Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal steps down, remains in advisory role

Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal is leaving his post after about six years, according to an announcement on Thursday. 

Grewal is perhaps best known for serving as Coinbase’s top lawyer during its multi-year legal battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which sued the crypto exchange in 2023 for allegedly operating as an unregistered broker, clearinghouse and exchange, and for helping to take the firm public in April 2021.

"After helping to take the company public, fighting the SEC and winning, moving us from Delaware to Texas, working to get GENIUS and soon CLARITY passed into law, and so much more – now is my time for new adventures," Grewal said Thursday on X. 

Grewal filed an official SEC 8-K filing on July 8 notifying the firm and the public of his intention to step down effective July 31, and enter a three-month advisory agreement. He will also continue to serve on the Board of Coinbase National Trust Company.

He was hired in the summer of 2020 to replace previous Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Brian Brooks to oversee legal, compliance, and government relations.

Molly Abraham, Coinbase’s current vice president of legal, is expected to be appointed as the new general counsel, heading up Coinbase's legal department. Abraham has been at Coinbase since March 2021. "Molly has been in the trenches with me on our most important legal battles for 5+ years. Molly is a warrior and ready to lead," Grewal said on X. 

Ryan VanGrack, another Coinbase legal VP, will also step into a new role as vice chairman. Coinbase Chief Policy Officer Faryar Shirzad will continue to lead the company’s global policy team, Grewal said.