U.S. FEDPeople moves
Akerman hires Charles Zerner as first director of AI development
On September 15, 2026 Legal IT Insider reported that U.S. firm Akerman appointed Charles Zerner, formerly of Munck Wilson Mandala, as its first director of AI development to build custom AI applications. CEO Scott Meyers said AI is among the firm’s most significant and fastest-growing budget lines. The hire follows August’s appointment of Michael Adler as director of AI governance and data protection; Zerner will sit in IT under CIO Azfar Shamsi.
Announcement (Legal IT Insider) →
Key points
- Akerman hired Charles Zerner from Munck Wilson Mandala as its first director of AI development.Legal IT Insider
- Zerner will build custom AI applications where off-the-shelf tools leave firm-specific gaps.Legal IT Insider
- Akerman already deploys Harvey, TR CoCounsel, Copilot, Claude, and ChatGPT across the firm.Legal IT Insider
- CEO Scott Meyers said AI is among Akerman’s most significant and fastest-rising budget allocations.Legal IT Insider
- The hire follows August’s appointment of Michael Adler as director of AI governance and data protection.Legal IT Insider
- Zerner joins Akerman’s IT team under chief information officer Azfar Shamsi.Legal IT Insider