Get to know us
Our leadership team brings together years of experience in the law, entrepreneurship and project management.
Tal Niv
Director of Applied Innovation
LexLab
nivtal@uclawsf.edu
Tal Niv joined UC Law SF in 2024 as the Director of Applied Innovation, where she is responsible for advancing the law school’s ambition to be a premier educational hub for the next generation of technology lawyers.
Before joining UC Law SF, Tal held significant roles such as General Counsel, Vice President of Law and Policy, and Deputy General Counsel at prominent organizations including GitHub, PlanetScale, and Creative Commons. Her previous experience also includes working as a technologist in various tech startups. In these capacities, Tal explored pivotal Law & Technology issues, providing expert insights and contributing to academic and policy discussions in both the US and EU. This deep engagement has equipped her with a profound understanding of the legal environment’s impact on innovation and creativity, and a strong drive to develop legal and regulatory frameworks optimized for technological advancements.
Furthermore, she has cultivated a nuanced understanding of delivering legal services to innovators in uncertain regulatory landscapes. Tal has effectively leveraged this expertise in her Internet and Artificial Intelligence courses at UC Law SF over the past few years.
Tal is enthusiastic about training the best technology lawyers to serve innovative tech companies and is passionate about the center’s vital role in the Bay Area’s law and technology community. She takes pride in her contributions to thought leadership on tech law and policy, the adaptation of legal frameworks to meet emerging technology challenges, and shaping the future of legal education and the legal profession.
Drew Amerson
Director
LexLab
amersond@uclawsf.edu
Drew Amerson has been at UC Law SF since 2015. Before joining LexLab, Drew was a Visiting Assistant Professor, teaching courses in intellectual property and entrepreneurship. He also managed the Startup Legal Garage.
Drew is committed to improving access to justice through legal technology. He established LexLab's internationally acclaimed Justice Technology Accelerator program and teaches "Justice Tech: Building a Startup," "Legal Operations for Lawyers," and "In-House Counsel Toolkit: Skills & Strategies."
His early career included years at Sidley Austin, Taylor & Company, and clerking in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. A pioneer in legal innovation, Drew founded a startup in 2011 that created an online community to connect law firms and companies with highly skilled freelance attorneys.
Drew is a graduate of Columbia Law School and has a B.A. in Philosophy from Carleton College.
Dan Wu
Fellow
LexLab
wudan@uclawsf.edu
Dan Wu is the lead innovation advisor and CEO of Joyful Ventures.
He guides strategic and reflective social impact executives to build empowered teams, compelling visions, and financially sustainable ventures with a unique approach, blending Silicon Valley go-to-market and product wisdom with Harvard PhD-level insights.
He has served as a Senior VP of Product & Chief Strategy Officer. As a go-to-market-focused product leader, he successfully led and launched products and teams at mission-driven tech startups in highly-regulated domains, ranging from 6 to 8 figures in revenue.
He has published on inclusive cities and communities and responsible innovation in the World Economic Forum, Oxford University Press, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, Data & Policy, Fordham Urban Law Journal, and others. He holds a JD & PhD from Harvard, writing his dissertation on cross-sector social capital formation, with a background in mixed-methods research.
He emphasizes inclusion and belonging in his practice, drawing from his experience as a first-generation college student raised by a single mother without a high school degree.
Justin Kim
Research Assistant
LexLab
Justin Kim is a 3L at UC Law SF, where he is concentrating in Technology Law & Lawyering.
He is also an intern for the Justice Technology Association.
Innovator in Residence
Maya Markovich
With her unique background spanning VC, law, behavioral science, and change design, Maya Markovich delivers executive-level technology, process, and business growth services worldwide. For over five years she worked with Nextlaw Labs at Dentons, the world's largest firm, as its Chief Growth Officer. Maya now advises multiple high-growth legal tech startups, investor and venture funds, and consults on legal innovation. In addition, she currently serves on the boards of organizations dedicated to improving access to justice and industry equity.
Maya is a graduate of UC Law SF and a frequent speaker and panelist at industry conferences, regularly writes on legal tech and innovation, and has been a lively guest on numerous podcasts and broadcasts. In 2020 she was named one of five “Influential Women of Legal Tech” by ILTA, a “Woman Leading Legal Tech” by The Technolawgist in 2019, and an ABA Legal Technology Resource Center “Woman of Legal Tech 2018” for her work in designing, promoting, and driving the future of the legal industry around the globe.
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board represents an array of thought leaders, movers, and shakers in the legal technology space. We are thrilled to have them involved as a vital component of LexLab.
Stephan Eberle
General Counsel, Scale Venture Partners
Stephan Eberle joined ScaleVP as General Counsel in 2016. In addition to his role as General Counsel, he is also Head of Limited Partner Relations. He is responsible for Scale Venture Partners’ fund and portfolio legal matters as well as becoming a key point of contact for our limited partners. Prior to Scale, Mr. Eberle spent 17 years at Silicon Valley Bank, most recently as Deputy General Counsel. At SVB, Mr. Eberle was responsible for global expansion and international business legal support, strategic and venture capital investments, strategic relationships, product development, regulatory and compliance, and governance issues. He also helped launch SVB’s venture capital program, SVB Capital.
Mr. Eberle is a graduate of UC Law SF.
Derek Duarte
Senior Vice President, UnitedLex
Derek Duarte, a widely recognized legal thought leader and innovator, is Vice President President at UnitedLex, a technology and legal services company committed to delivering full-scale digital transformation. Bringing a unique perspective to the challenges of the legal services industry, Derek has testified as an expert on eDiscovery and Computer Forensics in the state and federal courts. He gets his kicks from finding the needle in the haystack, discovering digital truth, and bad puns. He is excited by the potential of legal technology to improve access to justice, bolster our democracy and advance the practice of law.
Derek was President of BlackStone Discovery, before it was acquired by UnitedLex in 2021.
Derek is a graduate of UC Law SF.
Maya Markovich
Innovator in Residence, Village Capital
With her unique background spanning VC, law, behavioral science, and change design, Maya Markovich delivers executive-level technology, process, and business growth services worldwide. For over five years she worked with Nextlaw Labs at Dentons, the world's largest firm, as its Chief Growth Officer. Maya now advises multiple high-growth legal tech startups, investor and venture funds, and consults on legal innovation. In addition, she currently serves on the boards of organizations dedicated to improving access to justice and industry equity.
Maya is a graduate of UC Law SF and a frequent speaker and panelist at industry conferences, regularly writes on legal tech and innovation, and has been a lively guest on numerous podcasts and broadcasts. In 2020 she was named one of five “Influential Women of Legal Tech” by ILTA, a “Woman Leading Legal Tech” by The Technolawgist in 2019, and an ABA Legal Technology Resource Center “Woman of Legal Tech 2018” for her work in designing, promoting, and driving the future of the legal industry around the globe.
Augie Rakow
Founder of BetterSeriesA.co
Augie Rakow, UC Law SF Class of 2007, is former Orrick corporate partner and cofounder of Atrium, a venture capital-backed law firm for startups that represents hundreds of startups. Atrium raised over $75 million in financing from Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Y Combinator and leading Silicon Valley investors. Augie recruited and led Atrium’s 70-person legal team from $0 to $15 million monthly revenue in two years through service, process and technology innovations designed to bring scale to high-end legal services for the fastest-growing startups.
Now that he no longer needs to bill 2,000 hours, he's built BetterSeriesA.co to help founders close Series A financings with greater insight, faster and more easily.
Before becoming a lawyer, Augie studied theological history at Harvard University and is a past president and chairman of the Harvard Club of San Francisco.
Samantha Villanueva-Meyer
Strategic Advisor and Former CLO
Samantha is a Strategic Advisor and most recently, the former Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Enjoy Technology Inc., a retail e-commerce company acquired in 2022. In her former role, Samantha managed a strong team of professionals to oversee the global legal and compliance functions, and focused on strategic initiatives that move business forward while mitigating risks. She currently applies those learning as a strategic advisor to a leading global law firm, Eversheds Sutherland LLP. Additionally, Samantha runs the San Francisco General Counsel's (SFGC's) legal network and collaborates with attorneys, vendor groups and key international business personnel to progress innovation within the legal and compliance space.
Samantha was awarded the Silicon Valley Business Journal Women of Influence Award in 2020. Samantha received a Bachelor of Science in Education and Teaching from Texas Tech University, spending six years in classroom STEM education and curriculum development before attending University of California College of the Law, San Francisco, receiving her J.D., with honors, in 2015.
Josh King
General Counsel at RealSelf
Josh King is General Counsel for RealSelf, the web's leading resource for consumers researching aesthetic medical procedures and the doctors who perform them. Prior to RealSelf, Josh spent over a decade as Chief Legal Officer at Avvo, helping the company grow from tiny startup to legal industry leader.
Over the course of his 25+ year career in tech, he has also worked in a mix of legal and non-legal roles for larger companies, including serving as Vice President, Corporate Development for AT&T Wireless and General Counsel for Cellular One. Josh regularly speaks and writes on issues relating to digital media, communications, and professional ethics.
Josh is a graduate of UC Law SF.
Kunoor Chopra
Vice President of Legal Services, Elevate
Kunoor is a recognized authority in the legal industry on topics related to women in entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, legal outsourcing, right sourcing of legal work, and optimization of legal work. She has spearheaded the transformation of the legal industry by creating platforms that provide effective and efficient options to obtain, manage, and perform legal services.
She is Co-founder and VP of Legal Services at Elevate. She is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management Fellow and serves as a member of its Board of Trustees. She also co-chairs the South Asian Bar Association’s LGBTQ+ Section. In September 2020, World Commerce & Contracting, the leading global association for commercial and contract management professionals, recognized her contributions to commerce and society by including her in its first-ever “Inspiring Women in Commerce and Contracting” honors.
Kunoor is an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School teaching a class on Innovation and Transformation in Legal Service Delivery.
.
Nick Long
Managing Director - Legal Business Services, Deloitte
Nicholas A. Long recently joined Deloitte in the role of Managing Director for Legal Business Services. Nick previously served as a partner in Reed Smith LLP's Global Corporate Group, before becoming the firm's Senior Director of Legal Operations. In that role, Nick worked closely with Reed Smith’s Knowledge Management, Client Technology Solutions and Practice Innovation teams to develop creative solutions to help deliver legal services in the most effective way.
Nick was also the Director of Gravity Stack LLC, a technology-driven company that originated inside of Reed Smith with a vision to combine unique data insights with the most experienced legal process and operational experts. Gravity Stack became a separate entity that designs, tests and licenses technology solutions to legal clients.
.
Alice Armitage
Former Director of Applied Innovation, UC Law SF
Professor Alice Armitage was the Director of Applied Innovation at UC Law San Francisco and was instumental in the creation and growth of LexLab. During her time at the school, she developed the concentration of law and technology and taught legal technology courses focused on both access to justice and for-profit legal tech startups. In her teaching, Alice emphasizes skills not traditionally taught at law school, including design thinking, multi disciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurial fundamentals, and oral and visual communication skills.
Alice began her career as an international tax attorney at Arnold & Porter in Washington DC, moving from there to a position in the Office of the International Chief Counsel at the US Internal Revenue Service to develop tax policy for complex cross-border financial transactions.
Professor Armitage is a graduate of the Yale Law School where she was the first woman Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal. She also has an A.B. and an M.A. in British and American Literature from Brown University.
Affiliated Scholars
Michele Benedetto Neitz
Professor of Law, Golden Gate University School of Law
Michele Benedetto Neitz is a Professor of Law at Golden Gate University School of Law, where she teaches Blockchain and the Law, Business Associations, Legal Ethics, and other classes. She has been voted “Most Outstanding Professor” by the graduating class of GGU Law five times, most recently in Spring 2020. She was appointed to advise the California legislature as a member of the California Blockchain Working Group in 2019.
Professor Neitz researches and lectures on ethical and regulatory issues in blockchain technology. She published the first law review article examining ethics in blockchain technology in January 2020. Her latest article, How to Regulate Blockchain’s Real-Life Applications: Lessons from the California Blockchain Working Group, will be published in Jurimetrics, the Journal of Law, Science and Technology, in February 2021.
Professor Neitz also publishes on blogs, with posts in 2020 on Machine Lawyering and the FinReg Blog. She regularly speaks at tech and law conferences on these issues, including recent presentations at the CITRIS Research Exchange Panel at UC Berkeley and the University of Tokyo’s Blockchain Research Group Meeting.
Professor Neitz received her J.D. from NYU School of Law as a Root-Tilden-Kern scholar. Prior to joining GGU, she worked as a law clerk in the Southern District of California and served as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the Legal Aid Society of San Diego. She also worked an associate in the San Diego office of Morrison & Foerster, LLP, specializing in corporate labor and employment matters.
