AI in Legal Practices: A New Era with Teresa Goody Guillen
There’s a growing concern among lawyers that artificial intelligence might eliminate the need for their expertise. However, Teresa Goody Guillen, a prominent cryptocurrency lawyer in Japan, sees AI as a tool that can elevate specialized legal practices.
Guillen, who has worked with high-profile clients like Binance’s founder, Chao Changpeng, known as CZ, has recently left her position as the head of Baker & Hostetler’s crypto practice to launch her own firm, as reported by On the Money.
The firm is named Berementis, a blend of the words “beautiful” and “spirit.” Guillen believes this represents what AI can enhance in the legal field. Essentially, she envisions intelligent lawyers handling the necessary research for advanced language models, allowing her and her team to focus on strategic and high-level analysis.
Reflecting on her experience, Guillen mentioned to On the Money that after enduring intense work hours on complex cases, the idea for her firm and its distinctive AI-driven legal platform began to emerge. She realized there had to be a more efficient approach and started exploring how to incorporate tech innovations into legal practices.
“In the legal field, many still view AI as an add-on to traditional ways of working,” she stated. “True sophisticated legal work demands a different kind of framework, including quality control and work structure. The actual opportunity lies not in replacing lawyers but in enabling skilled lawyers to function more effectively and strategically on a larger scale.”
Guillen has a history of being a trailblazer in integrating cryptocurrencies within the legal profession. She began her career as a securities attorney at the SEC and was later the Chief Operating Officer at Kalorama Partners, a boutique law firm established by the late Harvey Pitt, a figure known for representing notable white-collar clients and serving as SEC chairman.
In 2015, while working alongside Pitt, she frequently received inquiries from digital asset leaders on how to navigate the regulatory landscape and counter skepticism around cryptocurrencies. Guillen developed methods to prevent these digital assets from being mishandled by regulatory authorities.
Most recently, she aided CZ in securing a pardon from President Trump, related to a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act, which resulted in a four-month prison term.
Having joined Baker & Hostetler in 2019, Guillen successfully built the digital assets practice from scratch. This background, along with her current team of over six lawyers and advisors, gives her confidence that they can establish a tech-forward company, especially with AI supporting their efforts.
“Law is an art we must adhere to,” she emphasizes. “Yet, we don’t want to delegate critical, strategic thought, judgment, and nuanced legal evaluations to general AI tools designed as mere superficial enhancements. That’s why I’ve created a unique system tailored to empower advanced legal work along with a distinct approach to utilizing it.”
