The founding members of Legal Data Intelligence

Mallory Acheson is a technology attorney at Nelson Mullins where she focuses on privacy and security compliance, technology transactions, and the intersection of data and electronic discovery issues. Mallory is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

She helps clients navigate domestic and internal privacy laws and develop and execute compliance programs, privacy policies, data processing agreements, and related regulatory analysis.

Additionally, as part of her role, Mallory manages technology transactions, including data license agreements, outsourcing and cloud computing deals, services agreements, and procurement transactions. She also focuses on strategy and innovation for the firm’s e-discovery division, Encompass.

Mallory holds a Certified Information Privacy Manager certification and a Certified Information Privacy Professional – Europe certification, both from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.

Mallory received her B.S. from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from Belmont University College of Law.

“When we look at data today, what we find is the wide variability of data sources. We are seeing an explosion of data across so many different platforms and collaboration tools. We have to find ways to intelligently filter through it and reduce the turnaround time altogether.”

Christopher Acosta is the Director of eDiscovery Resources at Morrison Foerster in Los Angeles and a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project. He advises the firm's litigation practice and clients on electronic discovery, information governance, innovation, and artificial intelligence and oversees the firmwide coordination and promotion of electronic discovery technology, strategy, and workflow.

Chris is an active member of various committees, including the Planning Committee of the Relativity User Group LA Chapter, the Executive Committee of the ACEDS LA Chapter, and the ILTA Programming Committees. Chris was recognized as an AI Visionary in 2024. Chris has authored multiple articles on e-discovery and has served as a guest speaker on several panels, roundtables, and webinars.

“Legal Data Intelligence extends beyond traditional e-discovery work and can be used to solve a variety of data challenges by leveraging technology, resources, and know-how to take on large volumes of data and get to the relevant information faster. For example, a Legal Data Intelligence expert can support research and due diligence projects that require big data analysis to inform strategic business decisions relating to transactions and deals outside the litigation context.”

Sarah Bennington is the lead e-discovery attorney at Qualcomm and a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project. At Qualcomm, she is responsible for developing, executing and optimizing e-discovery strategy across its global litigation, regulatory, and investigation portfolio.

Throughout her career, Sarah has advanced her broad legal expertise with the power of technology to implement creative, efficient solutions to tough data challenges. Sarah leverages her knowledge about legal rights and obligations – as well as the needs of adjacent areas relating to security, privacy, information governance, export compliance, and legal operations – to develop effective strategies for interrogating large volumes of data.

Sarah’s recent projects include collaborating with outside counsel and her e-discovery service provider to develop a novel search term calibration methodology that leverages data-backed metrics to improve search effectiveness; innovating efficient protocols for data-heavy initiatives relating to regulatory merger reviews, DSARs, and internal investigations; and supporting internal research projects to enable strategic business decisions using big data analysis.

Prior to Qualcomm, Sarah was an Associate in Jones Day’s Intellectual Property Practice focusing on trademark, trade secret, patent, copyright, and unfair competition matters for a variety of technology companies. A lifelong Californian, Sarah attended the UC Irvine School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude) and UC Santa Barbara (B.A., highest honors).

“I love manipulating data and trying to find insights buried in it. My role isn't just about the e-discovery application of data but about using data to answer legal questions.”

Ashley Christakis is the Senior Manager of eDiscovery and Legal Operations at CrowdStrike, a global cybersecurity leader, and one of the founding members of the Legal Data Intelligence project. With more than two decades of experience in the legal industry, Ashley has honed her expertise in leveraging data to accomplish complex legal tasks and drive operational efficiency. Her unique role, which straddles the world of e-discovery and legal operations, has enabled her to overcome legal data challenges and build defensible processes across diverse practice areas — from litigation and audit compliance to employment law and data privacy.

Ashley is passionate about using data to answer complex questions, uncover insights, and shape strategies to maximize the efficiency of legal workflows, strengthen defensibility, manage risk, and ultimately accelerate business. Her journey into legal operations was a natural evolution of her proficiency in data analysis, from organizing high-level data reports and visualizations to charting data on bandwidths, costs, and savings. What sets her apart is her ability to merge legal expertise with technical acumen, navigate large volumes of data, and create tangible metrics to measure the efficacy of legal workflows.

Ashley’s leadership extends beyond traditional boundaries. As a self-taught technologist, she has creatively applied non-legal technology solutions to legal tasks, reducing friction, enhancing transparency, and driving efficiency. With her versatile skillset and experience in working across multiple practice areas, she has applied the Litigation Readiness Model to areas outside litigation.

Her dedication underscores her ability to reshape traditional approaches and stay one step ahead in the rapidly evolving legal landscape. Committed to continuous learning, she is passionate about teaching Legal Data Intelligence best practices to both legal and non-legal professionals.

Ashley received her B.A. in Communications from Temple University.

“The Legal Data Intelligence model is a living, breathing model. It can advance and develop along with technology and new strategies. It gives legitimacy and honors people who are normally looked down upon by other professionals. The terminology is absolutely crucial so that people can start naming what they know and not feeling like I did – that I have just a disparate set of skills that don't make sense. It's a set of skills that you could apply to disparate situations, and that's powerful.”

Kelly Friedman is the Chief Legal Data Intelligence Officer and Senior Counsel at Heuristica, where she combines over 30 years of legal expertise in commercial litigation, privacy and regulatory law with her tech savvy to help solve the toughest data challenges.

Prior to Heuristica, Kelly was Senior Counsel & National Leader at Beyond eDiscovery, BLG, where she spent six years offering unique expertise in electronic information matters across a range of areas including data breach response, data governance consulting, e-discovery, privacy, and regulatory monitoring.

As a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence (LDI) project, Kelly sees LDI as a “problem-solving process” where everyone, regardless of department or business, ultimately wants the same thing: to uncover the insights and information buried under massive data volumes.

In 2011, Kelly was voted one of Canada's "Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers" by Canadian Lawyer Magazine.

Omar Haroun is a technology entrepreneur with expertise at the intersection of AI, ethics, and law. He has founded multiple successful startups, including Text IQ, an AI company serving top legal teams in banking, pharma, tech, and aerospace, which was acquired by Relativity in 2021. Omar is also a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence Project.

As a leader in ethical AI, Omar was appointed Research Associate by Oxford University's Institute for Ethics in AI. He is also a recipient of the White House Champions of Change Award. Omar often speaks and writes on topics including generative AI, ethics, and bias.

Omar holds a diverse educational background: J.D./MBA from Columbia University, where he studied the ethical implications of emerging technologies; Master's from Oxford University focused on Philosophy and Ethics; and a B.A. from UC Berkeley. He leverages this multidisciplinary perspective in his work today.

Omar lives in Pacifica, California (a coastal town south of San Francisco) and enjoys surfing, gastronomy, and live music.

Julia Hasenzahl is the Co-Founder & CEO of ProSearch. She is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Positioned at the center of advanced technology, industry expertise, and innovative workflows, Julia is a forerunner in turning data into actionable insight. By reimagining the conventional approach to solution design and service delivery through visionary strategy bolstered by seamless day-to-day operations, Julia’s leadership enables teams to respond quickly and efficiently to litigation, investigations, and regulatory and compliance actions. Backed by cutting-edge technology and operational excellence, her teams help clients take control of their discovery processes by staying focused on legal and strategic issues while mitigating risk and minimizing costs.

Prior to co-founding ProSearch, Julia was COO of BMC Group, a legal and compliance support service provider. Joining BMC early on as a start-up, Julia built service delivery teams and processes from the ground up to exponentially grow the organization — which was then recognized in Inc. 500 magazine’s list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

Laura Kibbe is VP, Deputy General Counsel, Global Head of Litigation and Legal Operations, and Chief of Staff to the General Counsel at Unisys. She is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Laura is a recognized innovator, leader and maverick in litigation, cyber security response, legal operations, and discovery. With extensive experience as in-house counsel, outside counsel, and consulting executive with P&L responsibility, Laura’s broad and thorough expertise positions her at the cutting edge of the legal industry.

Laura’s creative, forward-thinking legal philosophy leverages technology like AI to not only accelerate discovery, but protect privilege, identify PII, and develop case strategy all at once — and these efficiencies cut costs, mitigate risk, and create significant value for her teams. By revolutionizing her organization’s approach to discovery through legal data intelligence, she is creating more informed legal teams that can understand the relevant facts sooner and quickly dive into the heart of the matter, focusing their valuable time on what is most critical — the merits of the case.

Prior to Unisys, Laura was Assistant General Counsel at IQVIA. She is a Juris Doctor from the Syracuse University College of Law and she received her Bachelor of Arts from Manhattanville College.

John Koss is the Managing Director of Mintz’s Chambers & Partners globally- and nationally-ranked E-Data Consulting Group where his practice focuses exclusively on counseling clients on information governance and the utilization of technology and artificial intelligence to manage large data matters.

John also oversees the team of lawyers and technologists who comprise the E-Data Consulting Group, the Firm’s technology vendor partnerships, and select client-facing legal technology applications. John is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

John consistently pushes clients forward, harnessing the power of machine learning, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and innovative workforce arrangements to manage large data matters and maximize efficiency and data management cost savings.

Beyond his impact in the workplace, John lectures, speaks, and writes frequently on issues of e-discovery law, information governance, and data privacy. He also teaches E-Data Law at Suffolk University Law School, one of the few national full-semester offerings on the subject matter.

Josh was at AstraZeneca for the last six years, where he led the drugmaker’s eDiscovery program and later expanded its scope to include a variety of insourced services designed to significantly reduce legal costs and transform the legal function from cost center to innovation leader. In 2022, he was named on Relativity’s annual list of the legal industry’s “AI Visionaries”. Josh previously worked at the global law firm Winston & Strawn LLP and was an eDiscovery Project Manager at Discoverready (now Consilio) before that. He is also a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Josh is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a member of the Washington DC Bar.

Bobby Malhotra is a Litigation Partner and member of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy Group at Winston & Strawn LLP where he uses his unique combination of hands-on technical skills and two decades of business and litigation experience to help clients navigate complex e-discovery, digital forensics, cross-border, AI, and data privacy issues. He is also a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

A true “techno” lawyer, Bobby merges technical knowledge with legal expertise to serve clients across numerous sectors and industries. He serves as a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 clients, and in this role, he provides counseling and guidance in connection with legally defensible and standardized company-wide discovery practices.

Bobby develops innovative, cost-effective, and defensible strategies for the preservation, collection, review, and production of electronically stored information. Bobby regularly serves as lead discovery counsel on large-scale matters and manages all aspects of national and international e-discovery. His extensive experience includes counseling financial institution clients on the unique data challenges they face in high-exposure matters, as well as leading training on platforms and workflows and providing advice on vendor management and budgeting. 

Bobby is a globally recognized thought leader on applying artificial intelligence and analytics to the practice of law and is also a frequent speaker and author on e-discovery, information governance, data security, and other legal technology topics. Bobby’s AI counseling practice encompasses drafting comprehensive AI policies and procedures tailored to either entire organizations or specific departments, negotiating and reviewing AI contracts, updating vendor master services agreements and engagement letters to address AI issues, vetting and deploying AI technologies, providing strategic guidance on data security and collection, and advising on algorithm training. He has been published and quoted in publications and information outlets, including ALM’s Business Crimes Bulletin, Cybersecurity Law & Strategy Newsletter, ABA Journal, Legaltech News, ABA’s Sound Advice Podcast, ABA’s Class Action & Derivative Newsletter, ABA Law and Practice Today, and Thomson Reuters Institute Podcast.

Prior to his legal career, Bobby acquired nearly five years of technical experience in the areas of network engineering, firewall administration, technology consulting, and computer programming. His technology experience dates back to his first job in college building and configuring Novell NetWare and Windows NT applications and file servers. He has multiple computer certifications, including the CompTIA A+ computer hardware certification.

Bobby is a member of the International Legal Technology Association, American Bar Association: Section of Litigation, and Sedona Conference Working Group on Electronic Document Retention and Production. 

“It is one's ethical obligation [as an attorney] to be competent at both the law and technology, and Legal Data Intelligence creates the unique opportunity to master these domains for measurable success.”

Briordy Meyers is Discovery Counsel at Google and a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Briordy's philosophy of combining legal analysis with cutting-edge technology has empowered his teams to turn information into outcomes. Powered by a curiosity for innovation beyond the curve of current technology and a commitment to adapting to changing legal, data, discovery and privacy landscapes, Briordy leverages the union of legal expertise and technology to facilitate culture-changing cost savings, data management, and risk reduction.

An early adopter of AI, Briordy’s interests in machine learning and LLMs predate the arrival of generative AI. He has successfully deployed AI models to overcome hurdles in cross-border data transfers and streamline compliance with international data protection regulations.

He hopes to educate key stakeholders on how LDI’s combination of legal analysis and technology can transform their organizations.

Prior to Google, Briordy was Director, Senior Counsel e-Discovery at Boehringer Ingelheim. He has a Juris Doctor from the College of William & Mary, and received his Bachelor of Arts with Distinction from the University of Virginia.

“Data is information and information is power. When a client hires my team for e-discovery, I proactively try to provide additional value from the data. For example, informing them of what data should have been purged in accordance with the retention policy may not be in the scope of the e-discovery project, but it is value that is additive.”

Scott Milner is the Global Practice Group Leader of eData Practice Group at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. He is also a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Scott practices at the interaction of law and technology leading a data-driven practice that is transforming the delivery of legal services by leveraging people, processes, and technology to reimagine the work lawyers do. He works with Morgan Lewis’s lawyers across practice groups to tailor legally defensible strategies while implementing tech-enabled solutions to support clients around the globe, in numerous industries and disciplines.

Scott leverages Legal Data Intelligence as a way to get more out of data and repurpose e-discovery workflows for multiple use cases including cyber and data incident response and contract analytics.

With an increased focus on artificial intelligence (AI), Scott counsels clients in the areas of AI and IG including drafting and revising AI policies, counseling on AI use cases in the areas of eDiscovery, cyber, internal investigations, privacy and IG, development of best practices for creation of QC, QA and validation protocols when using AI and supporting clients who are developing and rolling out generative AI to support legal and impact on maintaining privilege and potential waiver.

Outside of the office, Scott is a trusted thought leader in the industry, frequently speaking and writing articles on topics in the AI including the Ethics of AI, discovery, data incident response, IG, innovation, and disruption space regularly speaking at CLE events and seminars.

“There is a reason why so many legal professions who have deep expertise in Discovery now excel in more expansive roles encompassing innovation, technology, and operational excellence. We were moved by the spirit of Legal Data Intelligence before it even had a name.”

Farrah Pepper is the Chief Legal Innovation Counsel (CLIC) at Marsh McLennan and a founding member of Legal Data Intelligence. At Marsh McLennan, Farrah created and leads the company’s Legal Innovation & Technology (LIT) team, including the LIT Lab (legal innovation lab) and the Discovery program.

Farrah has built a career founded on her passion for innovation, working across teams, solving intractable problems, and creating the boundary conditions required for excellence. A true tech evangelist, Farrah’s consistent demonstration of her comprehensive knowledge of the law and data has made her a process-oriented and visionary leader for Legal Data Intelligence. Previously, Farrah was global discovery counsel at GE, where she created and led the GE Discovery Center of Excellence. She began her career as a litigator at the global law firm of Gibson Dunn, where she a founder and leader of the electronic discovery practice group. Farrah has been recognized across the legal realm for her profound contributions to the industry, earning awards such as In-House Innovator of the Year (Leaders in Tech Law), ACC Value Champion (twice), AI Visionary, ILTA Influential Women of Legal Tech, Champion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (WIPL) and a Relativity Innovation Award for Inclusion.

Farrah is a sought-after speaker and educator in the legal community, as well as an active participant in leading industry advisory boards and affinity groups. Notably, Farrah is Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC). She is a fellow and a member of the Board of Directors of the College of Law Practice Management.

Farrah is a lifelong New Yorker and a double-NYU grad, having received her B.A., summa cum laude, at New York University’s College of Arts and Sciences and her J.D. at the New York University School of Law.

“Legal Data Intelligence allows us to speak intelligently in both technical and legal worlds. The ability to easily translate between lawyers and technologists opens up countless avenues for growth and success.”

Adam Rouse is Senior Counsel and Director of eDiscovery Operations at Walgreens and a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Throughout his career, Adam’s versatile talents of working at the intersection of technology, law, and data helped organizations understand business-critical nuance and bridge technical and legal gaps across teams. With both a technical and advanced legal background, he has a track record of successfully implementing technology to solve legal problems. Adam’s key role in building the e-discovery programs from the ground up at Walgreens and US Foods has had a transformative impact on both organizations.

Adam is an adjunct professor of e-discovery and technology at Loyola University and is a technology and law guest lecturer at Northwestern University. He is chair of Walgreen’s partnership with the Chicago Legal Prep Charter Academy, chaired the Street Law Program with the Chicago chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), and takes an active role in teaching high school students as part of a pro bono initiative with Walgreens.

Adam’s recent projects include consulting on an incident response plan for a major medical manufacturing company’s information security department and, after taking over the e-discovery reins at Walgreens, bringing a large percentage of outsourced e-discovery in-house and ushering in significant upgrades in the department’s technology stack and workflows.

Prior to Walgreens, Adam was Manager of e-Discovery at US Foods and a technology architect for a major bank for close to fifteen years. He is a Doctor of Law from Phoenix School of Law. Adam subsequently obtained his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Space, Cyber, and Telecom law from the University of Nebraska College of Law before doing a fellowship at the Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology, where he researched and co-authored papers on trends such as digital voyeurism, medical data privacy, and predictive crime analysis.

“Data is the new currency in the legal arena. Embrace it, harness it, and begin leveraging it – then watch your team reach new levels of growth and innovation.”

Jeffrey Salling, the Chief of Staff & Senior Director of Legal Operations at Moderna, is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project. With a unique blend of legal prowess and curiosity for the broader business landscape, Jeff effortlessly navigates the complex world where law, technology, and corporate strategy intersect.

Jeff’s secret sauce is his uncanny ability to see the big picture. By immersing himself in the intricate corporate ecosystem, he has developed a sixth sense for how data and law intertwine. This holistic perspective allows him to think beyond legal risks and make decisions that truly benefit the organization as a whole. In Jeff's world, Legal Data Intelligence isn't just a buzzword—it's a way of life that demands complete visibility over the entire business and legal process.

As a passionate advocate for in-house legal professionals, Jeff believes that they should be more than just lawyers—they should be business savvy strategists with law degrees. And he walks the talk. At Moderna, Jeff has been the driving force behind game-changing initiatives to streamline contract processes, identify bottlenecks, and ultimately help the company bring life-saving products to market faster. These days, you'll find him harnessing the power of GenAI in innovative ways to revolutionize the legal world while ensuring safety and compliance.

Before joining Moderna, Jeff honed his skills as the Global e-Discovery Lead at Novartis, one of the world's top 10 pharmaceutical giants. But his passion for leveraging legal data expertise and his need for speed led him to Moderna, where he's been making waves ever since.

Not content with just transforming the industry, Jeff has also shaped the minds of future legal innovators. As a professor of e-discovery at John Marshall Law School, he opened students' eyes to the thrilling intersection of data and law, inspiring them to explore the ever-expanding career opportunities in this cutting-edge field.

With his infectious enthusiasm, unparalleled expertise, and commitment to pushing boundaries, Jeff is the type of leader you want in your corner as you embark on your own journey to revolutionize the legal landscape.

Pam Schieffelin is a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Pam believes in the power of technology like AI to turn tedious, rote tasks into high-value analytical exercises. By establishing reliability through a thorough understanding of the technology, proper implementation, and efficacy and efficiency metrics, , organizations can streamline process, automate tasks, and reduce risk — saving critical time, money, and resources. This creates substantial value for the organization and builds confidence among leadership in both the technology itself and its e-discovery team.

Pam’s regularly leverages AI to make efficient, effective, and reliable use of human inputs across large sets of data. Expanding her work with AI into information governance, Pam combines the experience, process, values, and information of her employees to create greater opportunity for business continuity and to develop institutional knowledge. She empowers her teams to put their expertise to work to support litigation and investigations and to extend their support to other practice areas.

Most recently, Pam was a Vice President and Legal Counsel at Qualcomm. Before her stint at Qualcomm, Pam was an attorney at Greenberg Traurig. She is a Juris Doctor from the Northeastern University School of Law, and she received her Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University.

“Legal Data Intelligence can make firms money, save clients money, and help us outperform competitors. Everyone wins.”

Geof Vance is a Litigation Partner and Firmwide Chair of e-Discovery Services & Strategy Practice at Perkins Coie, and a founding member of the Legal Data Intelligence project.

Over the course of his legal career, Geof has acquired a reputation for his innovative vision to use technology on all projects in new and novel ways and his creative solutions to overcome constraints to implementation. His iterative and adaptive approach to Legal Data Intelligence works around changes and setbacks to adjust strategy on the fly to achieve favorable outcomes.

Together with his team, Geof tackles data challenges across a wide remit: white-collar criminal defense law; audit compliance; corporate law due diligence; opposition research in political law; real estate, trust, and estate law contract analytics; and unique one-off projects involving large volumes of electronic data. He hopes to educate judges on the use of novel legal technology such as AI and to help lawyers understand that technology solutions will not replace them, but rather can help them become better lawyers by making them more efficient, more responsive and proactive, and more accurate.

One example of Geof’s belief in the power of using data analysis to solve problems and create value is his approach to litigation: in addition to producing the information requested by the opposing side in a defensible manner, his team has built a track record for using artificial intelligence to focus on winning, that is, to find useful but otherwise hard to locate information that will help their clients prove and prevail in their cases. Prior to Perkins Coie, Geof was Partner at McDermott Will & Emery and the head of its McDermott Discovery practice. He is a Doctor of Law from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and received a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University.

“There is a blue ocean of opportunity for using Legal Data Intelligence on really anything you do as a legal organization”

Jeremiah Weasenforth is AGC & Legal Analytics Director at Edward Jones, and a founding member of Legal Data Intelligence. At Edward Jones, Jeremiah leads a team that utilizes data and predictive intelligence to enhance the efficiency of the legal department and reduce legal risk for the company.

Throughout his legal career, Jeremiah has been at the forefront of bringing AI/ML to streamline legal processes and harness the power of data analytics to drive winning outcomes. Operating at the intersection of technology, data and the law, Jeremiah brings a first-principles approach to solving complex legal data challenges. Some of his recent projects include building a human effort metric to streamline contract lifecycle management (using a machine learning model to quantify the level of hours a contract is likely to take up) and using data analytics to identify key opportunities for operational efficiency.

Prior to joining Edward Jones, Jeremiah was at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, most recently as the Head of Data & Discovery Strategy. Today, he hopes to build further awareness around how Legal Data Intelligence can help legal professionals level up their careers.

Jeremiah is a graduate of the University of Akron School of Law; he received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University.