Jason Lai: A Guide to Working with Me
This is a living document inspired by the transparent culture of open-source communities. My goal here is to accelerate our working relationship by being upfront about my communication style, my professional philosophy, my quirks, and my values.
🎯 My Role
As a Legal Builder, my core function is to transform regulatory fog into deployment velocity. In the fast-paced worlds of Web3 and AI, “legal” must move at the speed of product.
I view regulatory constraints as a strategic growth lever. I am here to help founders and investment teams navigate gray zones so they can outmaneuver incumbents safely.
🧠Professional Philosophy
Builder-First: I care about your product roadmap just as much as the compliance matrix. I’m here to find the sweetspot of commercial feasibility, technical efforts, and regulatory compliance.
Clarity and Brevity: I strongly believe in “Smart Brevity.” If I am handing an investment committee or a founder a 20-page memo, I have failed. I distill complex risk into actionable decision logs, trackers, and go/no-go inputs.
Embrace the Gray: Perfect regulatory clarity does not exist in crypto or any emerging tech. My job is to underwrite the risk based on reason and human behavior predictions, provide Best/Base/Worst case scenarios, and give founders the confidence to ship.
đź’¬ Communication Preferences
Async vs. Sync: The Right Tool for the Job
Async (Deep Work): For legal and regulatory analysis, please share your thoughts and questions, along with facts and scenarios. This removes timezone limits and allows for “second thoughts” and creative reflection.
Sync (Firefighter Mode): For quick gut-checks, DM me on Telegram/Signal. This is for sprinting through urgent issues in real-time.
Response Times: I usually reply within 24 hours; during work hours, ~90 minutes. For true emergencies, call me—24/7. When we’re onsite, tap me on the shoulder; if I’m out of sight, ring me.
🤝 How I Handle Conflict and Pushback
I don’t mistake the law for the status quo. That said, there’s a hard line at actual wrongdoing. If you’re looking for How to Get Away with Murder, Netflix is the better use of time. I’ll push into gray zones and pressure-test edges, but I’m here to help build the future, not a rap sheet.
With a scout’s curiosity, Bayesian probability lens, and relentless fact-driven legal scrutiny, I welcome pushback—it’s the fastest way to calibrate new facts and whether we’re building something sustainable and unbreakable.
đź’ˇ Fun Facts About Me:
I’m really bad at memorizing names—I even have to finish non-fiction books in a single week, or I have to start them over from the beginning.
I love connecting the dots—I find similarities between Frieren (芙莉蓮) and Sheldon Cooper—both are geniuses who initially lack emotional awareness, but grow through their journeys with peers. Those little discoveries genuinely entertain me.
I’m a quote nerd—I thought I could shortcut to wisdom this way. I was half right: many famous lines aren’t actually by the people we credit, yet the idea matters more than the name, and misattribution is usually impossible to disprove (thanks, burden of proof).
Note: This README is a living document. As I learn, grow, and adapt, this guide will evolve alongside me.
[Last update: February 15, 2026]