting approvals across jurisdictions, navigating public infrastructure, data access, and environmental standards for complex operational footprints.
• Designed and deployed internal legal/ops automation tools (Python, SQL, Flask), streamlining payroll and compliance workflows and saving $100K+ annually in operational overhead.

PhD Posters, LLC

Member and General Counsel | Durham, NC | November 2005 - April 2023

• Provided end-to-end legal leadership for $1.2M+ multi-location e-commerce operation; oversaw commercial contracts, IP protection, and data compliance across digital and physical retail environments.
• Drafted consumer-facing terms, franchise agreements, and IP filings; managed legal strategy for brand protection and commercial scalability, including federal trademark portfolio.
• Directed international legal and tax strategy for Canadian subsidiary; managed outside counsel and ensured cross-border compliance with consumer protection and data regulations.
• Led legal structuring for transition to national e-commerce model, aligning legal operations and commercial strategy to support growth, digital consumer privacy, and fulfillment compliance.
• Acted as General Counsel for all business operations, handling employment matters, dispute resolution, and commercial contracts, while advising on risk, compliance, and business enablement for digital operations.

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)

Senior Program Officer | Philadelphia, PA | May 2015 - January 2016
IT Consultant | Philadelphia, PA | July 2020 - Present

• Researched and classified university speech codes for constitutional compliance; collaborated with university administrators to improve policy language and align with First Amendment standards.
• Developed a Python-based tracking system to monitor outreach progress and ensure timely updates by internal staff.
• Designed and deployed a 3CX-based internal VoIP system, modernizing office communications and reducing IT overhead.
• Led the organization-wide migration from LastPass to Okta, strengthening internal security posture and access control.
• Provided on-demand technical consulting across web infrastructure, cybersecurity, and internal systems.

Triangle Apartment Association

Government Affairs Director | Raleigh, NC | January 2008 - March 2009

• Developed and directed governmental and regulatory policies and objectives; coordinate the operations of the organization as related to government relations.
• Analyzed facts, laws, cases, rules and regulations, and applied findings to determine the potential impact on the association’s constituency. Provided education to the membership regarding ongoing developments.
• Analyzed proposed legislative actions and determined the potential impact on the association’s membership.
• Interfaced with elected officials at all levels (municipal, state and Federal), of all political parties, to advocate for positive changes in the legal and regulatory environment.
• Coordinated with friendly groups to increase our overall impact.
• Monitored legislative and regulatory activities and developed positions on such.
• Educated association members on the legislative and regulatory environment, and coordinated member responses.

Duke University School of Law

Faculty Fellow for IP Law | Durham, NC | January 2005 - August 2006

• Faculty fellow under the Center for the study of Public Genomics.
• Researched the effects of software patents owned by universities, with specific foci on the creation and dissemination of genomic data.
• Developed and taught upper-level law course on Intellectual Property Licensing.
• Work both independently and collaboratively to produce and publish academic research, and engage in periodic academic conferences and meetings to present findings.

Academic Experience

Duke University Medical Center | Durham, NC | August 2006 - August 2007
      Doctoral Candidate, Department of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Duke University School of Law | Durham, NC | January 2005 - August 2006
      Faculty Fellow, The Center for the Study of Public Genomics

Education

Duke University Graduate School | Durham, NC | December 2004
      M.S. Biomedical Engineering
Duke University School of Law | Durham, NC | May 2003
      J.D. Cum Laude
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | May 2000
      B.S. Biology, Concentration in Computational Biology; Minor in Chemistry; Minor in Policy and Management

Professional Licenses

• Wyoming Licensed Attorney, #8-7039
• North Carolina Licensed Attorney, #31468
• Licensed before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, #52782
• Licensed to practice before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court

Publications

1. Colin Crossman; Wyoming Introduces Bitcoin Strategic Reserve Bill. Bitcoin Magazine (2025-01-17). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/wyoming-introduces-bitcoin-strategic-reserve-bill-
2. Christopher Land, Colin Crossman, Jesse Naiman; Amicus Brief in the United States Supreme Court, for Senator Lummis and WY Secretary of State Chuck Gray, in Texas Top Cop Shop v. Garland. Filed on 2025-01-10. Available at: https://crc32.com/wysos-lummis-sct-amicus-cta.pdf
3. Colin Crossman; Debanked: The Financial Suppression of Bitcoin Businesses Must End. Bitcoin Magazine (2024-12-03). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/politics/debanked-the-financial-suppression-of-bitcoin-businesses-must-end
4. Colin Crossman; Tornado Cash Loses Motion to Dismiss - A short summary of the recent decision regarding the Tornado Cash case. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-09-27). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/tornado-cash-loses-motion-to-dismiss
5. Colin Crossman; The BITCOIN Act of 2024 - A brief overview of the recently proposed bill by Senator Cynthia Lummis to accumulate Bitcoin in a strategic US Reserve. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-08-02). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/the-bitcoin-act-of-2024-
6. Colin Crossman; The Federal Reserve, Cusotodia Bank, and The Battle For Sovereignty - A Review of the Amicus Briefs in the Custodia Case. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-07-05). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/the-federal-reserve-custodia-bank-and-the-battle-for-constitutional-sovereignty
7. Colin Crossman; Wyoming Secretary of State Amicus Brief in Custodia Bank v. Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Filed on 2024-07-03. Available at: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68486662/010011075367/custodia-bank-v-federal-reserve-board-of-governors/
8. Colin Crossman; Supreme Court Decision Overturns Chevron: a Victory for Judicial Authority and Bitcoin. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-06-28). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/supreme-court-decision-overturns-chevron-a-victory-for-judicial-authority-and-bitcoin
9. Colin Crossman; NRA & Cantero in the Supreme Court: Implications For Operation Choke Point 2.0 And Custodia Bank. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-05-31). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/nra-cantero-cases-implications-for-operation-choke-point-2-0-and-custodia-bank
10. Colin Crossman; Final Agreement on EIA Emergency Survey Released. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-03-01). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/final-agreement-on-eia-emergency-survey-released
11. Colin Crossman; EIA Emergency Survey Preliminary Injunction Hearing Canceled Yesterday. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-02-29). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/eia-emergency-survey-preliminary-injuction-hearing-canceled-yesterday
12. Colin Crossman; Riot Platforms And Texas Bitcoin Council Seek Injunction Against Survey. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-02-23). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/miners-vs-the-eia-hearing-in-waco-texas
13. Colin Crossman; Resisting The EIA: One Possible Playbook. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-02-13). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/resisting-the-eia-one-possible-playbook
14. Colin Crossman; High Fees VS. “High Fees”: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Mempool. BitcoinMagazine.com (2024-01-05). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/markets/high-fees-vs-high-fees-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-the-mempool
15. Robert Warren and Colin Crossman; Beyond the kWh: Factors That Bitcoin Miners Need To Consider. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-07-14). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/markets/factors-bitcoin-miners-need-to-consider
16. Colin Crossman; West Virginia Vs. EPA: Good News For Bitcoin, Beyond The Obvious. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-07-01). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/legal/west-virginia-epa-supreme-court-bitcoin
17. Colin Crossman; What Bitcoiners Need to Know About Jury Nullification in a Hostile Legal System. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-04-03). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/future-jury-nullification-for-bitcoin-users
18. Colin Crossman; Economically Incentivized Innovation Sets Bitcoin Apart: Unitary Money. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-03-31). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/innovation-sets-bitcoin-apart
19. Colin Crossman, Mark Maraia, and Heidi Porter; Bitcoin For Small Businesses: Front Line Options. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-03-16). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/bitcoin-for-small-businesses-options
20. Heidi Porter, Mark Maraia, and Colin Crossman; Bitcoin and the Smallest Businesses: Cantillon Effects and Why They Need Bitcoin. BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-01-29). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/why-small-businesses-need-bitcoin
21. Heidi Porter, Mark Maraia, and Colin Crossman; Bitcoin and Business: What is your Bitcoin strategy? BitcoinMagazine.com (2022-01-10). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/business/bitcoin-and-businesses-a-bitcoin-strategy
22. Rick Poach and Colin Crossman; Bitcoin Community Projects Communicate the Message of Freedom. BitcoinMagazine.com (2021-10-31). Available at: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/bitcoin-community-projects-freedom
23. U.S. Patent No. 9,364,012 (issued Jun. 14, 2016). (Colin R. Crossman, attorney of record)
24. Kepler, T.; Crossman, C.; Cook-Deegan, R.; Metastasizing patent claims on BRCA1. Genomics (2010) doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2010.03.003
25. Crossman, C.; Arming our Enemies: How parallel imports could increase Anti-microbial resistance. 2006 North Carolina Journal of International Law & Commercial Regulation. Vol 31(4): 823-845.
26. Reichman J.H, Rai, A, Uhlir P, and Crossman C.; Pathways across the Valley of Death: Novel intellectual property strategies for accelerated drug discovery. 2008 Yale Journal of Health Policy, Law, and Ethics, Vol 8(1).
27. Colin Crossman & Arti Rai, A Brief History of BioPerl (December 2, 2005). Available at: https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/faculty_scholarship/3686
28. Webbink, Crossman, Griffin, and Silverstein; Red Hat’s Comments to the Joint FTC/DOJ hearing on Competition and Intellectual Property Law, March 20, 2002. http://www.ftc.gov/opp/intellect/020320webbink.pdf (alternate link: https://crc32.com/020320webbink.pdf)