Virginia Legislature Passes High-Risk AI Act That Could Impact Legal Profession

In the April 2025 issue of The Richmond Lawyer, the Richmond Bar Association's newsletter, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy attorney Patrick Austin's article on high-risk artificial intelligence (AI) legislation is featured on the cover.

The article examines a potential Virginia AI Act aimed at establishing a duty of reasonable care for covered entities to protect consumers from “algorithmic discrimination.” Patrick outlines actionable steps that Virginia law firms and businesses can take to prepare in the event the AI Act is signed into law.

“If the Virginia AI Act is signed into law, it has an effectuation date of July 1, 2026. This means Virginia law firms and businesses that have developed or deployed high-risk AI systems, or are planning to do so, should consider implementing proactive measures to strengthen their compliance posture,” shares Patrick.

Read the full article in The Richmond Lawyer.