Name of Applicant & Applicant’s Representative [If Applicable]: Joseph [Immutablelawyer] on behalf of Axis Advisory [4 members]
Email Address: joseph@axisadvisory.xyz
Telegram Handle (if applicable): @immutablelawyer
Primary languages spoken: English, Maltese, Italian
Disclosure of other time commitments: Founder of [Axis Advisory]
Experience
Axis Advisory is a legal, regulatory and DAO Advisory firm providing services exclusively within the Digital Asset industry. Joseph has four years of experience in crypto-focused legal, regulatory & product consulting & advisory services, advising clients on a myriad of matters including [but not limited to]; organizational setups, progressive decentralization & product structuring. Joseph is also a member of the dYdX Operations Trust, the dYdX SubDAO that facilitated the launch of the dYdX Chain.
More specifically to the ArbitrumDAO, Joseph’s initial contributions emanated from his role within the TraderJoe Governance Council [a body set up within the TraderJoe community to facilitate & administer the voting power endowed within TraderJoe.xyz as a delegate]. Most prominently, as part of the TraderJoe Governance Council (together with fellow Council colleagues), Joseph contributed to the Council’s efforts in participating in the STIP Project Assessment by reviewing, assessing & voting on the various proposals submitted. In this regard, Joseph also authored a post on this model for delegates (The Delegate’s Handbook: A Primer on the Council Model).
Within the ArbitrumDAO, Joseph has also participated & spearheaded various endeavors aimed at optimizing and/or establishing pivotal infrastructure pieces to ensure long-term scaling & sustainability for existing projects & projects intending to build on Arbitrum. A TL;DR of my contributions hereunder:
Snapshot [Passed] This proposal aimed at establishing a procurement framework for security-oriented services within the ArbitrumDAO. In the drafting of this proposal, a public consultation period was initiated to solicit stakeholder feedback so as to optimally structure this framework.
Snapshot [Passed] This proposal aims at establishing a collective of individuals and service providers to provide pivotal proposal-stage reporting to aid and enhance delegate decision-making. All members to be appointed by election with applicable caps.
Snapshot [Passed] This proposal aims at establishing the ArbitrumDAO Procurement Committee to not only facilitate and administer the ratified procurement framework for security services, but also create new frameworks, propose a subsidy fund for services, & create a means test to assess projects’ eligibility for subsidisation.
Objectives & Motivation
Firstly, I will commit my expertise to meticulously researching and drafting a comprehensive proposal to establish a subsidy fund for security-oriented services within the Arbitrum Ecosystem. This fund will play a pivotal role in subsidizing the costs of security services for smaller projects, thereby fostering a secure environment for the entire ecosystem.
Secondly, I shall diligently develop a framework that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative metrics, akin to a “Means Test,” to assess project eligibility for the subsidy fund. This framework will ensure transparency and fairness in the allocation of resources, setting a benchmark for future initiatives within the ArbitrumDAO. This will undoubtedly aid in attracting newer projects to the Ecosystem as it will serve as an indirect incentive.
Furthermore, I will actively engage in the establishment of procurement frameworks for various verticals and service types, aligning with the proactive approach essential for the ecosystem’s growth. My commitment extends to ensuring that these frameworks undergo applicable public consultations & receive the necessary ratification through Snapshot votes, guaranteeing the democratic participation of the ArbitrumDAO.
Lastly, I will contribute to the creation and dissemination of guidance notes and circulars, which will provide detailed insights to prospective applicants navigating the procurement process. These documents will serve as invaluable resources, streamlining the application procedure and ensuring that applicants can fulfill the steps of the respective procurement frameworks with ease.
In conclusion, my dedication to the ADPC’s mandate is unwavering, and I pledge to bring my legal acumen, commitment to transparency, and efficiency to the committee’s endeavors. I believe that by actively contributing to the committee’s objectives, I can play a pivotal role in the growth and security of the Arbitrum Ecosystem.
Integrity
I have no past or present history or involvement in ethical breaches, fraud, manipulation, or other forms of misconduct.
Skills and Experience
I have been working within the digital asset industry for the past 4 years now as a legal, regulatory & product advisor. Over the years, I have garnered a keen interest in aiding projects progressively decentralize so that they can incrementally satisfy the prongs of ‘Decentralised’ ‘Autonomous’ and ‘Organization’ [The procurement committee will be an endeavor that naturally aids in ensuring or rather, progressing, towards achieving the organizational prong].
I have had the pleasure of working with service providers of a centralized and decentralized nature and now, through Axis Advisory, I focus purely on open-sourced tech-stacks & provide my expertise via DAO Contributions in ecosystems such as OlympusDAO, dYdX (Where I am still a member of the dYdX Operations Trust) & the Arbitrum Ecosystem where I have participated in & spearheaded various proposals (including this one) in my time here.
Given my previous experience working on the procurement framework for security-oriented service providers & the successful implementation thereof I am confident that I will be able to successfully execute on the ADPC’s mandate.
Industry Knowledge & Financial Acumen
Given my experience working in an advisory role for the past few years within the digital asset industry (sometimes on a retainer-basis & thus, having a more active role), I have encountered various (if not all) verticals that projects need to interact with to get their project market-ready. In addition, prior to working within the digital asset industry, I was employed within the legal department of a governmental entity within my home jurisdiction of Malta; wherein procurement frameworks via tendering processes are a norm when soliciting goods & services that may be needed from time to time. This experience, coupled with my background negotiating and executing transactions in relation to service agreements for a myriad of verticals on behalf of my clients, has granted me a holistic understanding of what is needed to execute on the ADPC’s procurement mandate.
The above naturally resulted in having a good understanding of budgeting, cost analysis, and understanding financial implications related to service procurement. This is due to the fact that for tendering processes, one must submit a detailed RFP detailing the entity’s budget allocation for a particular endeavor, a cost identification assessment, cost estimation, a comparative cost assessment and (most importantly) a cost-benefit analysis.
Negotiation
Throughout my career, I have actively engaged with a diverse range of clients operating within the digital asset industry. These clients normally seek my expertise in navigating the complex landscape of transactional service agreements, where precision, foresight, and an acute understanding of industry dynamics are paramount.
Naturally, as part of advising clients on verticals which are external in nature to the legal & regulatory field, a lawyer needs to both review and negotiate service agreements on behalf of his client so as to correspondingly result in fair and adequate terms for the client. This will naturally translate into the procurement committee’s role of ensuring that terms entered into with security-oriented service providers are reflective of the details that led to the respective service provider’s whitelisting and quality assurance grading.
The above has provided me with a profound understanding of negotiating service agreements, securing favorable terms, structuring pricing models, and upholding rigorous quality standards. I am confident that my expertise will aid the committee in fulfilling the mandate of the ArbitrumDAO Procurement Committee and contributing to the ecosystem’s growth and longevity.
Project Management Abilities
Firstly, as a member of the dYdX Operations Trust, the dYdX SubDAO that facilitated the launch of the dYdX Chain, all members were jointly managing the project’s strategy that eventually led to the deployment of the dYdX Chain’s infrastructure. This included, but was not limited to, managing contractual agreements, devising regulatory & legal strategies, employing independent contractors, & liaising with stakeholders so as to ensure that strategic priorities are being met.
In addition, as an advisory firm operating within the industry, for nascent projects we ideally undertake the role of a retainer-based agreement wherein we aid developers in establishing, executing and subsequently managing legal, regulatory and product strategies that would eventually lead to the launch of the project. This naturally leads to Axis Advisory having the reins on managing various verticals of the project’s lifecycle from a legal, regulatory, operational and product structuring perspective as well (dependant on the client’s needs and manpower. Ancillarily, as part of our role, we are given the reins in procuring high-quality service providers to provide our clients with services that may be required in the nascent stages of product development & services that may be required (on an ongoing basis or case by case basis) post-deployment.
Technological Proficiency
Firstly, Asana has been a pivotal tool in my arsenal for project management and task tracking. I have employed Asana to meticulously plan, organize, and monitor the various stages of client engagements, internal operations and DAO Contributions. Its user-friendly interface allows for the creation of detailed project timelines, task assignments, and progress tracking, ensuring that all committee members are aligned and aware of their responsibilities. This should facilitate smooth communication and collaboration within the committee, fostering a sense of accountability and transparency.
In addition, the use of Multi-Sigs, while not a traditional software tool, has been essential in our approach to ensure security and accountability in our firm. Apart from laying the groundwork for the Multi-Sig infrastructure of the Arbitrum Research & Development Collective, we also employ the use of the SAFE SDK to custody our advisory firm’s assets with included checks & balances for optimal operational security.
Conclusion
I look forward to the election & am keen on executing on the committee’s mandate together with other elected members!