The new initiative will provide practical guidance for the use of AI in the legal industry and will promote ethical use and diversity.
Dallas, TX — March 18, 2025 — The Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), the world’s premier organization dedicated to improving the quality of education and standards of the e-discovery industry and part of BARBRI Professional Education, has announced the formation of its first working group, “Code & Counsel: Women in Legal & AI.” This new initiative, developed in partnership with the expert and forensic advisory firm Secretariat, seeks to bridge the gender gap in AI adoption within the legal profession. Collectively the working group will explore ethical and innovative applications of AI across legal technology—including e-discovery—advance inclusive practices, and provide legal professionals with practical tools to integrate AI into their daily work.
The working group held its inaugural meeting earlier this month and will convene regularly to advance these objectives.
The Code & Counsel working group brings together accomplished women lawyers and legal professionals with expertise in digital evidence, e-discovery and legal data intelligence, including:
- Kassi Burns, Senior Attorney at King & Spalding and AI podcaster
- Fiona Campbell, Director, Dispute Resolution, Head of Electronic Disclosure at Fieldfisher LLP
- Martha K. Louks, Director of Technology Services at McDermott Will & Emery
- Angela O’Neal, Director at Nextra Solutions
- Ashley Picker Dubin, Counsel at Day Pitney LLP
- Jennifer Williams, Senior Director, eDiscovery, Litigation Support & Office Services at Vinson & Elkins LLP
Additional members will be announced in the coming months.
“We are excited to launch this important working group,” said Maribel Rivera, VP at ACEDS. “By bringing together these women who are engaged in AI, we aim to foster a collaborative environment where they can share knowledge, develop practical and ethical AI solutions, and inspire greater participation of women in legal technology.”
A recent National Law Review article highlighted a stark gender disparity in generative AI (GenAI) adoption: 64% of male lawyers use GenAI, compared to only 40% of female lawyers.
“This gap is concerning, especially since women make up a significant portion of legal professionals, including 75% of legal aid attorneys.” Rivera continued. “This working group is committed to tackling the challenges and opportunities presented by AI in legal practice. We’re not just educating the market on AI’s transformative potential—we’re also championing greater sense of inclusion while ensuring AI’s ethical development and deployment.”
With an increase among women graduating from law school, it is critical as they enter the legal profession that they gain proficiency in AI-powered legal technologies to advance their careers and contribute to a more equitable and accessible legal system.
“We are delighted to support ACEDS and this working group of accomplished women who are leading several AI initiatives in their firms and in the industry. Secretariat will be supporting this group by providing resources and technology to the working group so they can evaluate AI tools and develop recommendations for others who need assistance with AI adoption,” said Richard Finkelman, Managing Director at Secretariat
To support AI adoption and responsible implementation, Code & Counsel will develop practical resources and guidance for law firms, corporations, and legal service providers, including:
- Best Practices & Guidelines – Actionable insights for implementing AI in legal workflows while ensuring responsible use and risk mitigation.
- Educational Materials – White papers, webinars, and training sessions to inform legal professionals about AI’s capabilities and limitations.
- Tool Evaluations – A curated list of vetted AI tools and resources for legal organizations.
The formation of Code & Counsel builds upon ACEDS’ recent partnership with Secretariat to advance AI education and adoption within the legal community. The working group will actively engage the broader legal industry through publications, presentations, and workshops to share insights and promote best practices.
For more information about the working group or to get involved, contact Maribel Rivera at ACEDS.
About Secretariat
Secretariat experts are trusted in the highest-stakes legal, risk, and regulatory matters around the world. Renowned law firms, leading corporations, and respected governmental entities turn to our more than 600 disputes, investigations, economic, engineering, and data advisory experts when the stakes are high— supporting them with meticulous preparation, insightful analysis, and clearly persuasive communications.
Our bright minds and passionate problem-solvers put their financial, analytical, and strategic insights to work in the fast-paced sectors we serve – from construction and energy to healthcare, technology, and natural resources.
Quality, integrity, and independence are woven into every aspect of our work. But, most importantly, when success is on the line, our globally integrated teams thrive on working through the most daunting problems in ways that remove uncertainty and instill confidence. Learn more at www.secretariat-intl.com.
About ACEDS
The Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), part of leading legal education provider BARBRI Global, is the world’s leading organization for training and certification in e-discovery, information governance, and related disciplines. ACEDS provides training to corporate legal departments, law firms, the government, service providers, and institutions of higher learning. Our flagship CEDS certification is recognized worldwide and used to verify skills and competence in electronic discovery for organizations and individuals through training, certification, and continuing education. The CEDS credential is held by practitioners at the largest Fortune 500 companies, Am Law 200 firms and government agencies. ACEDS has 30 chapters in most major US cities, Canada, the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Australia. Our goal is to help professionals and organizations reduce the costs and risks associated with e-discovery while helping to improve and verify their skills and advance their careers and overall technology competence in e-discovery and related fields.
About BARBRI
BARBRI is the global leader in technology-enabled legal education with leadership positions in the US and the UK. Dedicated to providing unparalleled innovation and excellence in legal education, BARBRI delivers outstanding success to learners by providing the most trusted and industry leading products under one unified experience and across every step of the legal learner’s path. Building on the success of its core bar courses, which have helped more than 1.5 million lawyers around the world pass a U.S. bar exam, BARBRI offers a comprehensive suite of learning solutions for higher education institutions and law-related businesses empowering every step of legal learning journey. Founded in 1967, BARBRI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with offices throughout the United States and around the world.
ACEDS Media Contact
Katie Saylor
913.219.4444
ksaylor@aceds.org
