Mehdi Ansari

Practice Areas

Intellectual Property & Technology Transactions, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Digital Assets, Financial Institutions

Career

Mehdi Ansari is a partner and co-head of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Intellectual Property and Technology Group and the Firm’s Artificial Intelligence Practice. Mehdi’s practice focuses on advising clients on a wide range of transactions involving intellectual property and technology, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licenses, collaborations, research and development agreements, settlements and strategic advice.

Mehdi is widely recognized as a leader in his field, known for “deftly handling major transactions” for industry icons (IAM Patent 1000). He was named an “MVP in Technology” by Law360, an “IP Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal, one of the world’s leading patent professionals by IAM Patent 1000 six years in a row, and a “Rising Star in Sports & Betting” by Law360.

Mehdi has been deeply involved in AI and its legal and ethical issues for several years, advising clients on their most significant AI-related matters, including “first-of-kind” and “bet-the-company” deals involving AI development, adoption and commercialization. Prior to attending law school, Mehdi studied computer science, including neutral networks and machine learning, and that technical knowledge and background has enabled Mehdi to provide differentiated advice to his clients.

A thought-leader in the field, Mehdi is a Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, where he teaches a course on IP transactions, including artificial intelligence, and licensing of brands, software, patents and personality rights. He serves as co-head of the transactional subcommittee of the New York City Bar’s Sports Law Committee, and sits on Law360’s Intellectual Property editorial board and the New York City Bar’s Presidential Task Force on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies. Mehdi is also a frequent public speaker, including on topics related to artificial intelligence, publicity rights, and non-fungible tokens.

Personal

University of California, Berkeley (JD, 2008); University of California, Berkeley (BS, 2005).