About
Stephen Ratner is a commercial, privacy, and product attorney who advises AI and software companies on enterprise contracting, data use, technology transactions, and operational legal strategy. Today he is Sr. Counsel and Forward-Deployed Attorney at General Legal, embedding with client teams.
He also served as in-house counsel at synthetic video and adtech companies on generative-AI, model-training, and privacy. He has represented clients on immigration, workplace harassment, and settlements. Earlier roles: venture law at Gunderson Dettmer, deputy press secretary at DOJ, and a White House internship.
Timeline
Sr. Counsel & Forward-Deployed AttorneyCurrent
The work runs commercial, privacy, and product counsel in one seat at an AI-native law firm. He deploys alongside client teams rather than advising from a distance, across enterprise contracting, data use, and all of the product questions in between.
Founding Counsel
His own practice, built to serve AI-native clients. He designed legal systems across scale, risk, and day-to-day operations for companies whose products move faster than traditional counsel can follow. Founded to make counsel move at product speed.
Sr. Legal Counsel
Senior legal counsel at a search-advertising marketplace. He negotiated complex commercial and data agreements with advertisers, publishers, and platforms. The work spanned product, privacy, and enterprise deals across every part of the business.
Legal Counsel
Legal counsel for synthetic media products. He handled commercial, product, and enterprise legal work across the company as the category was being defined in public, with a focus on generative AI, model training, and privacy law.
Product Manager
Product work, not legal work. He built a contract management tool on contract automation and employment infrastructure. Legal-technology tools were his domain, from requirements through launch, working alongside engineering and design teams.
Corporate Associate
Emerging-companies and venture-fund law. He worked with technology companies and investors across startups, financings, and company formation. Clients ranged from first-time founders to established venture funds, from incorporation through to financings.
Deputy Press Secretary
to the Attorney General
Deputy press secretary to the Attorney General of the United States. He was part of the team that managed public communications inside a legal institution built around trust. The work spanned press strategy, rapid response, and public remarks alike across the Department.
Intern
An internship on the White House communications team. He worked alongside the staff who managed the administration's public message, supporting the daily communications work of the President of the United States.
Writing
Published Media
Are option grants promoting gender and racial inequity?→
W2
Taxation of Autonomous Vehicles in Cities and States→
W3
College students aid peers in need→
Education
Georgetown Law
J.D. · WASHINGTON, D.C.
Emory University
SUMMA CUM LAUDE, B.A. · ATLANTA, GA
ESADE
EXCHANGE PROGRAM · BARCELONA, SPAIN
Travel
Contact Ava
Ava is Stephen’s AI agent. She can receive messages, answer questions, and take some actions.