Before joining the Gonzaga Law faculty, Professor Simshaw taught at the Georgetown University Law Center as a Visiting Associate Professor of Law, Legal Practice. As a supervising attorney with the Institute for Public Representation in Washington, D.C.,...
LL.M., with distinction, Georgetown University Law Center
J.D., Indiana University Maurer School of Law
Articles Editor, Federal Communications Law Journal
B.A., University of Washington
Legal Research & Writing I & II
Criminal Law
International Privacy Law
Professional Responsibility
Before joining the Gonzaga Law faculty, Professor Simshaw taught at the Georgetown University Law Center as a Visiting Associate Professor of Law, Legal Practice. As a supervising attorney with the Institute for Public Representation in Washington, D.C., he specialized in communications and technology law and represented public interest organizations in rulemakings and adjudications before federal agencies and in litigation before federal appellate courts. In 2017, he received the H. Latham Breunig Humanitarian Award from Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., in recognition of his pro bono advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. Professor Simshaw previously taught as a fellow in Georgetown Law’s Communications and Technology Law Clinic and at Elon University School of Law. He is a proud AmeriCorps alum.
Professor Simshaw researches and writes about the interplay between emerging legal technologies (including artificial intelligence) and legal ethics, access to justice, and legal education. His article, Access to A.I. Justice: Avoiding an Inequitable Two-Tiered System of Legal Services, was recently published in the Yale Journal of Law & Technology. His recent article, Toward National Regulation of Legal Technology: A Path Forward for Access to Justice, was recently published in the Fordham Law Review.
Professor Simshaw is a member of the Washington Practice of Law Board and the Washington Disciplinary Advisory Round Table.
Law Review Publications:
Toward National Regulation of Legal Technology: A Path Forward for Access to Justice, 92 Fordham L. Rev. 1 (2023), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=4565341.Access to AI Justice: Avoiding an Inequitable Two-Tiered System of Legal Services, 24 Yale J.L. & Tech 150 (2022), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=4090984.
Ethical Issues in Robo-Lawyering: The Need for Guidance on Developing and Using Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law, 70Hastings L.J. 173 (2018), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=3308168.
Title IX in the Technological Age – Challenging Rape Culture and Myths Through Fairer Use of Electronic Communications, 6 Tenn. J. Race Gender & Soc. Just. 275 (2017) (symposium issue), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=3135467.
Regulating Healthcare Robots: Maximizing Opportunities While Minimizing Risks, 22 Rich. J. L. & Tech. 3 (2016) (lead author, with Nicolas Terry (Indiana U.), Dr. Kris Hauser (Duke U.), & Dr. M.L. Cummings (Duke U.)), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2739462.
Legal Ethics and Data Security: Our Individual and Collective Obligation to Protect Client Data, 38 Am. J. Trial Advoc. 549 (2015) (symposium issue), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2668174.
Consumer Cloud Robotics and the Fair Information Practice Principles: Recognizing the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead, 16 Minn. J. L. Sci. & Tech. 145 (2015) (with Andrew Proia & Dr. Kris Hauser), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2466723.
Note, Survival of the Standard: Today's Public Interest Requirement in Television Broadcasting and the Return to Regulation, 64 Fed. Comm. L.J. 401 (2012), available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2607624.
Book Contributions:
Chapter, “Cybersecurity and the Legal Profession,” in Cybersecurity in Our Digital Lives, National Cybersecurity Institute, Hudson Whitman/Excelsior College Press, Mar. 2015, (with Andrew Proia), http://hudsonwhitman.com/books/cybersecurity-in-our-digital-lives/.
“Privacy Rights in the Digital Age” (encyclopedia), contributing author, entries on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs), and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Grey House Publishing (2015, updated 2019), http://www.greyhouse.com/privdigital.htm.
Peer Reviewed Publications:
Micro-essay, Artificial Intelligence and the Disappearing Faceless Audience, PERSPECTIVES: TEACHING LEGAL RESEARCH AND WRITING, Vol. 27, No. 1, p. 40 (Spring 2019).
Essay, Drawing Connections Between Artificial Intelligence, Cognition, and Legal Skills, 23 Legal Writing 18 (2019), available at http://www.legalwritingjournal.org/2019/02/13/drawing-connections-between-artificial-intelligence-cognition-and-legal-skills/.
“Ethical Implications of Electronic Communication and Storage of Client Information,” The Computer & Internet Lawyer, Vol. 33, No. 8, Aug. 2016, originally published in Res Gestae, The Journal of the Indiana State Bar Association, Dec. 2015, Vol. 59, No. 5, available at https://issuu.com/res_gestae/docs/rg-12-15.
Other Publications:
Blog post, “Teach the students, not the course,” TeachLawBetter.com, January 15, 2019, https://teachlawbetter.com/2019/01/15/new-year-new-perspectives/.
“Cybersecurity is Not One Size Fits All: Solo and Small Firm Perspective,” American Bar Association Cybersecurity Legal Task Force (with Stephen S. Wu) (2018).
“Ethics and Cybersecurity: Obligations to Protect Client Data,” 2015 Am. Bar Ass’n Sect. Lab. & Emp. Law. 12 (2015) (for National Symposium on Technology in Labor and Employment Law, San Francisco, CA, March 15-17, 2015) (with Stephen Wu), available at http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/events/labor_law/2015/march/tech/wu_cybersecurity.authcheckdam.pdf.
“Data Collection, Privacy, and the Role of Regulatory Agencies in Healthcare Robotics,” in Proceedings of the 10th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, 2015, Workshop: The Emerging Policy and Ethics of Human-Robot Interaction, Mar. 2, 2015, available at http://www.openroboethics.org/hri15/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Hf-Simshaw.pdf.
Presentations:
Gonzaga University School of Law, Organizer and Moderator, Annual Clarke Prize in Legal Ethics Conference, “Legal Analytics: Ethical Issues with Data-Driven Law,” Spokane, WA, Apr. 21, 2022.
Washington State Bar Association, Invited Presenter, “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Legal Services,” WSBA Legal Lunchbox Series (online, 2,400 registered attendees), April 26, 2022.
Washington Appellate Judicial Conference, Invited Presenter, “The Rise of Judicial Analytics” (online), March 22, 2022.
Loyola University Chicago, Invited Participant, First Annual Legal Scholars Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (online), March 18, 2022.
Rocky Mountain Junior Scholars Conference, Participant, “Datafying the Bench: Judicial Analytics’ Impact on Legal Arguments, Judicial Opinions, and the Evolution of Law” (online), Nov. 11, 2021.
Northwestern University School of Law, Presenter, Symposium on Artificial Intelligence and the Legal Profession, sponsored by the Legal Writing Institute and the Journal of the Legal Writing Institute, (online) Sep. 25, 2021 (with Amy Cyphert).
Gonzaga University School of Law, Organizer and Moderator, Annual Clarke Prize in Legal Ethics Conference, Regulatory Reform as a Means to Increase Access to Justice, (online) Apr. 15, 2021.
University of Akron School of Law, Invited Commenter, Law Review Symposium: COVID & The Practice of Law: Impacts of Legal Technology, (online) Mar. 12, 2021.
West Virginia University School of Law, Invited Panelist (for two panels), Law Review Symposium, Artificial Intelligence and the Law, “Artificial Intelligence and Public Interest” and “Artificial Intelligence and Legal Ethics” (online), Feb. 26, 2021.
Institute for Global Understanding of Rule of Law at Bahçeşehir Üniversitesi, Selected Presenter, Transnational Conference on the Future of Legal Education, the Practice of Law, and the Judiciary with a focus on Disruption in the Legal Sector: How Technology Can Enable Educators, Students, Lawyers, and Judges Around the Globe to Stabilize the Sector and Provide Access to Justice, “Access to AI Justice” (online), Feb. 15, 2021.
First Annual Pacific Northwest Scholars Workshop, Presenter, “Access to AI Justice,” (online) Feb. 5, 2021.
2021 AALS Annual Meeting, Selected Presenter, “The Future Has Arrived: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Legal Writing and Research” (online), Jan. 6, 2021 (with Dyane O’Leary & Joe Regalia).
Washington State Bar Association, Invited CLE Presenter, “Navigating Ethical Issues with Emerging Legal Technology” (online), Dec. 2, 2020.
Rocky Mountain Junior Scholars Conference, Participant, “Access to AI Justice” (online), Nov. 6, 2020.
Washington State Bar Association Solo & Small Firm Conference, Invited Panelist, “Ethical Issues in the Age of COVID-19” (online), Aug. 24, 2020.
Gonzaga University School of Law Summer Scholarship Roundtable, Presenter, “Access to AI Justice,” Spokane, WA (online), Aug. 6, 2020.
Gonzaga University School of Law Speaker Series, Presenter, “Regulating Online Legal Self-Help Services,” Spokane, WA, Feb. 13, 2020.
American Bar Association Artificial Intelligence and Robotics National Institute, Invited Panelist, Santa Clara, CA, Jan. 9, 2020.
2020 AALS Annual Meeting, Discussion Group Speaker, “The Multi-Generational Teaching of Legal Writing,” Washington, DC, Jan. 3, 2020.
Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshop, Gonzaga University School of Law, Presenter, “Legal Research, Writing, and Robots: Is it time for ‘Legal AI’ to be part of the core curriculum?” Spokane, WA, Dec. 7, 2019.
The American Employment Law Council 27th Annual Conference, Invited Plenary Speaker, “Ethical Implications Regarding Use of Artificial Intelligence,” Ojai, CA, Oct. 25, 2019 (with Sandra McCandless).
Western Regional Legal Writing Conference, Presenter, “Recognizing Generational and Cultural Perspectives on Technology as Drivers in the Development of Professional Identity, Cultural Competence, and Ethical Proficiency,” Santa Clara University School of Law, Santa Clara, CA, Sep. 21, 2019 (with Sandra Simpson).
Institute for Law Teaching and Learning, Washburn University School of Law, Presenter, “Preparing the Law Students of Today for the Legal Tech of Tomorrow,” Topeka, KS, Jun. 3, 2019.
Duquesne University School of Law, Presenter, Artificial Intelligence: Thinking About Law, Law Practice, and Legal Education, Pittsburg, PA, Apr. 27, 2019.
Gonzaga University School of Law, Invite Panelist, Clarke Family Legal & Ethics CLE, Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law, Spokane, WA, Apr. 25, 2019.
Santa Clara County and American Bar Associations, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Committees, Invited Webinar Presenter, “Ethical Considerations with Artificial Intelligence in Law Practice,” hosted by the Silicon Valley Law Group, San Jose, CA, Jan. 23, 2019.
2019 North American Neuromodulation Society 22nd Annual Meeting, Invited Presenter, “What Should Informed Consent Detail Regarding the Cybersafety of Neuromodulation Implantable Devices?” Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 18, 2019.
Southeastern Regional Legal Writing Conference, Georgia State University School of Law, Presenter, “Understanding the Endowment Effect in the Legal Writing Process,” Atlanta, GA, Apr. 21, 2018.
North Carolina Technology Association, Invited Panelist, “NC Tech Talk Live: Ethics in Artificial Intelligence,” Raleigh, NC, Feb. 16 2018.
2018 AALS Annual Meeting, Discussion Group Speaker, “Access to Justice in the Age of Technology, Television & Trump,” San Diego, CA, Jan. 3, 2018.
Legal Writing Institute One-Day Workshop, Elon University School of Law, Presenter, “When and How to Introduce Email into the First Year Legal Writing Curriculum,” Greensboro, NC, Dec. 8, 2017.
Georgetown Law’s 14th Annual Advanced eDiscovery Institute, Invited Panelist, “Artificial Intelligence in Law and Discovery,” Washington, DC, Nov. 16, 2017.
Elon University Community Connections, Elon University, Invited Panelist, “Technology, the Workplace, and the Future,” Elon, NC, Oct. 23, 2017.
2017 Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research Summit, Indiana University, Invited Panelist, “Ethical and Policy Issues Surrounding Automation,” Bloomington, IN, Oct. 19, 2017.
2017 Nova Law Review Symposium, Entrepreneurship 2.0: Legal, Regulatory, and Economic Challenges to the Innovation Economy, Shepard Broad College of Law - Nova Southeastern University, Panelist, “Lawyers’ Professional Duties as Advisors on—and Consumers and Developers of—New and Evolving Technologies,” Fort Lauderdale, FL, Oct. 6, 2017.
We Robot 2017: Sixth Annual Conference on Robotics, Law & Policy, Yale Law School, Panelist, “Robot Lawyers: Improving Access to Justice Through Ethical Design of Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law,” New Haven, CT, Mar. 31, 2017.
Mid-Atlantic Clinical Writers’ Workshop, Georgetown Law, Presenter, “Robot Lawyers: Improving Access to Justice Through Ethical Design of Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law,” Washington, DC, Mar. 24, 2017.
Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender, & Social Justice Summit, Title IX: History, Legacy, & Controversy, University of Tennessee College of Law, Panelist, “Title IX in the Technological Age,” Knoxville, TN, Mar. 2, 2017.
North Carolina Bar Association 2016 Professionalism CLE, Invited Keynote Presenter: “Current Issues in Law Firm and Lawyer Use of Social Media and Online Technology,” Cary, NC, Dec. 9, 2016.
Santa Clara County and American Bar Associations, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Committees, Invited Webinar Presenter, “Artificial Intelligence in the Practice of Law,” hosted by the Silicon Valley Law Group, San Jose, CA, Oct. 26, 2016.
Federal Communications Bar Association, Professional Responsibility and Privacy and Data Security Committees, CLE on Ethics and New Technologies, Invited Panelist, “Cloud Computing and Other Internet Tools: Using Them Ethically and Preventing and Mitigating Their Abuse,” Washington, DC, Oct. 25, 2016.
Indiana State Bar Association Utility Law Section 2016 Fall Seminar, Invited Presenter, “Hackers Targeting Lawyers: Ethical Duties to Guard Client Information,” Michigan City, IN, Sep. 15, 2016.
2016 Design of Medical Devices Conference, University of Minnesota, Invited Presenter, “Regulatory Aspects of Robots in Health Care,” Minneapolis, MN, Apr. 12, 2016.
South Carolina Law Review 2016 Symposium: Cyber Attacks & Civil Liability, University of South Carolina School of Law, Panelist, “Data Security Concerns and Consequences for Clients and Lawyers,” Columbia, SC, Feb. 5, 2016.
Chapman Law Review Symposium, Cyber Wars: Navigating Responsibilities for the Public and Private Sector, Chapman University Fowler School of Law, Panelist, “Cybersecurity for the Practitioner: Client Security, Discovery, and Ethical Considerations,” Orange, CA, Jan. 29, 2016.
Indiana State Bar Association CLE, Invited Presenter and Panelist, “Ethical Obligations & Technology in Law Practice,” Lafayette, IN, Jun. 18, 2015.
Legal Netlink Alliance Spring Meeting 2015, Invited Presenter, “Cybersecurity Issues for Lawyers,” Indianapolis, IN, May 15, 2015.
We Robot 2015: Fourth Annual Conference on Robotics, Law & Policy, University of Washington School of Law, Presenter, “Regulating Healthcare Robots in the Hospital and the Home: Considerations for Maximizing Opportunities and Minimizing Risks,” Seattle, WA, Apr. 10, 2015.
10th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, Panelist, “Human Robot Interaction: Law on the Home Front,” Portland, OR, Mar. 3, 2015.
American Journal of Trial Advocacy Symposium: Practicing Law in the Age of Surveillance and Hackers: An Exploration of Privacy and Data Security, Samford University Cumberland School of Law, Panelist, “Protecting Client Data in an Age of Uncertainty,” Birmingham, AL, Feb. 27, 2015.
Santa Clara County and American Bar Associations, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Committees, Invited Webinar Presenter, “Information Governance for Robot Usage in Healthcare,” hosted by the Silicon Valley Law Group, San Jose, CA, Feb. 25, 2015.
Indiana State Bar Association Legal Ethics Committee, Invited Presenter, “Lawyers’ Heads in the Clouds: Ethics Implications of Electronic Communication & Storage of Client Information,” Indianapolis, IN, Sep. 27, 2014.
Santa Clara County and American Bar Associations, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Committees, Invited Webinar Presenter, “Cloud Robotics: Data Security & Privacy,” hosted by the Silicon Valley Law Group, San Jose, CA, Aug. 27, 2014 (with Dr. Kris Hauser).
We Robot 2014: Third Annual Conference on Robotics, Law & Policy, University of Miami School of Law, Panelist, “Robots and Social Justice,” Coral Gables, FL, Apr. 4, 2014.
2013 Cyber Security for National Security (CS4NS) Conference, Panelist, “IT Security Policy Design and Evaluation: How to evaluate and design a security policy for an organization,” Charleston, SC, Sep. 10, 2013.
Media Appearances:
Quoted in Wall Street Journal, Asa Fitch, “Would You Trust a Lawyer Bot with Your Legal Needs?” Aug. 10, 2020, https://www.wsj.com/articles/would-you-trust-a-lawyer-bot-with-your-legal-needs-11597068042.
Quoted in Motherboard - Tech by Vice, Todd Feathers, “This Company Is Using Racially-Biased Algorithms to Select Jurors,” March 3, 2020, https://www.vice.com/en/article/epgmbw/this-company-is-using-racially-biased-algorithms-to-select-jurors.
Interviewed by KREM (Spokane, WA), “VERIFY: The president cannot withhold funds from schools that don’t reopen in the fall,” Jul. 21, 2020, https://www.krem.com/video/news/verify/verify-president-cannot-withhold-school-funds-not-opening/293-7bede1c0-5fb8-4a81-aa46-280533b6f8b2.
Quoted in Wall Street Journal, Adam Janofsky, “Law Firms Increasingly Questioned Over Cybersecurity,” Dec. 29, 2016, https://www.wsj.com/articles/law-firms-increasingly-questioned-over-cybersecurity-1483052163.
Quoted in Motherboard, Sam Gustin, “The FCC Just Approved a Landmark New Way For Deaf People to Communicate,” Dec. 18, 2016, https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/qkjm5v/the-fcc-just-approved-a-landmark-new-way-for-deaf-people-to-communicate.
