The Legal Data Intelligence Podcast with David Cowen (Episode 30)

In this episode of Careers and the Business of Law: The Legal Data Intelligence Series, host David Cowen speaks with LDI founding member Bobby Malhotra. Malhotra talks about the role of AI governance in today's legal landscape, and the growing demand for tech and data-oriented lawyers.

Listen to the full episode and read a partial transcript below.

David Cowen: Why is AI governance so important right now and what's the impact it's having on legal careers?

Bobby Malhotra: AI governance is a critically important topic, and you can see why just from the news headlines, David. We're hearing about AI agents going out of control, deleting data, creating cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and in some cases even solving them. AI is everywhere right now. Large companies are investing in it, small companies are investing in it, and it's touching virtually every industry, from law to marketing, from medicine to everything in between.

At its core, AI governance is about ensuring that organizations have a clear vision for how they use AI and that they've put the right guardrails in place. Most importantly, and this is how I think about it, it means making sure they're meeting their legal and ethical obligations. It's a hot-button area, and one that is very well suited for an LDI professional.

Can you talk about the creation of new roles and skills associated with AI governance?

I think it's one of the hottest areas in the legal industry, and it is an evolving role. AI governance has traditionally been focused on explainability, transparency with models, and proper documentation. But now specific use cases are being bundled in, and the job is really transforming on the fly. AI governance professionals are some of the busiest in the industry because things are changing so rapidly and so much is being thrown under their umbrella.

Personally, I'm looking to hire people who have a genuine interest in AI. What I look for is curiosity, teachability, good teammates, and smart people. It's an area where I don't look for a ton of experience. I'm looking more and more for people who are literate in AI governance issues so they can cross over and do hybrid work. We want eDiscovery attorneys on my team to know data privacy, to be able to advise on cross-border issues. This is nothing different — it's just another skill set to pick up. I really look at attorneys in my group not just as eDiscovery attorneys, but as tech and data lawyers. And that's what we are today.

What resources do you recommend for those looking to get into this space?

Ashley Christakis: [Legal Data Intelligence] LDI has tremendous content. AI issues are not just AI issues — they touch on all of the other data areas we've discussed. Privacy is a big component. Information governance is foundational. And if you get into the litigation response cycle, eDiscovery becomes critical. The LDI framework, both for building organizations and for research, is something everyone looking to become a data lawyer — and particularly one focused on AI governance — should explore.

IAPP also has great materials and a certification program that covers the basics of AI laws and AI governance — transparency, explainability, bias, and how these models operate. I encourage everyone to at least read through those materials. Beyond that, I have my own news alerts set up that I review daily to stay on top of upcoming and changing regulations. In a field that moves this fast, that kind of discipline is essential.

(Editor’s Note: The partial transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.)