Yuri Mikulka, partner in Alston & Bird’s Intellectual Property Litigation Group, has been appointed by the American Bar Association (ABA) as lead advisor of its Litigation Section’s newly launched AI Future Forward Initiative, a pioneering initiative aimed at shaping the future of litigation in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
This inaugural initiative will serve as a national thought-leadership hub, addressing the legal complexities and opportunities presented by AI and machine learning. Under Yuri’s leadership, the committee will focus on:
- Anticipating litigation risks tied to generative AI technologies.
- Developing strategic frameworks for managing litigation and conducting discovery in AI-related litigation.
- Collaborating with leading AI companies and legal stakeholders to influence policy, practice, and court rules.
- Creating best practices for the safe and ethical use of AI-powered legal technologies.
- Delivering educational programming and thought leadership on AI.
- Coordinating ABA-wide efforts on AI-related legal issues and initiatives.
Joining Yuri Mikulka as advisors are distinguished general counsel and legal leaders in AI, including Jackie Collins (general counsel, Terumo Neuro), Sarita Venkat (deputy general counsel, Cisco Systems Inc.), and Hai-Ching Yang (director of legal, Cerebras Systems & adjunct law professor, Santa Clara University School of Law).
Their appointments reflect the ABA’s commitment to placing seasoned, forward-thinking professionals at the forefront of its most innovative efforts.
“AI is transforming the legal landscape at an unprecedented pace,” said Tiffany Williams Brewer, chair of ABA Section of Litigation. “This innovative initiative is uniquely positioned to help litigators navigate the evolving risks and opportunities presented by AI technologies. I’m pleased to appoint such an exceptional group of advisors to shape the future of litigation in the AI era.”
With more than 25 years of litigation experience and a focus on emerging technologies, Yuri leads Alston & Bird’s Consumer Technology Patent Litigation Team and serves on the AI Steering Committee and is widely recognized for her strategic expertise in IP litigation involving emerging technology. Her long-standing leadership within the ABA includes serving on the Litigation Section’s governing council and as the Ninth Circuit representative to the Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, which evaluates and rates federal judicial nominees before their Senate confirmation hearings. She is also a past president of the Federal Bar Association, Los Angeles Chapter.