Russ Pearlman
russ@hoschmorris.com
(214) 306-8980, ext. 103
Russell (Russ) B. Pearlman is Of Counsel at Hosch & Morris PLLC, where his practice focuses on technology transactions, AI governance, cybersecurity, and data privacy. What sets his counsel apart is a background that combines legal training with more than thirty years of active experience as a technology executive — including his current role as a C-suite leader overseeing one of the largest higher education technology environments in Texas.
Russ serves clients across professional services, media, and technology, as well as organizations in a wide range of other industries. Having personally negotiated enterprise vendor agreements, overseen large-scale technology implementations, and operated complex technology environments as a C-suite executive, he brings an operational perspective to his legal work that informs how he reads contracts, identifies risk, and counsels clients on regulatory compliance.
As Chief Information Officer at Dallas College, a system serving more than 130,000 students across seven campuses, Russ currently oversees enterprise technology strategy, major vendor relationships, and regulatory compliance at institutional scale. He has developed AI policy aligned with the Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA) and led complex, high-stakes technology implementations that would be significant undertakings at any organization. This active operational role is a direct extension of his legal practice: it keeps his counsel current, practical, and grounded in the realities that his clients face.
Russ earned his Juris Doctor from SMU Dedman School of Law in 2018, concentrating on the legal issues that confront technology-driven enterprises: intellectual property, trade secrets, cybersecurity, data privacy, e-discovery, and technology contracts. He holds a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence from Washington University in St. Louis, earned in 1996 — one of the few practicing attorneys in the country who has been engaged with artificial intelligence as both a technologist and a legal practitioner for nearly three decades.
His 2018 law review article on AI authorship and inventorship has been cited over 100 times, referenced in amicus briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, and submitted to the USPTO during formal comment periods on AI policy. He speaks regularly at legal and technology conferences and has addressed audiences at the Dallas Bar Association, Gartner, Tech Titans, and major national gatherings. He is available to clients for complex technology transactions and negotiations, AI and data privacy regulatory counseling, and litigation support including as an expert consultant.
Education
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY
Juris Doctor, 2018WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
M.S., Computer Science, 1996WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
B.S., Computer Science Applied Science, 1996WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
B.A., Biology, 1994
Admissions & Certifications
Texas
Certified Java Architect
Awards & Recognition
Named to Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters (2021-2026)
CIO of the Year Award Nominee, DFW ORBIE Awards (2026)
Recognizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as Authors and Inventors Under U.S. Intellectual Property Law, 24 RICH. J. L. & TECH. no. 2, 2018 (cited over 100 times; referenced in amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court; submitted to the USPTO during formal comment periods)
Member, Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society
Member, Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society
Professional & Community Service
Adjunct Faculty, Jesuit Worldwide Learning (providing refugees in Africa with STEM-based higher education)
Barbara Lynn Intellectual Property Inn of Court
Board of Directors, Avignon HOA
Board of Directors, Windhaven Farm HOA
Navigator, Y-Guides
Youth Coach, Plano Sports Authority
Presentations & Publications
AI in Legal Practice: Ethics, Governance, and TRAIGA, North Texas Paralegal Association (March 2026)
Leadership Lessons from Veteran CISOs, Tech Titans (February 2026)
Keynote: AI for Growth, ATEA Emerge 2025 (December 2025)
AI's Impact on the CIO Role, CxO Launchpad (November 2025)
The Texas Responsible AI Governance Act and the Impact on CIOs, Gartner Annual Conference (November 2025)
The Future of the CIO/CTO in an AI Native World, Tech Titans (October 2025)Generative AI in Action - Tools and Techniques for Lawyers, Dallas Bar Association, Artificial Intelligence Symposium (October 2024)
Co-author, Risks & Insurance Implications for Companies Leveraging AI, Tools & Intel (July 2024)
Rise of the Machines: What to Expect in the Legal Profession From Generative AI, William "Mac" Taylor American Inn of Court (April 2024)
Ethics Issues Associated with Generative AI, Dallas Bar Association Ethics Fest (April 2024)
Strategic Partnering for Management of Campus Systems, AJCU CITM (March 2024)
Artificial Intelligence: Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt, RTM CIO Congress (November 2023)
Digital Transformation in for Higher Education, AJCU CITM (May 2023)
Co-author, Crime & Sacrifice: Criminal Liability for Concealing Data Breaches, DBA Headnotes (February 2023)
Cyber Security Protection in IT Contracts – in a Hurry, Dallas Bar Association (March 2022)
Driving a Digital Technology Platform for Education, Creighton University (March 2022)