Sheppard today announced the expansion of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry team to include Robotics and Quantum, creating a unified AI, Robotics and Quantum industry team focused on the growing legal and regulatory challenges driven by these converging technologies. Townsend Bourne, co-leader of the firm’s Aerospace, Defense & Government Services industry team and a nationally recognized leader in government contracts and cybersecurity, has been named a co-leader of the team. She joins Jim Gatto and Dan Schnapp, the founders and existing co-leaders of the AI industry team.
The firm’s expanded team brings together lawyers with deep legal and technical experience across AI, robotics and quantum to help clients manage risk across the full lifecycle of these technologies, from development and deployment to commercialization and disputes to help clients confront the overlapping legal issues. Gatto, who studied electrical engineering and physics, is one of a number of Sheppard lawyers with quantum-related technical backgrounds.
Individually, this trio of technologies is among the most important of the next decade. Collectively, they are very synergistic. For example, AI is improving quantum error correction, quantum is accelerating AI training and robotics leverages AI decision making and quantum sensing technologies. All of this introduces new risks around cybersecurity, intellectual property (IP), data protection, export controls, national security and regulatory compliance. The pace of commercialization is accelerating, and the legal landscape is becoming more complex. It is inevitable that the convergence of these technologies will create overlapping legal issues and clients will need firms that are knowledgeable in these technologies and legal issues.
"Our clients are operating in an environment where these technologies are advancing faster than the legal frameworks that govern them,” said Jim Gatto, co-leader of the AI, Robotics and Quantum industry team. “They require forward looking counsel who not only understand the technology but are thought leaders on the legal issues they will present and how to manage legal and regulatory risks to protect their businesses.”
"The convergence of AI, robotics and quantum represents the most significant technological shift I have witnessed in more than 30 years of practice,’’ said Dan Schnapp, co-leader of the AI, Robotics and Quantum industry team. “Every disruptive technology cycle reaches a common inflection point — the moment when its impact ceases to be theoretical and begins to permanently restructure how industries operate, create and capture value. AI, robotics and quantum are arriving at that inflection point simultaneously. The organizations that lead in the next decade will be those that view this reality not merely through a compliance lens, but as a strategic imperative — and that proactively shape the legal, operational and policy frameworks that govern its deployment. Our 120+ multi-disciplinary team of practitioners has been assembled precisely for this moment, partnering with clients to convert this transformation into durable competitive advantage through disciplined structuring, risk management and execution.”
Townsend Bourne, co-leader of the AI, Robotics and Quantum industry team added, “Quantum is rapidly moving from theory to application, with significant implications for government, defense and critical infrastructure. These developments are reshaping how we think about encryption, data sovereignty, national security and the entire ecosystem. Clients are looking for counsel who understand both the technology and regulatory environment as it evolves in real time.”
About Sheppard’s AI, Robotics and Quantum Industry Team
Our AI, Robotics and Quantum industry team advises clients on legal issues across these technologies, including Post Quantum Cryptography, IP protection and enforcement, cybersecurity and data protection, export controls, national security, governance and accountability, liability and regulatory consideration for robotics, autonomous systems and emerging quantum related risks. Our team of more than 120+ lawyers supports clients in all industries including across government contractors, aerospace/defense, financial services, healthcare, logistics, transportation, manufacturing, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals and technology, where organizations are rapidly deploying AI-enabled systems, automation and advanced computing as part of their core operations.