The AI Governance & Strategy Summit: Chicago
The AI Governance & Strategy Summit
Chicago | November 5, 2025
As AI transforms industries and regulatory landscapes, organizations must develop responsible, forward-looking strategies that balance innovation with robust governance. The AI Governance & Strategy Summit in Chicago gathers senior legal, compliance, policy, and technology leaders to address the critical challenges of AI risk management and strategic opportunity.
This one-day forum delivers a deep dive into enterprise AI governance—covering regulatory compliance, ethical considerations, and the practical implementation of governance frameworks across teams and functions. Prioritizing action over theory, the program offers insights and frameworks typically reserved for top-tier consulting engagements, equipping attendees to build and execute sustainable AI governance strategies.
Through frank, curated discussions, participants gain the strategic clarity needed to navigate evolving regulatory expectations while managing innovation, risk, and organizational alignment. Whether deploying AI today or planning for future advancements, this summit provides peer-tested approaches and actionable intelligence to guide your organization’s AI governance journey.
+CLE Pending Approval
- Building and Implementing a Comprehensive AI Governance Framework
- Navigating Third-Party AI Risks: Compliance, Governance and Sustainability
- From Trade Secrets to Patents: Best Practices for Safeguarding AI Assets
- AI in the Legal Crosshairs: Addressing Corporate Risks and Responsibilities
- Data Governance in the Age of AI: From Collection to Model Training
- Unifying Privacy, Security, and Governance for Sustainable AI Progress
- The AI Workforce – Upskilling, Reskilling, Compliance & Ethics
- Agentic AI Systems: Legal Accountability When Machines Make Decisions
- C-Suite: Including COOs, STOs, CIOs, CSOs…
- Chief IP Counsel
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Chief Legal / Privacy / Data Protection Officer
- VP & Director of IP Strategy
- Chief, Deputy, Associate and/or Assistant General Counsel
- General Counsel
- Privacy / Trademark / Copyright / Patent Counsel
- Head of Litigation
- Director of Business and Legal Affairs
- Director / VP of Intellectual Property / Licensing
- Privacy Compliance Manager
- Information Security Manager
Agenda
One-to-One Meetings begin. If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
This panel combines industry expertise to explore the multifaceted and evolving landscape of AI governance. The discussion will bridge the gap between strategic development and practical implementation, focusing on how organizations can transition from visionary responsible AI principles to actionable frameworks that drive corporate accountability and innovation. Topics include policy development, organizational alignment, risk mitigation, and internal accountability mechanisms crucial for fostering trust and responsibility. Attendees will gain actionable insights into aligning AI strategies with corporate accountability and regulatory expectations, ensuring sustainable and ethical AI growth.
This panel will discuss:
- How to meet evolving regulatory and organizational expectations while fostering corporate responsibility
- Developing dynamic frameworks that balance innovation with oversight and compliance
- Establishing accountability mechanisms to build stakeholder trust and ensure ethical practices
- Practical steps and strategies for strengthening AI governance and operationalizing corporate responsibility
- Navigating the tension between fostering cutting-edge AI advancements and maintaining robust compliance measures
This session highlights the challenges of managing third-party AI vendors and ensuring their compliance with ethical and governance standards. Experts will discuss rigorous evaluation processes, ongoing monitoring, and sustainability strategies for responsible vendor management. Attendees will leave with frameworks to enhance accountability and reduce risks in third-party AI use.
This panel will discuss:
- Concrete tools and criteria to vet AI vendors for compliance with governance and ethical standards.
- Techniques for ongoing oversight of third-party AI, ensuring that vendors adhere to organizational policies and legal obligations.
- Practical ways to identify and minimize risks related to data security, bias, and model reliability in third-party AI systems.
I serve as Assistant General Counsel for the Chicago White Sox, where I advise ownership and executive leadership on a wide range of legal, governance, and strategic business matters. With over a decade of in-house counsel experience in Major League Baseball—including a prior role as Associate General Counsel for the Arizona Diamondbacks—I have developed a strong track record of managing complex legal issues, from domestic and international litigation to real estate and League compliance.
My work extends beyond legal counsel to supporting high-level decision-making and cross-functional collaboration across departments. I’m passionate about solving business challenges through legal insight and strategic planning.
In addition to my professional responsibilities, I am deeply committed to community engagement and leadership development. I am the founder of WISE Arizona (Women in Sports & Events), an organization dedicated to empowering women in the sports industry, and I previously served as Co-Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s Entertainment and Sports Committee. I also served as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University, teaching Ethics and Legal Issues in Sports.
I have been recognized by the Business Journal national list of influential executives, Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona Black Bar, and the Greater Phoenix Urban League. I hold degrees from Tennessee State University and Arizona Summit Law School.
As AI technologies become increasingly central to business strategy, protecting the underlying data, models, algorithms, and processes is more critical—and more complex—than ever. Companies must weigh the benefits and limitations of different IP protection methods, from maintaining trade secrets to pursuing patent filings, all while navigating evolving legal standards and competitive pressures.
This panel will discuss:
- Choosing between trade secret protection and patenting for AI innovations
- Safeguarding datasets, models, and algorithms from unauthorized use or disclosure
- Avoiding common pitfalls in IP strategy for rapidly evolving AI technologies
- Building internal processes to support long-term asset protection and compliance
As artificial intelligence transforms the way businesses operate, it also brings a host of legal risks and challenges. This panel examines the corporate responsibilities and legal implications associated with AI deployment, from its use in high-stakes sectors like healthcare and finance to the unpredictable outcomes of generative AI technologies. Experts will explore critical topics such as content liability, ethical decision-making, and the legal fallout from AI governance failures.
This panel will discuss:
- Insights into preparing for litigation, and ensuring AI systems align with ethical and legal expectations in an evolving regulatory landscape.
- Legal obstacles when integrating AI into healthcare, finance, and other sensitive industries.
- Addressing the Legal Implications of misinformation, defamation, biases, and unintentional harm in AI-generated content.
- Strategies for mitigating corporate liability and risk in AI projects.
If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
As AI becomes more embedded in enterprise systems, data governance is no longer just an IT concern—it’s a legal, ethical, and operational imperative. Panelists will share insights on how companies can build trustworthy, compliant AI systems by strengthening every stage of their data pipeline—from collection and consent to processing and model training. Legal teams are increasingly responsible for ensuring that data used to train AI is secure, unbiased, and appropriately sourced. With growing regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk, organizations must proactively address privacy obligations, mitigate downstream harm, and anticipate compliance failures before they surface.
This panel will discuss:
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How to assess whether your data infrastructure is ready for AI development and deployment
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The legal risks of using personal or proprietary data in AI model training
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Strategies to detect and prevent bias, privacy violations, or data drift in model outputs
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The evolving role of legal and compliance in cross-functional AI governance frameworks
Experts will discuss the intersections of information security, data privacy, and AI governance, emphasizing holistic approaches to managing these interconnected domains. While at the same time encouraging innovation and productivity. The panel will cover tools and strategies for mitigating cross-functional risks. Attendees will gain a roadmap to address privacy and security challenges within AI governance programs.
This panel will discuss:
- Practical tools for identifying and addressing risks that span across multiple compliance areas.
- Step-by-step strategies for aligning privacy, security, and governance to create a unified compliance program.
- Insights into fostering innovation while adhering to privacy and security standards.
- Best practices and case studies from leading organizations that balance governance, compliance, and innovation.
AI is revolutionizing HR processes, streamlining everything from recruitment to internal mobility. Yet, the integration of AI in these critical areas presents both opportunities and challenges. Organizations must strike a delicate balance between harnessing AI’s efficiency and maintaining ethical responsibility. Reducing bias, enhancing fairness, and ensuring human oversight in hiring decisions are essential to building a sustainable AI-driven HR framework.
This panel will discuss:
- Strategies for investing in upskilling and reskilling programs to prepare for AI’s transformative impact on the workforce
- Addressing the ethical implications of AI’s use in HR
- Insights into how to align technology-driven innovation with responsible HR practices, fostering a workforce that is both future-ready and equitably supported.
As AI systems gain autonomy and make decisions without direct human oversight, businesses face new legal and compliance challenges. This panel explores who is accountable when AI makes a mistake, how responsibility can be assigned through contracts and governance, and what evolving global laws—like the EU AI Act—mean for enterprise risk and compliance.
This panel will discuss:
- Allocating legal responsibility for AI-driven decisions in contracts and internal policies
- Aligning AI deployments with global laws and managing regulatory uncertainty
- Implementing governance frameworks to monitor and control autonomous systems
- Balancing innovation with oversight to ensure ethical and compliant AI use
Zhaoying (Dorothy) Du currently leads the global supply chain legal team of Lenovo, a leading multinational developer, manufacturer, and seller of intelligent devices, services and solutions. In this role, she supports the company’s complex, fast-moving supply chain and procurement operations with over 30 manufacturing sites spread across 10 different markets, allowing Lenovo to serve customers in 180 markets around the world.
Dorothy advises senior business, engineering, and operations leaders on a wide range of strategic and operational issues, including supply chain resilience, cross-border procurement, supplier negotiations, international trade compliance, contract disputes, and regulatory risk. Dorothy plays a central role in helping the company navigate evolving geopolitical dynamics, build diversified and compliant supply chains, and implement responsible sourcing and contracting strategies.
Prior to March 2025, Dorothy led the global legal team of Motorola Mobility, a Lenovo company, and was responsible for overseeing and advising on various legal matters across the organization. Her vast scope includes AI, global product R&D, hardware and software matters, intellectual property, compliance, data privacy and security, sales and marketing, corporate governance, government relations and the overall supervision of litigation matters with support from Motorola’s global legal team.
Dorothy has 20 years of experience in providing legal advice to international companies. Before joining Motorola, she led the compliance and risk management functions of a US-based international insurance company and served as general counsel of that company’s China operation. Before that, she was co-chair of the Asian-Pacific Practice Group of a renowned law firm. In this role, she advised companies on international transactions, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, financing, securities, private equity, startups, subsidiary and joint-venture operations, and compliance.
If interested in participating, email info@centerforceusa.com
Rotating, 20-minute discussions hosted by a topic expert
Roundtable 1: Topic TBA
Hosted By: Steptoe LLP
Speakers
I serve as Assistant General Counsel for the Chicago White Sox, where I advise ownership and executive leadership on a wide range of legal, governance, and strategic business matters. With over a decade of in-house counsel experience in Major League Baseball—including a prior role as Associate General Counsel for the Arizona Diamondbacks—I have developed a strong track record of managing complex legal issues, from domestic and international litigation to real estate and League compliance.
My work extends beyond legal counsel to supporting high-level decision-making and cross-functional collaboration across departments. I’m passionate about solving business challenges through legal insight and strategic planning.
In addition to my professional responsibilities, I am deeply committed to community engagement and leadership development. I am the founder of WISE Arizona (Women in Sports & Events), an organization dedicated to empowering women in the sports industry, and I previously served as Co-Chair of the ABA Young Lawyers Division’s Entertainment and Sports Committee. I also served as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University, teaching Ethics and Legal Issues in Sports.
I have been recognized by the Business Journal national list of influential executives, Phoenix Business Journal, Arizona Black Bar, and the Greater Phoenix Urban League. I hold degrees from Tennessee State University and Arizona Summit Law School.
Zhaoying (Dorothy) Du currently leads the global supply chain legal team of Lenovo, a leading multinational developer, manufacturer, and seller of intelligent devices, services and solutions. In this role, she supports the company’s complex, fast-moving supply chain and procurement operations with over 30 manufacturing sites spread across 10 different markets, allowing Lenovo to serve customers in 180 markets around the world.
Dorothy advises senior business, engineering, and operations leaders on a wide range of strategic and operational issues, including supply chain resilience, cross-border procurement, supplier negotiations, international trade compliance, contract disputes, and regulatory risk. Dorothy plays a central role in helping the company navigate evolving geopolitical dynamics, build diversified and compliant supply chains, and implement responsible sourcing and contracting strategies.
Prior to March 2025, Dorothy led the global legal team of Motorola Mobility, a Lenovo company, and was responsible for overseeing and advising on various legal matters across the organization. Her vast scope includes AI, global product R&D, hardware and software matters, intellectual property, compliance, data privacy and security, sales and marketing, corporate governance, government relations and the overall supervision of litigation matters with support from Motorola’s global legal team.
Dorothy has 20 years of experience in providing legal advice to international companies. Before joining Motorola, she led the compliance and risk management functions of a US-based international insurance company and served as general counsel of that company’s China operation. Before that, she was co-chair of the Asian-Pacific Practice Group of a renowned law firm. In this role, she advised companies on international transactions, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, financing, securities, private equity, startups, subsidiary and joint-venture operations, and compliance.
Sponsors
Thompson Hine
Thompson Hine LLP, a full-service business law firm with approximately 400 lawyers in 8 offices, was ranked number 1 in the category “Most innovative North American law firms: New working models” by The Financial Times and was 1 of 7 firms shortlisted for The American Lawyer’s inaugural Legal Services Innovation Award.
The firm has been recognized by the National Law Journal as a Legal Technology Trailblazer and featured by Bloomberg for its innovative service delivery models, which drive accuracy and predictability. The firm’s commitment to innovation is embodied in Thompson Hine SmartPaTH™ – a smarter way to work – predictable, efficient and aligned with client goals.
For more information, please visit https://www.thompsonhine.com/, https://www.thompsonhine.com/innovation/smartpath/, and https://www.thompsonhine.com/services/artificial-intelligence/
Steptoe LLP
Steptoe is well known for integrating legal, strategic policy and advocacy, and pragmatic business considerations to develop effective solutions to regulatory challenges for our clients. In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington.
Venue
TBA
Chicago, IL
Pricing
| Register By | In House Counsel | Law Firms & Vendors |
|---|---|---|
| November 5th, 2025 | $395.00 | Contact info@centerforceusa.com |
- Payment is due in full at the time of registration and includes lunches, refreshments and detailed conference materials.
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- Please note that speakers and topics were confirmed at the time of publishing, however, circumstances beyond the control of the organizers may necessitate substitutions, alterations or cancellations of the speakers and/or topics. As such, CenterForce reserves the right to alter or modify the advertised speakers and/or topics if necessary. Any substitutions or alterations will be updated on our web page as soon as possible.
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