Bill Heller is a Lecturer in Law at the USC Gould School of Law and Executive Director of the Law+AI Initiative, a collaboration between USC Gould and Akerman LLP. A nationally recognized litigator and governance advisor, Heller draws on more than three decades of practical experience to guide legal strategies surrounding emerging technology and market competition.

As Executive Director of the Law+AI Initiative, Heller leads a team translating rapid developments in courts, regulatory agencies, and policy into practical frameworks, guidance, and tools for responsible AI adoption. He will bring this focus to his upcoming lecturing at USC Gould, where his courses — including AI litigation and related areas — will emphasize how fast-evolving technology impacts real-world litigation risk, compliance obligations, and governance expectations.

Heller brings an essential practitioner’s perspective to the classroom and the Initiative from his ongoing practice as a partner at Akerman LLP. He founded and chairs the firm’s Consumer Financial Services, Data & Technology (CFS+) Practice and serves on the firm’s Board of Directors, following 15 years on the Executive Committee. His extensive record includes first-chairing jury trials and arbitrations nationwide and leading over 1,500 appeals addressing novel issues across various jurisdictions.

Heller earned his JD from the University of Miami School of Law and his BA, with honors, from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Consistently recognized for his legal expertise in Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, and The Best Lawyers in America, he remains deeply committed to community service. Heller serves as Chief Legal Advisor to JFI Medical LLC and JFI Sports Medicine, organizations dedicated to expanding equitable access to healthcare.