Profile highlights lawyer William Savitt’s wins against Elon Musk

In short: The Verge profiled lawyer William Savitt, who has beaten Elon Musk in court twice and is now raising questions about how AI may change legal work.

What happened

The Verge published an interview and profile of William Savitt, a prominent corporate lawyer at Wachtell, Lipton. The story focuses on Savitt’s courtroom style and his recent high-profile clashes with Elon Musk.

Savitt represented Twitter when Musk tried to back out of his agreement to buy the company, and Savitt won that dispute. The profile says Savitt also won again in the case known as Musk v. Altman, which involved Musk suing Sam Altman and OpenAI. Musk is appealing the jury’s verdict, and Savitt declined to discuss details of that case.

The article describes Savitt as soft-spoken in cross-examination, which is the part of a trial where a lawyer questions the other side’s witness. Savitt said he relies on “massive preparation,” knowing key documents quickly, and staying calm even if a witness tries to provoke a fight.

The interview also includes a personal detail about his routine. Savitt said he played a Fender Telecaster guitar while preparing during the Musk v. Altman trial, using it as a calming way to think through complex material.

Why it matters

Musk’s legal fights often involve major tech companies and big AI questions, so the lawyers on the other side can shape outcomes that affect products people use and how AI is governed. Savitt also raised practical questions about AI in the legal system, like whether an “AI note-taker” could risk client confidentiality (keeping private information private) and how a chatbot’s statements could be used in court (like trying to question a “witness” that is really a computer).

Source: The Verge AI