Julie Michaeli Boutique Law Firm
Leading boutique firm in family law, inheritance and intergenerational wealth transfer.
With unique expertise in cases involving crypto assets.
Legal handling of crypto assets in divorce, inheritance, wills and lasting powers of attorney, combining experience in family and inheritance law with a legal, technological and practical understanding of digital assets.
Tracing, concealment, protecting rights, valuation and division.
Read more →Locating assets, wallet access, preserving the assets and transferring them to the heirs.
Read more →Legal instructions, an access mechanism and separating the will from the keys.
Read more →The attorney's powers, managing the assets in the event of loss of capacity and securing the access details.
Read more →Tracing, concealment, protecting rights, valuation and division.
Crypto in a divorce is an asset like any other asset built up during the marriage, and it is usually included in the balancing of resources between the spouses. The difference is practical. Cryptocurrency does not appear on an ordinary bank statement, it can be held in a private wallet registered to no one, and it can be moved within minutes. In these cases, timing and the quality of the information gathered usually decide the outcome.
I review the existing material, identify what indications we have and what is missing, and build the legal route to obtain the information: demands for disclosure, questionnaires, applications for court orders, or negotiation when the other side cooperates. I then handle the valuation and division stage, in a divorce agreement or in court, so that the division is carried out in practice and does not stay on paper.
When blockchain transactions need to be analyzed, linked wallets identified, less common assets valued, or an expert opinion submitted to the court. In these cases I work together with Shay Davidov, and where needed an outside digital forensics expert is brought in as well.
Locating assets, wallet access, preserving the assets and transferring them to the heirs.
Crypto inheritance raises a problem that most other assets do not have: the legal right to the asset and the practical ability to reach it are not the same thing. Heirs can receive an inheritance order or a probate order and still be unable to open the wallet, because access depends on a private key or a recovery phrase (seed phrase) that only the deceased knew.
I guide the heirs from filing the application for an inheritance or probate order, through mapping the crypto assets and approaching the exchanges, to the division between the heirs. Where there is a dispute or a risk to the assets, I handle the applications to the court and the conduct of the proceedings.
When the assets are held in a private wallet, when wallets need to be identified from devices or backups, or when the coins need to be transferred securely to the heirs. This work is done together with Shay Davidov and, where needed, an additional technology expert.
Legal instructions, an access mechanism and separating the will from the keys.
A will that includes crypto needs different planning from an ordinary will. The will decides who receives the assets, but it is not the place to keep the access details. A will is filed with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs and reaches the heirs and sometimes other parties, so a private key written in it is exposed to anyone who sees it.
I draft the will and the instructions for the crypto assets, and at the same time build with you the access mechanism that will be used only when it is needed. The aim is that during your lifetime control and security stay with you, and that afterwards the heirs can actually receive the assets.
When the access mechanism includes a technical solution, such as a multi-signature wallet or splitting the recovery phrase, or when backups need to be checked. The technical part is built together with Shay Davidov.
The attorney's powers, managing the assets in the event of loss of capacity and securing the access details.
Crypto in a lasting power of attorney is a subject that is rarely addressed, although the risk is real. If the owner loses capacity and was the only one with access to the wallet, the assets still exist but no one can use them, not even to pay for the owner's care. A lasting power of attorney lets you decide in advance who will act for you in property matters, and it can include instructions specific to digital assets.
I draft a lasting power of attorney suited to your assets, including the instructions for the crypto assets, and handle every stage up to its deposit with the Administrator General. When the power of attorney takes effect, I also guide the attorney in carrying it out.
When the way access details are stored and passed to the attorney at the right time needs to be planned, or when the attorney needs to carry out actions in the wallet. Shay Davidov is involved in these cases.
To provide a professional, comprehensive response tailored to each case, I work in collaboration with Shay Davidov, a lawyer with deep knowledge and experience in crypto and blockchain, with a technological and practical understanding of how digital assets operate and how to perform the actions required with them.
Combining my legal experience in family and inheritance law with his legal, technological, and practical expertise in crypto lets us provide a complete framework — from identifying the issue and building the right legal solution, through its practical implementation on the crypto assets themselves, to handling complex matters within legal proceedings. In suitable cases, Shay Davidov also prepares legal opinions on crypto that are submitted to the court.
A family and inheritance lawyer for more than a decade. Advises and represents clients in divorce, inheritance, wills, lasting powers of attorney and guardianship, and leads the legal handling of the case with the client, the other side and the court.
Has in-depth knowledge and experience in crypto and blockchain, with a technical and practical understanding of how digital assets work and how to carry out the actions they require. In suitable cases he prepares legal opinions on crypto that are submitted to the court.
As a rule, yes. Cryptocurrency acquired during the marriage is an asset like any other and is examined together with the other assets. The practical questions are how to find it, at what date to value it and how to divide it.
Do not confront your spouse before getting advice, and keep documents already lawfully in your possession, such as bank statements and correspondence. Do not access your spouse's devices or accounts, because evidence obtained that way can be used against you. At our meeting we will look at what can be requested from the court.
Not necessarily. If the coins are held on an exchange, you can approach it with the order and the required documents. If it is a private wallet, the recovery phrase or a backup needs to be searched for in the deceased's devices and papers. Do not attempt recovery without advice.
It is not recommended. A will is filed with the Registrar of Inheritance Affairs and is seen by various parties. It is better to describe the assets and the heirs in the will and keep the access details in a separate mechanism.
Yes. A lasting power of attorney for property matters can also apply to digital assets, and it can include instructions on keeping them safe, the actions allowed and how they are accessed.
On an exchange, a company holds the assets for the customer, so it can be approached through legal proceedings. In a private wallet, only the person holding the key can move the assets, so tracing and planning are completely different.
No. It is enough to know or suspect that digital assets exist. We will gather and make sense of the technical information together.
Send a message here, give me a call, or text me directly. I respond to everyone. And if you're not sure yet whether I'm the right person for your situation. That's exactly what the first call is for.