US artificial intelligence business Inflection AI has hired veteran tech lawyer Doug Mandell as general counsel, a newly created position at the company.

Mandell joins from Withers, where he was a partner and global head of the firm’s founder practice. At Inflection, he will support the company’s executive team with legal advice and start-up expertise, bringing with him extensive experience of building out in-house legal teams at fast-growing tech companies. 

Palo Alto-based Inflection AI is an AI platform designed for enterprises, which includes a conversational chatbot known as Pi.

Sean White, CEO of Inflection AI, said: “Doug’s extensive experience with AI and software companies, along with his proven track record of scaling legal operations at high-growth companies, makes him the ideal choice as our general counsel. His expertise with global regulatory requirements and robust legal frameworks will be invaluable as we expand our enterprise offerings and help to define the ecosystem for AI as a whole.”

Mandell spent five years at Withers having previously run his own firm – Mandell Law Group – for almost two decades, providing outside GC services to start-ups and entrepreneurs. During that time he also spent just over a year as GC at AI-powered vehicle safety start-up Nauto, just under four years as a partner at venture firm Originate and just over a year as LinkedIn’s first GC, where he worked alongside Inflection co-founder and chairman Reid Hoffman.

He previously worked in private practice at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe as a senior associate, having started his career at Littler Mendelson back in 1994.

Mandell said: “The opportunity to join a company where you have already worked with and are trusted by the senior leadership team is rare. Inflection AI is bringing innovative, secure AI experiences to the enterprise, and I look forward to being part of the company’s journey.”

Back in May last year, Elon Musk’s AI start-up xAI hired Robert Keele as its first legal chief, shortly after Keele had set up his own fractional GC business Keele Law. He was previously GC at Airbus’s innovation centre Acubed, as well as a brief spell at autonomous aircraft company Elroy Air.

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