Latest news with #CodeX
Business Upturn
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
BDM Digital Initiates Promising Dialogue with Stanford Law School in Pursuit of Strategic Partnerships in Silicon Valley
SAN FRANCISCO, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of an initiative focused on internationalization and the consolidation of high-impact academic, institutional, and technological partnerships, BDM Digital's Chief Legal Officer, Kezia Miranda, conducted an official mission to Silicon Valley, where she met on Tuesday (6) with Professor Roland Vogl, Executive Director of CodeX – The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics, affiliated with Stanford Law School in California (USA). The visit is part of BDM Digital's international expansion strategy. The Brazilian blockchain platform, which has more than 35,000 active users, stands out as a catalyst for innovation and financial inclusion in Brazil and Latin America. During the meeting, concrete opportunities for scientific collaboration were discussed in areas such as crypto asset regulation, international compliance, and blockchain-based legal solutions. BDM is currently undergoing regulatory approval as a Payment Institution in Brazil, reinforcing its interest in partnerships that foster best practices in governance and legal innovation. 'Engaging with Stanford not only validates the technical and institutional foundations of our model but also opens doors for international cooperation, joint development of solutions, and global knowledge exchange,' said Kezia Miranda. According to her, Professor Vogl was impressed by the fact that BDM Digital originated in Mato Grosso do Sul, a state whose economy is primarily based on agribusiness—highlighting the company's innovative vision. He also noted the platform's social impact, as it has gained popularity among lower-income populations (classes C and D) through financial education initiatives aimed at driving economic digitalization. A global authority in legal informatics and computational law, Professor Vogl leads research that integrates law and technology, with a focus on innovation, automation, and access to justice. His work at CodeX, an interdisciplinary center that promotes the use of technology to enhance the legal system, aligns with BDM's goals of developing robust and legally secure technological solutions within the crypto ecosystem. As a result, the possibility of him becoming a strategic advisor to BDM Digital was considered. At the end of the meeting, Vogl invited Brazil's pioneering blockchain to participate in CodeX FutureLaw 2026, an international technology conference hosted by Stanford, and also scheduled a meeting with a major KYC (Know Your Customer compliance policy) platform. According to BDM Digital's President, Urandir Fernandes de Oliveira, 'This initiative represents a significant institutional milestone not only for BDM Digital but also for Brazil, with the potential to open new paths between Brazilian legal fintechs and institutional presence in Silicon Valley.' Contact information: [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Stanford CodeX And DLA Piper Host Inaugural Conference Advancing The UN AI For Good Platform On AI In The Law And Justice
Bringing together key stakeholders to discuss, deliberate, aid in progressing AI and the law is ... More vitally important. In today's column, I highlight a recent event that serves as a continuation of my ongoing coverage of the latest in AI & Law. Loyal readers know that I persistently aim to dive into the latest innovations in both the law as applied to AI, and the use of AI as applied to the law, including advances in AI that aid in performing legal reasoning tasks. On April 9, 2025, an important conference took place at Stanford University that entwined the famous Stanford Law School (SLS) CodeX, the global law firm DLA Piper, and the United Nations (UN) AI for Good platform. This was an inaugural Law Track Conference examining and mindfully analyzing the transformative power of AI in law and justice. Let's talk about it. This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). Taking place on a sunny day in Stanford, California, this seminal event provided an enriching forum for top-notch legal minds and AI luminaries to come together and discuss the future direction of AI and the law. A wide range of topics explored regulatory and legal ramifications underlying the advancement of AI. Those aware of the significance of Responsible AI well know that we must be vigilant in trying to keep AI on a proper ethical and legal path, meanwhile balancing the desire to push stridently ahead with state-of-the-art AI developments (see my coverage at the link here). This conference was hosted by CodeX (the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics), in conjunction with the multinational law firm DLA Piper. Their joint focus was on the UN AI for Good platform, which I've discussed previously in my column. For example, I closely examined the UN's overarching approach to applying AI to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), see the link here. Etc. In a moment, I will briefly walk you through the major topics that were lively discussed during the all-day event. To see more details about the event, take a look at the official conference website at the link here. A video recording was made of the conference and the video might end up being posted at the conference website or the main CodeX site (see the link here). In case you are unfamiliar with the AI & Law domain, CodeX is famously known as a keystone leader in the AI and law field. As per the summary description on the CodeX website (see the link here): 'At CodeX, researchers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and technologists work side-by-side to advance the frontier of legal technology, bringing new levels of legal efficiency, transparency, and access to legal systems around the world. CodeX's emphasis is on the research and development of computational law (complaw) --- the branch of legal informatics concerned with the mechanization of legal reasoning.' Roland Vogl is the Executive Director of CodeX and the Executive Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology. Megan Ma is the Associate Director of CodeX and the Associate Director of the Stanford Program in Law, Science, and Technology. Michael Genesereth is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University and Associate Professor, by courtesy, of Law Research Director, at CodeX. An integral unit within the Stanford Law School, CodeX taps into the incredible resources of SLS and Stanford University as a whole. The Stanford Law School (SLS) at Stanford University is a longstanding law school that was established in 1893 and ranks as No. 1 (tie) in the recently posted 2025 U.S. News & World Report listing of best law schools. SLS is uniquely positioned in Silicon Valley: 'At SLS, we are driven by a passion for new ideas and a commitment to transformative solutions. True to our roots in Silicon Valley and our Stanford heritage, we focus on the future — not the past. Experimentation, exploration, and the translation of new knowledge into entrepreneurial solutions: All are in our DNA. So is interdisciplinary learning, pioneered at Stanford' (per the SLS official website, at the link here). For this event, Codex teamed up with DLA Piper. DLA Piper is a prominent multinational law firm with offices in over 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Africa. According to a recently posted news piece on (March 31, 2025), DLA Piper has surpassed $4B in revenue and is nearing a count of 5,000 lawyers. 2024 was their eighth consecutive year of revenue growth. Profit margins of 27% were attributed to efficiencies gained via AI and other new technologies, along with the sharing of resources across their global offices. For more details about DLA Piper, see their website at the link here. The UN AI for Good program or platform was established in 2017. Besides extensively pursuing best practices and insightful research on the use of AI for good, such as implementing the United Nations SDGs, vital reports and analyses are developed and globally made available to the public at large. Perhaps their most visible activity is their annual summit. Coming up this year on July 8 – 11, 2025, the annual event is a huge showcase and gathering that draws attention and attendance from throughout the world. Taking place with over 40 UN Sister Agencies, the summit is in Geneva, Switzerland, and is co-convened with the government of Switzerland. For details about the upcoming July 2025 UN AI for Good summit, see the link here. Now that you have been brought up to speed on the overall context, let's quickly cover selected highlights of the April 9, 2025, inaugural Law Track Conference that took place at the Stanford University campus. The welcoming message was delivered by Danny Tobey, DLA Piper, setting the stage for the rest of the event. The closing remarks by John Gibson, DLA Piper, emphasized crucial points made throughout the day and encouraged attendees to further pursue the many notable topics covered. There were five major segments underpinning the event: Each segment consisted of a moderated panel. Panelists had been carefully chosen and the moderators ensured lively debates took place. Attendees were able to directly ask questions of the panels. Nicely, attendees also had direct access to panelists after each segment and were able to garner individual discussions. Some conferences seem to rush the panelists off the stage, and they disappear without a chance for attendees to engage in one-on-one dialogues. Thankfully, the design for this conference tended to encourage personal interaction with panelists. Bravo. Let's next take a look at each of the five segments. As noted in the official program guide, this segment entailed 'Ethical considerations surrounding the development, deployment, and regulation of AI technologies; exploring the frameworks for responsible AI, addressing issues such as algorithmic bias, fairness, transparency, and accountability. ' Moderator: Ashley Carr, DLA Piper Panelists: Bogdana Rakova, Ashley Carr, Diane Homolak, Kim van Sparrentak For my coverage of Responsible AI governance including frameworks and regulatory matters, see the link here. Per the program guide, this segment covered: 'Security challenges posed by AI systems, including vulnerabilities, adversarial attacks, and the need for robust defense mechanisms; use of red teaming exercises to showcase the effectiveness of proactive security measures in identifying and mitigating potential threats.' Moderator: Sam Tyner-Monroe, DLA Piper Panelists: Kathy Baxter, Dan Hendrycks, Christina Q. Knight, Shreya Rajpal, Sam Tyner-Monroe For my coverage of AI safety and security, see the link here. The program guide aptly depicted this segment as follows: 'Exploring AI that seeks to accomplish bias-free talent searches, especially relevant when most companies will be required to identify talent without ever meeting face-to-face for the foreseeable future. Exploring the evolving relationship between AI technologies and the workforce, discussing potential disruptions, job displacement, considerations on responsibilities related to professional conduct, and opportunities for upskilling.' Panelists: Samuel Dahan, Veena Dubal, Zev Eigen, Neil Sahota For my coverage of AI in the hiring and firing process, along with managing a human workforce, see the link here. As indicated in the program guide, this segment examined: 'Focus on the need for global collaboration and governance frameworks to address the cross-border implications of AI development and deployment, including regulatory considerations like the Executive Order and EU AI Act. Present the key differences and highlights, contrasting the U.S. and EU approaches to AI risk management. Discussions may revolve around data sharing and interoperability standards.' Panelists: Marci Harris, Nathaniel Persily, Tony Samp, Dina Waked, Heng Wang For my coverage of global collaboration and international and national AI regulations, see the link here. The program guide made these points about this segment: 'Highlighting the positive impact of AI on addressing societal challenges, such as access to justice, healthcare, education, environmental sustainability, and poverty alleviation; share case studies and initiatives showcasing AI applications for social good can be presented to inspire collaboration and innovation in this space. ' Moderators: Margaret Hagan, Stanford Law School; Lisa Dewey, DLA Piper Panelists: Arghya Bhattacharya, Lisa Dewey, Margaret Hagan, Beth Henderson, Maya Markovich, Sateesh Nori For my coverage of AI for social good, see the link here. Bringing together stakeholders to thoughtfully examine and make progress on these AI for Good considerations is a much-needed endeavor. Face-to-face discussions are the best way to break down barriers and get open dialogue to occur. I've discussed previously that there is too much polarization seeping into the AI realm. Just as polarization seems to have invaded all walks of life, the same is happening in the AI field. It is unfortunately all too easy to take a one-sided view on these complex topics. The beauty of an event like this is that panelists and attendees were brought together in one place at one time to carry on good-faith debates and dialogue. It was refreshing to witness some who have been especially dogmatic sing a more open-minded tune when directly and with apt composure addressing multiple sides to these complicated matters. Hats off and congrats go to CodeX, DLA Piper, and the UN AI for Good in recognizing the crucial nature of addressing specifically the law and AI domain as its own special track. There is no doubt that the topic of AI & Law will continue to expand and reach all elements of where AI is headed. I've got my fingers crossed that this inaugural Law Track Conference will become an annual event. There is a lot of work still to be done and it will be playing out year after year. No simple solutions are waiting around for us. Rest assured that many challenges and dynamic opportunities are on the exciting roadway ahead.
CBS News
10-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Maryland family describes devastation of massive rowhome fire: "We lost everything"
A Maryland woman, whose family was displaced after a massive fire damaged more than a dozen homes last week, told WJZ they had only been in their home a month before it went up in flames. Monique Awkwaid said her family of five lost everything when the four-alarm rowhome fire consumed 15 homes and displaced at least seven residents on North Fulton Avenue in West Baltimore on Friday, March 7. "It's a total loss. We lost everything," Awkwaid said. "It's devastation, complete devastation." Awkwaid said her family was placed in a hotel, but they only have a week. After that, she's not sure where they will go. "We don't even know what our next move is going to be," Awkwaid. "We have seven days there, and after that, I don't know. I don't wish this on nobody." The family is calling on community members to help with clothing and school supplies, and to contribute to their fundraising website. "I'm trying to be tough because I have kids, and I'm trying to be strong," Awkwaid said. "My hope is that the community can help me with the GoFundMe that me and my son had started." Through the pain and loss, Awkwaid says she is thankful her family is still alive. "It's going to be OK, things happen for a reason," she said. "We are going to be OK. We still have our lives. We all made it out safely." Destructive fire Baltimore City firefighters responded shortly before 4:30 a.m. to the fire that demolished a block of buildings used for a mixed occupancy of homes, businesses and apartments above. Some of the homes were vacant, officials said.. The blaze affected a few businesses as well as the Good Samaritan Church, in the 2200 block of North Fulton Avenue. The fire left some buildings beyond repair, causing crews to demolish them, leaving a pile of rubble. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said the buildings were marked with Code X, which means they have severe structural or interior hazards and high risks of collapse. "They're no-go buildings. We do not do interior firefighting in Code X buildings," Wallace said. The fire, which officials say was spread by the wind, was ultimately controlled around 7:16 a.m., roughly three hours after the fire started. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Battling wind-fueled fires Windy and dry conditions in the area have created a risk for fires in the Baltimore area. On March 1, a brush fire broke out at Sheppard Pratt's Towson campus, according to Baltimore County Fire officials. The fire, which started around 7 p.m., engulfed about 1.5 acres of land. On the day of the fire, parts of the Baltimore region were under a Fire Weather Watch due to low humidity and strong winds. 58% of Baltimore County faced a moderate drought last week, while 41% of the county faced a severe drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDS). In January, a large fire at a Baltimore County recycling plant led to a partial building collapse. The fire at Owl Metals on Rettman Lane in Dundalk smoldered for days, caused residents in the community to complain about the air quality. "You can just taste it. It gets stuck in your mouth," neighbor Kelsey Evans said. "Just like breathing it in burns your nose, burns your throat, makes your eyes water." In December 2024, Camp Small, a Baltimore wood recycling plant, was on fire for more than 24 hours and smoldered for several days. The wind-fueled fire spread and temporarily shut down roadways, schools, and businesses. Baltimore Fire Chief James Wallace said the wind posed some problems as crews worked to control the fire. "The challenges are that it's a wind-driven fire, it's a very deep-seated fire and we are very limited in access, so our tactics have to somewhat change," Wallace said. Rowhome fire tragedies Overall, rowhome fires have also been an ongoing challenge for Baltimore City. In November 2024, a fire in the city's Greektown neighborhood left a woman dead and several people displaced. That fire, which happened in the 300 block of South Newkirk Street, displaced residents from eight to 10 homes. Over 100 firefighters responded to the blaze. In October 2023, two Baltimore City firefighters died after battling a two-alarm rowhome fire on Linden Heights Avenue in Northwest Baltimore. The firefighters who died in the fire were identified as 31-year-old Rodney Pitts, III, of Engine Company #29, and Dillon Rinaldo, of Engine Company #46, according to the department. In January 2022, three firefighters were killed in a vacant rowhome fire on Stricker Street. The cause of the fire was determined to be criminal activity, according to an investigation by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Lt. Paul Butrim, firefighter/paramedic Kelsey Sadler, and EMT/firefighter Kenny Lacayo were killed when they became trapped in the vacant rowhome.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Davis Wright Tremaine Accelerates Pace of AI-Driven Innovation
New alliance with Stanford's CodeX, and newly appointed Senior Director of Innovation, will unlock next-generation service. SEATTLE, February 06, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a nationally recognized leader in legal services innovation, is proud to announce an alliance with CodeX, the renowned center for legal informatics at Stanford University. Through this alliance, the two organizations will collaborate on advancing cutting-edge research, including prototyping advanced AI tools that deliver next-level excellence for clients. "CodeX is synonymous with multi-disciplinary innovation on the frontier of legal technology," said Brent Goff, chief information officer at DWT. "The dynamic team at CodeX has spent years finding extraordinary ways to solve problems and bring our industry into the future. We look forward to joining forces with them to create groundbreaking products and processes that will delight our clients and keep us ahead of the competition." "DWT has a longstanding commitment to innovation and an eagerness to try new things," said Dr. Megan Ma, associate director at CodeX and Stanford's Law, Science, and Technology Program. "We are very pleased to establish an affiliate relationship with the firm and excited to see what we can accomplish together." DWT's internal R&D unit, known as DWT De Novo, will manage the relationship with CodeX. De Novo is also being infused with new leadership: Dan Szabo, a highly experienced platform architect, engineering manager, and business strategist, who has helped spearhead many AI successes to date at DWT, has been promoted to Senior Director of Innovation and will drive De Novo's focus on advancing AI. Said Szabo: "DWT De Novo was founded on the principle that integrating the right people, processes, and technology can unlock next-generation performance, and as such is perfectly formulated for this moment in the legal industry. AI can be utterly transformative. We intend to be the first to bring some of these benefits to our clients." Matt Jedreski, an employment litigator with deep experience advising clients on AI issues, will provide De Novo with legal guidance and perspective. "A lot of off-the-shelf AI technology on the market looks appealing but fails to really solve problems or fit into our clients' existing workstreams," said Jedreski. "We are laser-focused on creating tools that are highly scalable and make everyone's experience better." DWT has been widely recognized as a leader in the AI space. Szabo is currently a finalist for "Innovator of the Year" in American Lawyer Media's 2025 Leaders in Tech Law Awards. DWT was recognized by the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers North America 2024 as the country's "Standout" firm for Innovation in Digitizing Legal Practice. Likewise, the firm's AI-driven platform, the In-House Gateway to Good, which provides one-click access to tailored pro bono and social impact opportunities, was named 2023's "Transformative Project of the Year" by the International Legal Technology Association. Each week, more than a third of DWT's lawyers and professional staff draw on a large language model that is known as one of BigLaw's first internal, generative AI apps. "The energy around AI adoption at our firm is significant and growing," said Szabo. "Just this month, a hundred DWT volunteers stepped up to help quality-check a new platform we've developed that will be a true game-changer in the immigration space and beyond. I'm very excited about what this year will bring." Said Jaime Drozd, DWT's firmwide managing partner: "We are proud to be staking out a leadership position in the deployment of AI, in close collaboration with our clients and with exceptional partners like CodeX." About Davis Wright Tremaine Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is an AmLaw 100 law firm with more than 600 lawyers representing clients based throughout the United States and around the world. Learn more at About CodeX – The Stanford Center for Legal Informatics At CodeX, a center jointly operated by the Stanford Law School and the Stanford Computer Science Department, researchers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and technologists work side-by-side to advance the frontier of legal technology, bringing new levels of legal efficiency, transparency, and access to legal systems around the world. Learn more at View source version on Contacts Media Contact Mark FeferHead of Public Relations & Strategic CommunicationsDavis Wright Tremaine LLPmarkfefer@ 206.757.8583 Sign in to access your portfolio
