Hody, who logged time in-house at digital currency exchange Coinbase before moving to Perkins Coie in 2016, represents the whole panoply of blockchain companies: money transmitters, digital asset exchanges, OTC trading desks, payment platforms, bank-chartered entities, open-source software developer teams, supply-chain technology platforms, and other non-financial software companies. 

How do you describe what you do for a living to people you're meeting for the first time?

I advise fintech companies on how to build their new tech platforms with respect to existing financial services laws.

What's one area of technology that you're most excited about and why?

Blockchain, because I think it will enable financial inclusion at a global scale never seen before.

What's the best part of working in the tech sector?

Continuing to learn about emerging technologies.

What's one way technology has made your life easier?

Research/access to information.

One way it's made your life more difficult?

Technology has made focusing more difficult.

What drew you to practicing law in the technology industry?

I already had a passion for improving transparency and decreasing cost and complexity in financial services, and when I first discovered Bitcoin I was inspired by how technology could improve payments at both a micro and global scale.

In 50 words or less, what's the best way to address tech's gender gap?

Increase salary transparency and then link salaries to clearly defined roles.