Our firm helps organizations, private-sector, municipalities, states, and public policy leaders shape the laws, contracts and public processes that govern technology in government.
Technology policy with implementation in mind
Software procurement and digital-service policy determine whether a public institution can understand, maintain and improve the tools it relies on. We help clients examine ownership and access to code, interoperability, vendor obligations, public access and the limits on sharing government data.
Our clients can include civic technology organizations, nonprofits, government vendors and coalitions seeking changes to public-sector technology policy. A project may involve a proposed law, an agency rule, a procurement requirement or an existing service that residents find difficult to use.
Experience with code and public institutions
Ben Kallos’s background includes software development and public service. In the City Council, he introduced proposals for free and open-source software preferences and collaborative software purchasing. His legislative work also addressed online access to the City Record and city laws.
Those efforts connect technology choices to public accountability. The firm approaches a technology-policy engagement by asking what the law permits, what an agency needs to deliver and what information the public should be able to obtain.
Counsel for a specific policy objective
Our firm can research legal authority, draft legislation or comments, review proposed public procurement terms and prepare testimony. We also help clients define governance for data-sharing arrangements and coordinate advocacy with other organizations.
Where a matter turns on security testing, software architecture or technical accessibility assessment, we work with appropriate specialists. The legal engagement defines the policy and contractual questions and how those findings support the client’s objective.