Overview
We Provide AI and Emerging Technology Legal Solutions for Businesses Operating in a Rapidly Evolving World
Our Emerging Technology Specialty Team is dedicated to supporting clients navigating the legal complexities of rapidly advancing technologies. Drawing on our deep expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, privacy, and next-generation technologies, our attorneys provide comprehensive legal services to businesses across vital sectors—including mobility, Internet of Things (IoT), consumer technology, manufacturing, health care, automotive, aerospace and defense, and more.
We understand the challenges that businesses face, from AI-driven ransomware attacks and supply chain vulnerabilities to compliance with major regulatory bodies. Our team is adept at guiding clients through these evolving requirements, ensuring robust risk management and regulatory adherence.
With tech regulations rapidly shifting worldwide, organizations must address a complex mix of privacy, anti-discrimination, and sector-specific laws at the state level, comply with various federal frameworks in the US, and meet strict requirements abroad, including the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act) and other international standards. Multinational organizations must adapt to navigate this complex landscape of diverse and evolving compliance requirements.
In the US, several federal agencies play key roles in establishing standards and regulatory frameworks relevant to technological advancements including the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Commerce/National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These agencies, along with others such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), play a critical role in shaping tech standards and enforcing compliance across various sectors. Organizations operating in the US should closely monitor guidance and regulatory developments from these bodies to ensure their tech initiatives meet evolving legal and ethical standards.
In a world where tomorrow’s technology arrives today, we are the legal partners our clients depend on to master complexity and drive progress. Our firm has been serving clients since well before the internet revolutionized the way we live and conduct business, decades before the first computers and mobile devices emerged. Since the turn of the 20th century, technology has evolved dramatically, reshaping nearly every aspect of society and business. We provide legal services for a wide spectrum of sectors on key advancements including:
- Information Technology: Technology licensing, regulatory compliance, and data protection for computer systems, internet platforms, and mobile devices, supporting secure communication, digital operations, and cross-border connectivity
- Artificial Intelligence: AI governance, automated decision-making regulations, intellectual property protection for AI inventions, and compliance for facial recognition, chatbots, and predictive analytics, including legal support for AI-aided manufacturing inspection
- Cybersecurity and Privacy: Protection, defense, and response to breaches, risk assessments, incident response planning, and compliance with cybersecurity regulations to defend against evolving digital threats, guidance addressing phishing scams, oversight of third-party risks, quantum-resistant encryption, AI-driven attacks, best security practices for AI systems, consumer privacy laws, automated decision-making technology (ADMT), privacy risk assessments, cybersecurity audits, compliance strategies covering high-risk data processing, data sales, profiling, AI training, facial or emotional recognition technologies
- Internet of Things and Consumer Technology: IoT privacy, security, and device regulation; compliant smart homes, cities, and industrial solutions with embedded sensors and networks
- Blockchain: Legal frameworks for digital transactions, cryptocurrency regulation, and smart contract drafting, supporting secure business models and regulatory compliance
- Mobility and Autonomous Vehicles: Regulatory compliance, contract negotiation, lightweighting and alternative fuel initiatives, technology licensing, data protection for automotive computer systems, telematics, and internet-connected vehicles
- Manufacturing: Intellectual property, product liability, and regulatory compliance for a wide range of production methods including traditional processes and advanced techniques like additive manufacturing (3D printing), managing risks for custom and mass-produced goods, ensuring legal protection across industries
- Big Data and Augmented Reality: Data privacy, analytics compliance, and augmented reality (AR) regulations, including protection for wearable device data and electronic health record use, guidance on AR applications for remote assistance and training
- Aerospace and Defense: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), drone operations, and space technology, supporting compliance, intellectual property, and regulatory requirements for satellites and spacecraft
- Health Care: Telemedicine, medical device compliance, electronic health records privacy, regulatory advice for innovative health care solutions ensuring patient data protection and regulatory adherence
At Butzel, our team partners with leading technology innovators and actively engages with influential industry organizations, positioning us at the forefront of emerging trends and regulatory changes. We strive to keep our clients and others informed and empowered, regularly publishing practical insights on critical topics such as artificial intelligence, data privacy, and cybersecurity. With deep expertise in privacy, cybersecurity, health care compliance, and more, our attorneys hold advanced credentials—including Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and serve in key roles with respected bodies like the American Bar Association’s Presidential Cybersecurity Legal Task Force. Members of our team are frequently invited by local and national media to provide clarity on the rapidly shifting landscape of Technology Law. Through these ongoing collaborations, we proudly demonstrate our unwavering commitment to delivering timely, tactical legal guidance tailored to meet our client’s unique needs while helping to navigate today’s complex challenges with confidence.
Whether developing AI technologies, deploying high-risk systems, or managing intricate compliance challenges, Butzel’s Emerging Technology Specialty Team stands ready to guide businesses toward legal and operational excellence. Our core values—Excellence, Drive, Trust, and Teamwork—form the foundation of our approach. In the rapidly evolving field of technology, these principles are essential: Excellence ensures we stay at the forefront of legal and technological advancements; Drive motivates us to proactively address emerging risks; Trust fosters open, reliable client relationships; and Teamwork enables seamless collaboration to solve complex challenges. By upholding these values, we deliver outstanding service and forge enduring partnerships with our clients.
