San Francisco, CA. Jason D. Hirsch, a veteran litigation, investigations, and public policy attorney, has joined Nixon Peabody LLP from Meta Platforms, Inc. as a partner based in the firm’s San Francisco office. Jason will lead the law firm’s new Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Platforms & Emerging Technologies Team.
Jason’s practice focuses on providing strategic counsel to clients on high-stakes, global challenges at the intersection of law, business, and government policy. He is a trusted advisor to leading technology companies, helping them navigate litigation, government enforcement, regulatory strategy, product development and deployment, and content moderation, among other issues. He also advises companies across all industries on the development, use, and governance of AI systems and other emerging technologies, including helping companies outside the tech sector understand the risks and benefits of incorporating AI into their businesses.
In his most recent role at Meta, Jason led the company’s policy work on the AI-driven ranking and distribution of content, working closely with Meta’s senior leadership, product and engineering teams, and engaging directly with high-level government officials across the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He was at the forefront of industry-leading efforts, especially on AI transparency and controls, many of which are now legal requirements. Jason was also heavily involved with the company’s preparations for the EU’s landmark AI Act and Digital Services Act (DSA), including extensive engagement with the European Parliament and European Commission as they worked to understand the potential implications of the DSA. He will draw on this experience to help the wide range of clients newly subject to these laws.
“Jason has had a ground-floor view into the rise and adoption of AI, machine-learning models, and other emerging technologies that are reshaping businesses across nearly every sector,” said Nixon Peabody CEO and Managing Partner Stephen D. Zubiago. “He has also been immersed in the developing regulatory landscape that will govern the use of these technologies. This foundation, combined with Jason’s years of experience handling high-stakes matters, uniquely positions him to help our firm’s clients achieve their goals.”
Jason’s legal career began with a decade in BigLaw, handling a wide range of bet-the-company litigations and investigations. An accomplished litigator, his practice was divided between trial-court and appellate matters, focused on class actions; government-facing disputes; and novel commercial, statutory and constitutional questions. Jason litigated nine merits cases at the US Supreme Court, ranging from IP and regulatory challenges to landmark First Amendment and elections law victories. Beyond litigation, he regularly represented clients before the Department of Justice and other federal and state regulators.
Led by Jason’s experience as a top litigator and strategist, and as a corporate counselor on issues of cutting-edge technologies, Nixon Peabody’s new AI, Digital Platforms & Emerging Technologies Team will be laser-focused on helping clients keep pace with rapidly evolving legal, regulatory, and reputational risks in these areas. From the courtroom to the boardroom, and from product design to shaping new regulation, Jason and the team will counsel companies—in and out of the tech sector—through the broad set of multifaceted challenges they face today.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jason to our firm, and to have him here in San Francisco,” said Anthony Barron, chair of Nixon Peabody’s Litigation Department. “The Bay Area has long been an international hub for technology and innovation. Jason has strong experience advising leading companies at the highest level on emerging technologies and a global set of complex legal and public-policy issues. Those experiences will be an invaluable asset to our clients across sectors while further strengthening our presence in the market.”
