Stephanie L. Goutos

Stephanie is the Practice Innovation Attorney for the firm’s labor & employment practice where she leads strategic innovation and knowledge management initiatives. With a wealth of experience in class action defense, litigation, and employment counseling, Stephanie brings a depth of expertise to her role. Her unwavering passion for forward-thinking innovation drives her to bridge traditional legal practices with cutting-edge solutions to enhance the practice of law.

Before joining Gunderson Dettmer, Stephanie led innovation and knowledge management at a national law firm with over 900 attorneys. There, she spearheaded multiple enterprise deployments of cutting-edge technology, built transformative solutions, and was instrumental in building out the firm’s Innovation & KM department. Prior to this, as the lead KM Attorney, Stephanie played a central role in establishing and expanding the firm’s Class Actions and Complex Litigation Practice Group, which grew to nearly 200 attorneys nationwide. Her innovative mindset and strategic vision were pivotal in driving the firm’s success in complex legal matters. 

Stephanie also has extensive experience in litigation, where she focused her practice on class, collective, and multiparty actions, including a broad spectrum of federal and state law wage and hour claims. She has successfully defended against complex actions across several states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland, alleging misclassification of employees, off-the-clock work, failure to properly calculate the regular rate of pay, failure to pay minimum and overtime claims, and numerous other similar federal and state law violations. She has also defended class claims under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and discrimination statutes. 

Before her career in private practice, Stephanie served as Counsel to the New York State Deputy Commissioner of Higher Education at the Department of Education. There, she provided legal counsel on a diverse range of matters, including educational policy, legislative drafting, and the interpretation of newly enacted laws. This experience equipped her with invaluable skills in navigating complex regulatory environments and fostering effective interdepartmental collaboration.

Stephanie is a recognized thought leader in the legal technology industry. She regularly shares her insights through panel discussions, publications, and unique content creation, shaping the future of legal practice. Her commitment to driving transformative change extends beyond her professional endeavors. Stephanie is deeply passionate about achieving tangible outcomes that benefit stakeholders and enhancing access to justice. Her dedication encompasses promoting inclusivity within the legal sector, where she actively mentors women and advocates for their increased participation and opportunities in legal technology, fostering a more diverse and equitable industry landscape.

PUBLISHED WORKS

• Legal Operations in the Age of AI and Data, Powered by AI - Shaping tomorrow's workforce, Globe Law and Business (March 2024)
• AI Governance Playbook, Athena Alliance, Contributing Author (February 2024)
• Why Lawyers Must Responsibly Embrace Generative AI, Berkeley Business Law Journal (February 2024)
• AI at Work: Building a Future-Ready Workforce, Legal Business World (No.8, 2023)
• AI and the Legal Profession: Transforming the Future of Law, Globe Law and Business (Fall 2023)
• Beyond the Bots: KM&I 2023 Highlights the Human Factor in Legal Innovation, LinkedIn Article (October 2023)
• Public's Unease With AI Is Creating Another Hurdle For Adoption, Law.com (September 21, 2023)
• Expert Analysis: Law Firm Guardrails for Responsible Generative AI Use, Law360 Pulse (August 15, 2023)
• ChatGPT Doesn’t Have Ethical Obligations, But Attorneys Do, Bloomberg Law (July 2023)
• Pierce & Goutos on Why Law Firms Must Responsibly Embrace Generative AI, AI Law Blawg (July 2023)
• ChatGPT Doesn’t Have Ethical Obligations, But Attorneys Do, Inside Legal AI Newsletter (July 2023)
• Why Law Firms Must Responsibly Embrace Generative AI, SSRN (Social Science Research Network) (June 2023)
• Lawyers Must Responsibly Embrace Generative AI, Columbia Law School, CLS Blue Sky Blog (June 2023) 
• Happy 30^th Birthday Hoffman-La Roche: It’s time for a change, Journal of Compensation and Benefits (May/June 2020)

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• Panelist: Bluestar, Generative AI and Legal Ethics, April 2024
• Panelist: International Legal Technology Association (ILTA), The Role of AI Powered Chatbots, February 2024
• Speaker: Josef-Q Launch, Product Insights, January 2024
• Panelist: Building the Legal Practice of the Future, KM & Innovation for Legal Conference, October 2023
• Panelist: Demystifying the PACER Services Marketplace: From Docking to Analytics, American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), June 2022
• Panelist: Making Smarter Legal Tech Decisions, hosted by Bob Ambrogi, January 2022

PODCAST APPEARANCES

• Guest, Practice Automation with Natalie Pierce and Stephanie Goutos of Gunderson Dettmer, American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Innovation, October 2021

AFFILIATIONS

• Member of the KM&I Advisory Board
• Member of the Athena Alliance AI Governance Playbook Working Group

FEATURED APPEARANCES 

• Josef-Q
• InfoDash's Review of KM&I 2023
• Bob Ambrogi's Review of KM&I 2023