TechInLaw LegalTech Seminar - Legal Jam Session – Exploring the #AI=$BTC Report and Its Impact on the Legal Community

•    Welcome & Framing 
•    Gary Moore: Welcome & CLE requirements 
•    Dennis Fassuliotis: 
•    Introduce the Legal Jam Session concept 
•    Analogy: Charleston’s jazz history — a place where great musicians improvise together, blending skill and style to create something new 
•    Our “house band” for today’s jam: 
•    John Deaton (litigation & policy riffs — bold solos that cut through the noise) 
•    Why this format works: just like jazz, legal innovation thrives on interaction, improvisation, and responsiveness to the moment 
 
Setting the Stage 
•    Dennis Fassulitois 
•    Introduce the #AI=$BTC report as today’s “sheet music” — the common theme everyone will improvise around 
•    Outline today’s goal: explore the report’s impact on litigation, compliance, policy, and the future of law 
•    Confirm the flow: open discussion between panelists, followed by audience “call-and-response” in the Q&A 

Panel Jam 🎷🎸🥁 
•    Panelists “take turns” with their solos, building on each other’s points: 
•    Immediate legal and regulatory implications of the #AI=$BTC framework 
•    AI + blockchain convergence in litigation strategy and evidence 
•    Compliance, structuring, and client advisory considerations 
•    State-level innovation’s role in shaping national policy 
•    Opportunities and risks for the legal profession 

Audience Call-and-Response 🎤 
• Open Q&A from in-person attendees 
• Encourage building on previous answers — like a jam where each instrument picks up the last riff 
 
Final Chorus & CLE Polling  

John E. Deaton
Founder, CryptoLaw | Attorney & Advocate for Digital Asset Holders
John Deaton is a seasoned attorney and the founder of CryptoLaw, a legal and educational platform dedicated to regulatory transparency and legal fairness in the digital asset space. He is best known for his role in SEC v. Ripple Labs, where he represented over 75,000 XRP holders as amici curiae, marking a first-of-its-kind intervention on behalf of retail crypto investors in a major federal enforcement action.

With a background in mass tort litigation and class actions, Deaton has built a career on championing underrepresented clients in complex legal battles. His transition into the crypto legal space came in response to increasing concerns about regulatory overreach and the impact of enforcement-first policies on innovation and investor rights. Through public filings, media appearances, and policy advocacy, he has emerged as one of the most influential legal voices in the blockchain and Web3 ecosystem.

Deaton earned his J.D. from the New England School of Law in 1995 and began his legal career in the United States Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate, serving with distinction before entering private practice. His legal work has been widely cited in industry publications, and his advocacy continues to shape the national dialogue around digital assets and financial technology regulation.

Dennis Fassuliotis
President, South Carolina Emerging Technology Association (SCETA)

Dennis Fassuliotis is a prominent advocate for emerging technologies and currently serves as President of the South Carolina Emerging Technology Association (SCETA). In this role, he has led statewide efforts to modernize financial infrastructure, support blockchain innovation, and position South Carolina as a leader in digital asset policy. He previously founded and led Palmetto Chain Incorporated, the state’s first nonprofit dedicated to digital asset advocacy.

Fassuliotis played a pivotal role in drafting the South Carolina Blockchain Empowerment Act of 2019, as well as leading the drafting teams behind South Carolina Senate Resolution 1158 (2020) and Senate Resolution 225 (2025). The latter represents a landmark resolution, marking the first of its kind to support both open-source artificial intelligence development and cryptocurrency innovation at the state level.

Through SCETA, Fassuliotis also spearheaded the development of the #AI=$BTC report, a foundational document that outlines the economic case for aligning artificial intelligence infrastructure with Bitcoin’s monetary model. As a long-standing proponent of the Bitcoin circular economy, he also founded South Carolina Blockchain Incorporated, an organization focused on education and economic development in the blockchain space. 

Gerald Gallagher
General Counsel, Sei Labs 

Gerald Gallagher is the General Counsel at Sei Labs and Co-Host of the Crypto in America Podcast, alongside Eleanor Terrett and Jacquelyn Melinek. In addition to his work at Sei Labs, Gerald is the Co-Founder of DC DAO, a limited cooperative association focused on fostering community, innovation, and policy within the web3 and blockchain ecosystem. He also co-founded Vellum, a cutting-edge platform designed to simplify and streamline the legal and operational complexities of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and blockchain-based projects. 

Additionally, Gerald is a Charter Member of TechGC and co-founded Red Clay Capital, an investing seed to Series A in fintech, healthcare and other heavily regulated industries. Previously, he worked as Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel at NATION. Gerald received his B.A., J.D., and M.B.A. from the University of South Carolina and his LLM from Duke University.

Graham Newman
Partner, Chappell, Chappell & Newman

Graham Newman’s work focuses on complex litigation, including products liability and class actions. He is currently involved in many different areas of multidistrict litigation (MDL), including MDL 2738 (IN RE: Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Products Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation), MDL 2741 (IN RE: Roundup Products Liability Litigation), and MDL 2885 (IN RE: 3M Combat Arms Earplug Products Liability Litigation). Presently, he is also litigating a class action regarding the unlawful sale of cryptocurrency.

Graham has previously focused on commercial class actions, contractual litigation, insurance bad faith, and products liability in both state and federal court. His trial court victories have included a $14.5 million insurance bad faith verdict, an $8 million class action judgment, and a $4.75 million products liability verdict. Recently, Graham also served as one of the leading attorneys in Parler v. SCANA Corporation, et al., a derivative and securities class action that resulted in a $63 million settlement.

Graham has briefed numerous appeals before the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court. He has also argued four cases before the South Carolina Court of Appeals and two cases before the South Carolina Supreme Court. Notable appellate court victories include the following: Bovain v. Canal Insurance Company, 383 S.C. 100, 678 S.E.2d 422 (S.C. 2009); Ward v. Dixie Nat. Life Ins. Co., 595 F.3d 164 (4th Cir. 2010); Stevens & Wilkinson of S.C., Inc. v. City of Columbia, 409 S.C. 563, 762 S.E.2d 693 (2014); Kirven v. Cent. States Health & Life Co., of Omaha, 409 S.C. 30, 760 S.E.2d 794 (2014); and State v. Samuel, 411 S.C. 602, 769 S.E.2d 662 (2015).

In addition to practicing law, Graham teaches an undergraduate legal course through the University of South Carolina Honors College and serves on several boards and committees dedicated to the improvement of the judicial system. Graham is married to Jenny Honeycutt Newman, who is also an attorney. The couple have a son, a Portuguese Water Dog, and a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. The Newman family enjoys spending time on Lake Murray and attending as many South Carolina Gamecock sporting events as possible.