Inaugural Conference on AI and the Law
by Institute for Law, Technology & Innovation at Florida State University's College of Law
The Inaugural Conference on AI and the Law, organized by the Institute for Law, Technology & Innovation at Florida State University's College of Law in partnership with Holland & Knight LLP, was held on April 2, 2024, in Washington, D.C. This half-day symposium convened academics, policymakers, and thought leaders to explore the promises and challenges presented by artificial intelligence in the legal domain.
The conference featured a series of panels and discussions covering a broad overview of AI's current capabilities and limitations, as well as the opportunities and challenges it presents. Topics included the intersection of AI with data privacy, intellectual property rights, and liability issues arising from AI use. Notable speakers included Shawn Bayern, Associate Dean for Technology at FSU Law, and Rich Harper, Partner-in-Charge of Baker Botts' New York office and Co-chair of the firm's Artificial Intelligence Practice Group.
The event attracted approximately 80 in-person attendees, including several FSU Law students who traveled to Washington, and nearly 800 virtual participants. This diverse audience provided ample networking opportunities and facilitated rich discussions on the evolving role of AI in the legal sector.
Legal professionals, academics, policymakers, and students with an interest in the intersection of law and technology would find this conference particularly beneficial. Attendees gained valuable insights into the latest developments in AI and its implications for the legal industry, enhancing their understanding and preparedness for the future of legal practice.
Speakers(7)
Aaron Voloj Dessauer
Executive Director at Institute of Law, Technology & Innovation, Florida State University College of Law
Aaron Voloj Dessauer is the inaugural director of the Institute of Law, Technology & Innovation at Florida State University College of Law, where he teaches courses on information privacy, national security, and civil rights law. Previously, he worked as a lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, and as in-house counsel at a global tech start-up. He also served as a legal advisor to the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, as a lecturer at Yale Law School, and as an adjunct professor in law and philosophy at the University of Münster in Germany. The recipient of numerous academic awards and fellowships, Voloj Dessauer was a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Harvard University, and the Center for Law and Philosophy at Yale University.
Anu Bradford
Henry L. Moses Professor of Law and International Organization at Columbia Law School
Anu Bradford is the Henry L. Moses professor of law and international organization at Columbia Law School. She is the author of "Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology," which examines the global competition to regulate the digital economy. Her work focuses on international trade law, European Union law, and comparative and international antitrust law.
Da’Morus A. Cohen
Partner at Holland & Knight
Da'Morus A. Cohen is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Miami office. Cohen is a co-chair of the firm's marketing, advertising and sweepstakes team, a member of the firm's litigation and dispute resolution practice group and consumer protection defense and compliance team. Cohen focuses his practice on a wide array of consumer protection and compliance matters, including governmental investigative and enforcement proceedings, regulatory compliance, and advertising and promotional marketing compliance, including social media and digital media.
Keith Sonderling
Commissioner at U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Keith Sonderling serves as a commissioner on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, where he is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. He has a particular interest in the implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the workplace.
Michael Atleson
Senior Attorney at Federal Trade Commission
Michael Atleson is a senior attorney at the Federal Trade Commission, where he focuses on consumer protection issues related to advertising and marketing practices, including those involving emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Rich Harper
Partner at Baker Botts
Rich Harper, partner in charge of Baker Botts' New York office, advises and litigates on behalf of some of the world's most sophisticated technology, media, and entertainment companies. He leads litigation teams in business tort and breach of contract disputes, ranging from trade secret litigation to business defamation claims for clients such as PepsiCo and Formula 1 Racing. As co-chair of the firm’s artificial intelligence practice group, he helps clients navigate emerging AI-related litigation and regulations. He is teaching a seminar on artificial intelligence and the law at Florida State University College of Law during the 2024 spring semester.
Shawn Bayern
Larry & Joyce Beltz Professor and Associate Dean for Technology at Florida State University College of Law
Shawn Bayern is the Larry & Joyce Beltz professor and associate dean for technology at the College of Law, where he has taught since 2009. He writes and teaches on torts, contracts, and business law subjects and has a background in computer science. He is the author of "Autonomous Organizations" (Cambridge University Press 2021), which shows how lawyers can use modern LLCs to give legal personhood to AIs and other software. Bayern has experimented with AI language models for more than twenty years.
Event Details
- Date
- April 2, 2024
- Location
- 🇺🇸 Washington, D.C., United States
- Holland & Knight LLP offices
- Audience
- Legal professionals, academics, policymakers, and students interested in AI and law
- Attendees
- Approximately 80 in-person and nearly 800 virtual attendees