WASHINGTON, D.C. — Microsoft will partner with Perkins Coie LLP and other law firms to sponsor the AI For Education: Microsoft 2^nd Annual Tech Law Summit on Thursday, Feb. 27, from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Howard University School of Law Library, located at 2929 Van Ness St. NW in Washington, D.C. The summit will feature leading technology attorneys who will bring their knowledge and expertise to topics like Artificial Intelligence, Microsoft’s Open Data Initiative, Work Tools of the Future, Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Cybersecurity, Tech in Sports and Entertainment, and more.

“Howard University School of Law is honored to partner with Microsoft on this important technology summit,” said Danielle Holley-Walker, dean of the Howard University School of Law. “Howard Law, Microsoft and its law firm partners believe that technology is a gateway to the future for minority communities and we seek to bring more lawyers of color into the technology world.”

Complimenting a variety of presentations, product demos, and panels at the event will be a keynote address by Fred Humphries, corporate vice president of U.S. government affairs for Microsoft. Humphries has managed both the federal and state government affairs teams of Microsoft’s Innovation & Policy Center since 2009 and managed and supervised the State Government Affairs Division at Microsoft from 2000-2009.

Howard Law School alumnus, Charlie Bingham, helped to facilitate the technology company’s continued decision to host the summit at Howard Law. For him, hosting the summit at Howard for the second year in a row was a no brainer.

“As a HUSL alum, I know that many people in corporate America don’t realize Howard Law is the Mecca for diverse attorneys,” says Bingham, who currently serves as corporate counsel for US regulated industries SLG/EDU. “Microsoft has several initiatives to make the legal profession more diverse and inclusive. When my team was approached about building a better relationship with Howard, we immediately got to work thinking big.”

During the inaugural summit, Microsoft made a contribution to the technology suite in the newly remodeled and named Honorable Damon Keith Moot Court Room, as well as donated 15 devices to establish a Clinical Center Device Lab. In addition to the summit at Howard Law, Microsoft is providing products to enhance and establish the Microsoft Technology Suite in the Honorable Damon Keith Moot Court Room, and another  Microsoft Device Lab. Microsoft has donated 51 Surface devices, and made a contribution in student scholarships and awards, which will be given to students pursuing careers in intellectual property and information technology law.

Participants can register for the AI For Education: Microsoft 2^nd Annual Tech Law Summit for free and view the full event agenda by visiting the event registration page. A live stream of the event will also be available online by visiting https://husltechlawsummit.com/. Other sponsors of the event include Perkins Coie, Crowell Moring, Orick, Womble Dickinson, Davis Wright Tremaine, Paul Weiss, Miles & Stockbridge, Fish & Richardson, Greenberg Traurig, Covington & Burling, Wilmer Hale, Arent Fox, and B. Lawrence Watkins & Associates.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 70 Fulbright Scholars. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visitwww.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu