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Karen Contoudis Buzard

Partner

Email

Karen.Buzard@aoshearman.com

Phone

+1 212 756 1115

Offices

New York

V-CARD
Karen is U.S. Head of the Markets Innovation Group (MIG), a group of lawyers, technologists and developers who are focused on the creation of innovative solutions for clients that help them meet large-scale legal and regulatory challenges. She specializes in delivering technological and resourcing solutions to our U.S. based clients.

She also advises clients on a broad range of transactional law issues, specializing in banking and finance. Her expertise includes extensive knowledge and use of various types of legal technologies, including AI, document automation and deal management platforms. Her legal background covers the full spectrum of secured and unsecured corporate debt finance, as well as other transaction matters.

Karen played a key role in developing A&O Shearman’s proprietary, generative AI-powered contract drafting and negotiation tool, ContractMatrix, which is used internally by thousands of A&O Shearman lawyers, as well as licensed to clients. ContractMatrix, which is based on GPT-4 technology, was developed in partnership with Microsoft and Harvey, making A&O Shearman the first ever law firm to collaborate with Microsoft to develop a software product. Karen was also involved in the firm-wide deployment of Harvey, the OpenAI-backed large language model (LLM) that has been fine-tuned for law, in December 2022, which made A&O Shearman the first firm in the world to deploy generative AI at enterprise level.

Karen is also part of a cross-practice group that advises businesses on the safe deployment of AI. Additionally, Karen leads our finance team in connection with advising global financial institutions in their transition away from the use of IBORs. She was instrumental in the development of A&O Shearman’s IBORMatrix tool (a workflow and outreach tool utilized on IBOR projects).

Karen is admitted to practice in New York and received a BS from Fordham University and her JD from Fordham University School of Law.

Experience

Representative matters

Karen has helped develop the following proprietary A&O tools:

  • IBOR Matrix- a system designed to facilitate the transition away from LIBOR and other interest rates, involving a cutting edge approach to the use of artificial intelligence.
  • Contract matrix – a system that assists with AI powered contract review, document automation and legal operations and risk management.

Pro bono

  • Advising small businesses on corporate matters at Goldman Sachs Virtual Legal Clinic.

Published Work

  • Co-author, "Recurring Revenue Financings: Market Update," The Legal 500: Acquisition Finance Comparative Guide, 2024
  • Co-author, “Structuring and Restructuring European Leveraged Finance Transactions," Thomson Reuters Practical Law, 2021

Speaking Engagements

  • ABA Working Group on AI - AI Governance and Risk Management - The Role of Lawyers - April 2024 FIA Expo - AI Application in Financial Markets Panel - October 2023
  • Generative AI and the Law - Global Counsel Leaders, June 2023 
  • Panel Speaker on Technology, Loan Syndication and Trade Association Operational Conferences, April 2019
  • Technology Vendor Presenter, Loan Syndication and Trade Association LIBOR Remediation Series, October 2021

Qualifications

Admissions

Registered Foreign Lawyer, England and Wales, 2024

Admitted: Bar of the State of New York, 2003

Academic

J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 2002

B.S., Fordham University, 1998

Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.