Stanford Law School Names Executive Director Of AI Initiative

Irene Liu

Stanford Law School announced Monday the appointment of a former artificial intelligence adviser to the California State Senate as executive director of the Stanford Law School AI Initiative, which seeks to advance interdisciplinary research, teaching and engagement with industry leaders and policymakers.

In addition to her time advising the state Senate, Irene Liu previously was an adviser to University of California, Berkeley School of Law's AI Institute, and she's also the founder and chief executive of consulting firm Hypergrowth GC. She has also worked as the chief financial and legal officer of Hopin, a teleconferencing company, and general counsel and senior vice president of Checkr Inc., which provides employee background screenings for companies.

Stanford's AI Initiative will bring together faculty, students, centers, labs and external collaborators to inform how AI is developed, governed and used in law and public life. The initiative is co-chaired by law professors Nathaniel Persily and Julian Nyarko.

The initiative's introduction follows the official launch of the school's Legal Innovation through Frontier Technology Lab or liftlab, which develops and evaluates AI tools for legal services in collaboration with law firms and technology companies.

"As the AI Initiative continues to grow, Irene's experience building programs and advising leaders in technology and law will be critical," Persily said in Monday's announcement. "She has the vision to help shape an agenda that is rigorous and relevant. This includes advancing AI research as well as positioning our students as thoughtful leaders in AI law and policy."

Nyarko, who is also faculty director of the liftlab, said Monday: "Irene brings a rare combination of legal, technical, and strategic experience to this role. Her leadership will help expand Stanford Law's research and training on AI while strengthening partnerships with the legal profession and technology sector."

Liu's work experience includes leading global law enforcement compliance at BlackBerry and stints as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

She earned her bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College and her law degree from University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

"Stanford Law stands at the intersection of technological innovation and legal scholarship, making it the natural epicenter for defining the future of AI," Liu said in a statement Monday. "I look forward to amplifying the groundbreaking research already in progress, expanding our role as a hub for public and private sector engagement, and equipping our students to lead in a world shaped by AI. I'm thrilled to be here and look forward to collaborating with this exceptional community to bring this vision to life."

AI-focused initiatives have sprung up at law schools such as Stanford's. In August, Stanford joined five other universities in partnering with Harvey, which sells a generative artificial intelligence platform for legal professionals, for a program launch that provides students and faculty with software and supports the co-creation of new curricula.

--Editing by Lakshna Mehta. 

For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.