Laccase produced by Coriolus hirsutus was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by acetone precipitation, Sephacryl S-2000 HR chromatography, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B chromatography, and Mono Q HR 5/5 chromatography. The purification of laccase was 46.6-fold with an overall yield of 23.7%. Laccase from this fungus was a monomeric glycoprotein with 16% carbohydrate content, and has an isoelectric point of 4.2, and molecular mass of 78 kDa, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme showed significant homology to hoste of laccases from Coriolus versicolor, Pycnoporus cinnabarius, and an unidentified basidiomycete, PM1. The highest rate of 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) oxidation by laccase was reached at 45$^{circ}C$, and te pH optima of the enzyme varied depending on the substrate in the range of 2.0 to 4.5. The enzyme was stable at 60$^{circ}C$ for 5 h and lost 80% activity at 80$^{circ}C$ in 30 min. The enzyme oxidized a variety of usual laccase substrates including lignin-related phenol, and had the highest affinity toward ABTS. Under standard assay conditions, the apparent Km value of the enzyme toward ABTS was 8.1 ${mu}$M. The enzyme was completely inhibited by L-cysteine and sodium azide, but not by potassium cyanide, SDS, ad thiourea.