Cahill Names Kelly Graves First Chief AI Strategy and Innovation Officer and Elects Her to Partnership
September 1, 2026
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP is pleased to announce that the firm has named Kelly Graves as its first Chief AI Strategy and Innovation Officer and promoted her to partner. A former federal prosecutor and practicing lawyer, Graves previously served as Cahill’s Director of Innovation and Attorney Advancement.
The appointment and newly created senior leadership position reflects Cahill’s continued investment in artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation and its focus on using emerging technologies to enhance the value it delivers to clients. In her new role, Graves will lead the firm’s AI and innovation strategy, including the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, development of AI-enabled workflows and capabilities, and implementation of robust governance frameworks. She will work across the firm to identify client-facing enhancement opportunities and develop new approaches to addressing clients’ evolving needs.
“Kelly has done an exceptional job of thoughtfully integrating AI into our firm and the services we provide to our clients, and her elevation to partner reflects the strategic importance of this work,” said Herb Washer, Chair of Cahill's Executive Committee. “Her background as a practicing lawyer, combined with her deep understanding of law firm operations and emerging technology, gives Kelly a distinctive perspective on how AI can support the firm and our overall growth.”
“AI is rapidly changing what is possible in the legal industry, and the conversation is increasingly moving beyond efficiency to how these technologies can help us achieve better outcomes for clients,” Graves said. “I am excited to build on the work already underway at Cahill by developing responsible, practical approaches to AI that enhance our lawyers’ capabilities and enable us to deliver even greater value to our clients.”
Before joining Cahill in 2024, Graves held practice management positions at two Am Law 20 firms, worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey and Florida and practiced as a litigation associate in New York. She earned a J.D. from New York University School of Law and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Virginia.
About Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
Cahill is among the most successful law firms in the world. With a history of legal innovation dating back to the firm's founding in 1919 on Wall Street, Cahill has long been trusted by market-leading financial institutions, companies, and their boards and officers to manage their most significant corporate transactions, litigation, and regulatory matters. Based in New York’s Financial District, Cahill also has offices in Washington, D.C., London, and Delaware.
Read more about Kelly's appointment in The American Lawyer: Cahill Gordon Creates New Chief AI Strategy & Innovation Leadership Role
