From Contracts to Code: A Journey into Technology Law
Saswati Soumya Sahu embarked on her legal career with a focus on corporate law and commercial transactions. Her expertise in contract drafting, due diligence, governance, and risk allocation laid the foundation for her future endeavors in the realm of technology law. As she navigated through diverse sectors such as fintech, ad tech, digital media, and health tech, she observed how innovation often outpaces regulation, making her acutely aware of the need for lawyers who can bridge this gap.
Her transition into the field of technology law was not prompted by a singular event but rather a realization of the intricate connection between law, technology, and institutional trust. Working in fintech, she encountered the crucial role of consumer protection, accountability, and regulatory readiness. This experience underscored the importance of translating regulatory requirements into operational systems, ensuring that legal frameworks are not only theoretical but practical and implementable across business and engineering teams.
As Saswati delved deeper into the world of ad tech and digital media, she was confronted with the complexities of data privacy and the ethical implications of data-driven technologies. This exposure provided her with a nuanced understanding of how legal constructs must evolve to address the dynamic nature of technology. These experiences highlighted the necessity for technology lawyers to possess not only legal acumen but also an appreciation for the ethical dimensions of their work.
"Technology law ultimately requires clear allocation of responsibility, precise documentation, and a practical understanding of how businesses operate."
Saswati's current focus on AI governance and data privacy is a natural extension of her journey. She views AI not merely as another technology vertical, but as an infrastructure layer that impacts decision-making, access, fairness, accountability, and institutional efficiency. Her extensive experience across various sectors and jurisdictions allows her to approach technology law with a dual focus on legal precision and operational judgment.
The lessons learned in ad tech and digital media further honed her ability to evaluate complex data-driven models. She realized that beyond legal constructs, technology law demands an understanding of the ethical implications of data collection and usage. This insight is vital in creating frameworks that protect consumer privacy while fostering innovation.
As Saswati reflects on her career, she acknowledges that each phase has imbued her with unique insights. Initially, the world of corporate law taught her the power of contracts and the subtle art of negotiation. These skills prove indispensable as she navigates the complex waters of technology law, where every agreement must anticipate technological shifts and regulatory updates.
Navigating the Complex Landscape of AI Governance
As the Partner for Data Privacy & AI at ANB Legal, Saswati advises organizations on AI governance and global privacy frameworks such as the GDPR and CCPA. She identifies several common legal and ethical challenges faced by businesses when adopting AI technologies. A primary challenge is the premature adoption of AI tools without establishing a clear governance structure, leading to uncertainties around accountability, data provenance, lawful basis for processing, and more.
Bias and fairness also pose significant challenges. AI systems have the potential to perpetuate or amplify historical inequities if underlying data, model design, or deployment contexts are not properly assessed. This is particularly concerning in sectors like employment, healthcare, finance, education, and public services, where automated decisions can have material impacts on individuals.
Transparency remains a crucial yet challenging aspect. Organizations often struggle to explain AI-assisted decisions to users, regulators, and internal stakeholders. This is a legal and ethical issue that requires robust documentation, auditability, model governance, and clear user-facing disclosures that accurately describe system capabilities and limitations.
Strategic AI Governance
Organizations must adopt a structured AI governance program before deployment. This includes an AI use-case inventory, privacy impact assessments, AI risk assessments, vendor and data due diligence, and human-in-the-loop safeguards. Embedding governance into the product lifecycle and senior management oversight ensures effectiveness.
In tackling these challenges, Saswati emphasizes the importance of proactive measures. Organizations should conduct regular audits and assessments of their AI systems to ensure compliance with existing legal frameworks. Such audits not only mitigate risks but also enhance the trust of stakeholders, including consumers, regulators, and investors.
Saswati also advocates for cross-functional teams that include legal, technical, and business experts. These teams are essential for identifying potential risks and developing strategies to address them. By fostering collaboration, organizations can create governance frameworks that are both legally sound and technologically feasible.
Furthermore, Saswati underscores the need for organizations to engage in ongoing dialogue with regulators and industry peers to stay informed about the latest developments and best practices in AI governance. This proactive engagement ensures that businesses can adapt to emerging regulatory requirements and maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
The Dual Perspective: In-house vs. Private Practice
Saswati's diverse experience as both in-house counsel and in private practice has provided her with unique insights into managing legal risks, regulatory compliance, and business expectations. In private practice, her role often involved providing specialized legal advice, structuring transactions, resolving disputes, or designing compliance frameworks. The emphasis here was on legal analysis, risk identification, and strategic guidance.
In-house practice, however, required a deeper understanding of commercial priorities, resource constraints, and the speed at which business teams operate. Here, legal advice must be clear, actionable, and capable of implementation. Compliance, in particular, needs to be translated into processes, templates, training, and measurable controls to be effective.
"Legal function should be a strategic partner to the business, especially in technology-driven sectors where legal design, product design, and risk governance overlap."
The combination of private and in-house practice has shaped Saswati's advisory style to be rigorous yet commercially aware, allowing her to guide clients through complex legal landscapes without compromising regulatory obligations.
Her in-house experience taught her the value of agility and responsiveness. In a fast-paced corporate environment, legal issues often arise unexpectedly, requiring quick yet thoughtful responses. This experience sharpened her ability to prioritize issues and deliver solutions that align with business objectives while maintaining legal integrity.
In contrast, her private practice experience provided her with a broader view of the legal landscape. It exposed her to a wide range of industries and legal issues, enhancing her ability to think strategically and offer creative solutions. This dual perspective enables her to offer clients a holistic approach to legal and regulatory challenges.
Moreover, Saswati's diverse background has fostered her ability to build strong relationships with clients, colleagues, and stakeholders. Her collaborative approach ensures that legal solutions are tailored to the specific needs of each organization, facilitating effective implementation and long-term success.
The Future of Technology Law
Looking ahead, Saswati envisions significant developments in technology law driven by the convergence of privacy, AI governance, cybersecurity, consumer protection, and competition law. Emerging technologies are blurring the lines between these domains, necessitating a more integrated legal approach. The implementation of comprehensive AI regulation, particularly the EU AI Act, will play a critical role in shaping risk-based AI governance globally.
Data protection laws will continue to evolve, demanding harmonized data governance systems for organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions. Laws such as the GDPR, CCPA, and other emerging privacy frameworks will require data governance to be treated as an enterprise-level function rather than a fragmented compliance response.
The regulation of legal technology and AI-assisted professional services is another area of interest. As legal AI tools become more prevalent in research, drafting, litigation support, and contract review, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, privilege, and professional responsibility will become paramount.
Global harmonization: Unified data protection laws across jurisdictions.
AI regulation: Risk-based governance models like the EU AI Act.
Legal technology oversight: Ensuring AI tools meet professional standards.
Saswati emphasizes the need for institutional capacity, technical literacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure responsible innovation and a rights-respecting approach to emerging technologies.
Another pivotal aspect of future technology law is the growing importance of digital ethics. As AI systems and digital platforms become more sophisticated, ethical considerations will play a crucial role in shaping legal frameworks. Lawyers will need to grapple with questions of bias, fairness, and accountability, ensuring that technological advancements align with societal values.
Furthermore, as technology law continues to evolve, there will be an increasing demand for legal professionals who possess expertise in technology-related fields. This trend presents opportunities for lawyers to specialize in areas such as cybersecurity, blockchain, and AI ethics, expanding their skill sets and enhancing their career prospects in a rapidly changing legal landscape.
The future of technology law will also be shaped by global geopolitical dynamics. As nations navigate the complexities of digital sovereignty, cross-border data flows, and international cybersecurity agreements, legal professionals will need to develop a deep understanding of the geopolitical landscape to effectively advise clients on compliance and risk management strategies.
AI is set to revolutionize the legal profession by transforming how legal work is produced, reviewed, managed, and delivered. Tasks such as research, document review, contract analysis, due diligence, and compliance monitoring are already benefiting from AI's efficiency and consistency. However, while AI can reduce repetitive work and improve turnaround times, it also increases the premium on judgment.
Legal professionals must still verify AI outputs, identify errors, assess risk, protect confidentiality, and ensure ethical technology use. The role of lawyers will shift from information retrieval to judgment, strategy, governance, and accountability, placing a greater emphasis on the human element in legal practice.
"AI will transform the legal profession, but it will increase the premium on judgment."
For young lawyers, developing strong doctrinal foundations, contract drafting skills, regulatory interpretation, and commercial awareness will be crucial. Additionally, understanding technology products, privacy law, cybersecurity principles, AI governance, and interdisciplinary collaboration will provide a competitive edge in this evolving landscape.
The integration of AI into legal workflows also presents opportunities for greater access to justice. By automating routine tasks and streamlining processes, AI can help reduce the cost and complexity of legal services, making them more affordable and accessible to a broader range of clients, including individuals and small businesses.
However, the rise of AI also presents challenges, including concerns about job displacement and the potential for bias in AI-driven systems. Legal professionals must be vigilant in addressing these issues, ensuring that AI is used ethically and responsibly, and that its integration into the legal profession enhances, rather than diminishes, the quality of legal services.
As AI continues to evolve, it will be crucial for legal professionals to engage with technologists, policymakers, and industry leaders to shape the future of AI in law. Collaboration across disciplines will be essential to developing robust legal frameworks that balance innovation with ethical considerations, ultimately fostering a legal ecosystem that supports both technological advancement and the protection of individual rights.
Contributing to Legal Thought Leadership
Beyond her practice, Saswati is an accomplished author, mentor, and international speaker on AI ethics, ESG, and data protection. Her motivation to contribute to legal thought leadership stems from the belief that the law must be accessible, current, and responsive to social and technological change. Writing, speaking, mentoring, and teaching not only strengthen her practice but also require continuous learning and engagement with diverse perspectives.
Knowledge sharing is vital in today's legal ecosystem, where challenges are interdisciplinary. Lawyers must engage with technologists, policymakers, academics, civil society, and business leaders to address complex issues such as AI governance, privacy, and platform accountability. By contributing to conferences, publications, training programs, and mentorship initiatives, Saswati sees herself as part of a broader effort to build legal capacity for a digital economy.
Saswati's contributions to legal thought leadership are not limited to traditional forums. She actively participates in online discussions, shares insights on social media, and engages with diverse communities to promote a deeper understanding of technology law. Her commitment to knowledge sharing reflects her belief that a more informed legal community can better address the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies.
In addition to her public engagements, Saswati also dedicates time to mentoring aspiring lawyers. She values the opportunity to guide young professionals, helping them navigate the complexities of technology law and develop the skills needed to thrive in a dynamic and evolving field. Through mentorship, she aims to inspire the next generation of legal leaders to approach their work with integrity, curiosity, and a commitment to responsible innovation.
Saswati's approach to thought leadership is characterized by her dedication to fostering an inclusive and collaborative legal community. By encouraging open dialogue and the exchange of ideas, she hopes to create a supportive environment where legal professionals can work together to address the challenges posed by technological advancements and drive positive change in the legal industry.
Advice for Aspiring Lawyers in Technology Law
Reflecting on her nine-year journey, Saswati offers valuable advice for aspiring lawyers aiming to build successful careers at the intersection of law, technology, and innovation. Her first piece of advice is to build a strong legal foundation. Core legal principles such as contracts, corporate law, intellectual property, and privacy remain vital in technology law.
Developing curiosity about technology is equally important. Understanding how digital products, data flows, platforms, algorithms, and automated systems function in practice enables better legal advice and prevents technology from being treated as a black box.
System thinking is another critical skill. Technology law requires designing policies, governance structures, escalation mechanisms, and accountability frameworks. Moving from legal analysis to implementation is a key component of effective technology law practice.
Interdisciplinary and Global Learning
Embrace interdisciplinary learning and global perspectives. Technology law is increasingly global, influenced by local legal systems and cultures. Aspiring lawyers should seek mentors, participate in communities, and remain open to continuous learning.
Maintaining ethical discipline is crucial. Innovation should not compromise professional responsibility, user rights, privacy, fairness, or accountability. Finally, remain open to interdisciplinary learning and global perspectives, as technology law is a global field shaped by local contexts.
In addition to these foundational skills, Saswati encourages aspiring lawyers to develop strong communication skills. The ability to articulate complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner is essential for effective advocacy and collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Lawyers must be able to translate legal jargon into actionable advice that business leaders and technologists can understand and implement.
Furthermore, aspiring lawyers should cultivate resilience and adaptability. The rapid pace of technological change means that the legal landscape is constantly evolving. Lawyers who are open to learning and adapting to new challenges will be better equipped to navigate the uncertainties and opportunities that arise in the dynamic field of technology law.
In today's globalized world, aspiring technology lawyers should also focus on building a network of contacts across different jurisdictions. Engaging with international legal communities allows lawyers to gain valuable insights into how different countries approach technology law and regulation, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the global legal landscape.
Balancing Professional and Personal Growth
As an accomplished professional, Saswati emphasizes the importance of balancing career ambitions with personal growth. For her, continuous learning and personal development are crucial components of a successful career in law. She believes that lawyers should actively seek opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills, both within and outside their areas of expertise.
Personal growth can be achieved through a variety of means, including pursuing further education, participating in workshops and conferences, and engaging with diverse communities. By broadening their horizons, lawyers can gain new perspectives and insights that enhance their professional capabilities and enrich their personal lives.
Saswati also highlights the value of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. While the legal profession can be demanding, it is important for lawyers to prioritize their well-being and make time for their personal interests and relationships. A balanced approach to work and life not only contributes to personal fulfillment but also enhances professional effectiveness and resilience.
Finally, Saswati encourages lawyers to cultivate a mindset of curiosity and open-mindedness. By remaining curious about the world around them and embracing new ideas and experiences, lawyers can continue to grow and evolve, both personally and professionally. This mindset fosters innovation, creativity, and adaptability, all of which are essential for success in the dynamic field of technology law.
