Dutch Lawyer Welcomes Bitcoin

Dutch Lawyer Welcomes Bitcoin

Peter Plasman

Many small and private businesses owners are beginning to accept bitcoin as payment. They see bitcoin hanging around in the future and are getting into the trend quite early in the digital currency’s life cycle.

A high profile Dutch lawyer from the Netherlands, Peter Plasman, has also taken to welcoming bitcoin as a method of payment. The Dutchman is best known for his legal services in defense.  His firm contains a staff of 23 lawyers and is located in central Amsterdam.

Plasman is somewhat of a local celebrity in that he has been portrayed on the news for his contributions in high profile cases. Plasman defended the manager of a fireworks company after an explosion went off at the company’s factory back in 2000. In 2005 he defended Mohammed Bouyer, who was charged and convicted of murdering filmmaker Theo Van Gogh.

The lawyer is now making headlines for his willingness to take bitcoins for legal fees. Plasman’s office says the system is up and running and can start accepting the virtual currency right away. Plasman and his team use payment processor Bitpay, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia. No customers have yet to pay Plasman in bitcoin, but the firm believes that will change in the near future. The law agency writes:

“Mr Plasman […] believes bitcoin offers considerable benefits: speed, low transaction fees, being able to function as a cheap and safe store of value. By pioneering and accepting Bitcoin as the first in his field, he hopes to spur adoption of the technology.”

However, shortly after news broke out that Plasman accepts bitcoin payments, the Law Association of the Netherlands informed him that accepting bitcoin is in breach of their regulations. This stipulates that lawyers must only accept payments directly into bank accounts. The Dutch lawyer has contested the decision, and remains faithful in accepting bitcoin payments.

In addition, other lawyers around the world have also taken a liking to bitcoin, as they too welcome the crypto- currency. Manhattan law firm Nesenoff & Miltenberg announced that they would accept bitcoin for legal fees back in July 2013. In December 2013, South Carolina-based lawyer David Aylor also claimed that he had accepted payment in bitcoin. He represented the first legal fee to be paid with bitcoin in the US.

Plasman’s office charges a hefty sum of €300 per hour, equivalent to $408 an hour. His office says,

“He takes the bitcoin phenomenon very seriously, wants to take a pioneering position and is not afraid of the public opinion in doing so.”

A website called Coinlaw is also providing legal advice online, and you guessed it, they accept payments in bitcoin as well.

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