Blockchain and digital currency lawyers Marco Santori and Patrick Murck have officially left Pillsbury Winthrop to join Cooley LLP.

The move effectively finds two of the industry's most experienced legal veterans moving their practices to a new firm, headquarted in Palo Alto, California. (Santori joined Pillsbury in September 2014, while Murck was added to its roster in October 2015).

Both Murck and Santori also previously served with the Bitcoin Foundation, the long-troubled trade association dedicated to the open-source technology. Notably, Murck held a role as executive director, while Santori was chairman of its regulatory affairs committee.

In statements, Cooley partner Mike Lincoln lauded both of his new hires as ones that would position the firm to be highly competitive on financial technology.

"Marco's experience and leadership in the fintech industry is unparalleled," Mike Lincoln, partner and chair of Cooley’s business department, said in a statement.

Lincoln went on to say:

Handshake image via Shutterstock