Feb 7, 2019
Law firms and lawyers have a reputation for being slow to adapt to the new digital world. But, as clients begin to demand better technology and services, all that is about to change, so I wanted to explore the world of legal tech.
Dentons is the world's largest law firm and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service. But, they are also pioneering the intersection of technology innovation and the legal industry and also exploring legislation and regulation around emerging technologies.
However, when I discovered that Dentons also recently announced the launch of Driverless Commute, a blog geared toward the latest news and analysis on the autonomous vehicle (AV) industry, I had to find out more. Authored by Dentons’ Autonomous Vehicles team, the Driverless Commute interprets emerging innovations and implications facing the AV sector.
It is an extension of a popular, long-running weekly email digest of the same name that will allow for a more nimble publishing of legal and policy analysis of the fast-changing automated car landscape.
Driverless Commute provides insightful analysis of the current regulatory environment, monitors public perception of AV technology, covers the global race to market and highlights pilot programs, including shuttle buses, package delivery vans, robo-taxis, shared-fleet vehicles, truck convoys and row-cop tractors.
As the industry is dynamic and new terminology quickly comes to the forefront, the blog includes hyperlinks connecting readers to outside articles that provide advanced industry data, market research, policy papers, proposed legislation, legal opinions, and information on events and government grant sources.
Leveraging the Firm’s experience serving the automotive, technology and renewable energy sectors, Dentons’ Autonomous Vehicles team was launched to act as a source for companies navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of laws and regulations relating to the development and deployment of AV technology.
Dentons’ Autonomous Vehicles team is made up of attorneys and professionals from across the Firm’s Public Policy, Corporate, Energy, Litigation, Insurance, Intellectual Property and Venture Technology practice groups.
On my daily tech podcast, I invited Eric Tanenblatt onto my show to learn more. Eric is the Global Chair of Public Policy and Regulation of Dentons and also leads the firm's US Public Policy Practice, leveraging his three decades of experience at the very highest levels of the federal and state governments.
The renowned lecturer and political counselor is widely regarded as one of the nation's preeminent public policy thought leaders, has served in the administrations of three US presidents and as a senior advisor to a US senator and governor, and held a US Senate-confirmable post governing a federal agency.
I talk to Eric about his passion for shepherding disruptive companies and industries through the complicated web of law and regulation. We also discuss Dentons' global autonomous vehicles team and the regulatory, political, and technical developments in the world of automotive autonomy.