The Emerging Technology Committee (ET Committee) is the first standing committee of the State Bar dedicated to understanding and guiding the legal profession through rapidly developing technologies. Its official purpose is to identify and research emerging technologies and their impact on the practice of law and on the justice system; to make recommendations to the State Bar Board of Directors on ways the Bar might leverage the opportunities presented by emerging technologies; and to educate attorneys and the public about any risks those technologies may present and how to mitigate them.

The creation of the ET Committee follows the work of the Taskforce for Responsible AI in the Law (TRAIL), a statewide group of legal, academic, and technical professionals who examined the growing role of artificial intelligence in the practice of law.  TRAIL’s year-end report recommended establishing a permanent committee to continue evaluating emerging technologies, developing best practices, and supporting the Bar’s ongoing commitment to competence and public protection.

As Chair, Juan will lead the ET Committee’s efforts to analyze new and evolving technologies, including artificial intelligence, automation tools, data-driven legal systems, cybersecurity developments, and related innovations, and to help ensure that Texas attorneys are equipped to use such tools responsibly and effectively.

Juan brings to the role a unique combination of legal, technical, and public-facing experience.  In addition to his patent prosecution and IP strategy practice at Whitaker Chalk, Juan has a professional background in cybersecurity engineering, reverse engineering, and artificial intelligence governance, and he regularly speaks to courts, universities, and legal organizations in the United States and Mexico on the responsible use of AI in the law.

For media inquiries, please contact Juan at jvasquez@whitakerchalk.com