The law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP has appointed its chief business process officer with the responsibility of managing the ethical design and implementation of artificial intelligence into the firm's legal processes.
Sarah Alt will now serve as Michael Best & Friedrich's chief process and AI officer. She joined the Milwaukee-based law firm in April 2021.
Alt, who will be based in Waukesha, has a background in IT and in the ethical use of AI that made her an ideal candidate, said Jason Schultz, chief innovation and technology officer.
“With her visionary leadership and passion for AI," said Schultz, "she is well poised to lead the firm towards new horizons and unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth and success, further positioning Michael Best as a leader in the field.”
After consulting for two years, Alt worked for Diversey Inc. for 12 years. She began as an IT change control administrator and left, in 2012, as the senior director of global IT operations. In 2017, she founded Triple Ten Consulting and served as its president until 2021. She's consulted with Fortune 1000 companies, professional service firms, higher education, startups and nonprofits.
Alongside her work at Michael Best, Alt also founded the Ethical AI Consortium Inc. She currently serves as the nonprofit's CEO.
The consortium progresses with a mission to foster the ethical use of AI throughout professional industries. Alt has also been a member of the European Commission's AI Alliance since 2019.
Alt was recognized on Relativity's 2023 AI Visionary list. The list recognizes legal, compliance and risk professionals who are working to advance AI within their industries.
According to Alt’s comments to Relativity, AI already has a presence in most professional service industries. This presence is within advanced algorithms, analytics and automation. One way the legal profession in particular deploys AI is by scanning legal documents for language that requires an update to comply with current standards and regulations.
AI can and will be integrated into the professional sphere, and Alt believes responsible individuals who are trained in AI ethics are the best suited to see it through.
Michael Best is a legal firm with 17 U.S. offices, including in Milwaukee and in Waukesha, and clients around the world. The firm serves industries from advanced manufacturing to agribusiness and higher education. Of the 400 legal professionals on the Michael Best team, 300 are attorneys.
