O’Melveny Worldwide

O’Melveny Welcomes Former US Department of Commerce Deputy General Counsel and AI Authority Reema Shah to Its New York Office

April 21, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK—April 21, 2025—O’Melveny announced today that Reema Shah, former Deputy General Counsel for the US Department of Commerce and a leading authority on the US regulatory landscape for AI technology, has joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in its Securities Litigation & Financial Services Practice Group and Artificial Intelligence Industry Group. She will represent and advise multinational and domestic companies, boards of directors, officers, and investors navigating the intersection of federal regulation, enforcement, and litigation—particularly in the intensely scrutinized technology sector.

Shah brings an extensive tech-centered litigation and regulatory background to O’Melveny, with a focus on the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence. At the Department of Commerce, Shah supervised high-stakes investigations and litigation related to cutting-edge technology, trade, and national security, while also providing strategic guidance on policymaking. She helped lead the development and implementation of US government priorities on AI safety and security, including building industry standards and designing federal regulatory frameworks. Shah also led the federal negotiation of safety testing agreements with companies developing advanced AI models, and she advised on negotiations for the disbursement of US$39 billion in semiconductor manufacturing incentives under the CHIPS Act. 

Earlier in her career, Shah served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff. In that role, she drove the execution of White House priorities across the federal government, ran key policy processes, and advised on the federal response to several national crises, including the 2022 baby formula shortage. She also served as a Deputy Associate in the White House Counsel’s Office, where she managed high-profile litigation and advised on legal risks. She began her career as a clerk for former O’Melveny partner the Hon. Sri Srinivasan of the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, and she also served as a clerk for US Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan. Shah entered private practice as a litigation associate at Latham & Watkins.

“It is a pleasure to welcome Reema to O’Melveny,” said O’Melveny chair Bradley J. Butwin. “She is an accomplished litigator and seasoned strategic advisor who has worked at the highest levels of government. Her deep experience—especially in the areas of regulation, enforcement, and advanced technologies—will be a tremendous asset to our clients. We are delighted to welcome her to our firm.”

“O’Melveny is renowned for its record of success and for its expansive team of brilliant and talented litigators,” said Shah. “I was particularly attracted by the firm’s commitment to client service, its leadership in the technology sector, and its culture of collegiality. I’m excited to join my new colleagues and to make O’Melveny my professional home.” 

Shah’s addition accelerates O’Melveny’s continued strategic growth. She is the 33rd lateral partner to join the firm since 2023, and she is the third litigation lateral to join the firm in 2025.

Shah earned her J.D. from Yale Law School, her M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, and her B.A. from Harvard University.

About O’Melveny

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Contact:

Brandon Jacobsen
O’Melveny & Myers LLP
+1 213 430 8024
bjacobsen@omm.com

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