Attorney General Catherine Hanaway on Crime, Child Exploitation, AI, and State AG Enforcement

Send us Fan MailMissouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway joins Legal Regards to discuss the evolving responsibilities of a state attorney general at a time of technological change, institutional scrutiny, and heightened public safety concerns. The conversation examines how state legal offices balance traditional enforcement priorities with emerging risks tied to artificial intelligence, digital fraud, and rapidly developing regulatory gaps.Hanaway explains her office’s focus on reducing violent crime, protecting consumers from fraudulent Bitcoin ATM schemes, and enforcing state laws ranging from public integrity actions to online age-verification requirements. She also discusses the continuing effort to enforce Missouri’s multibillion-dollar COVID-related judgment against China and reflects on how continuity in government litigation is maintained despite leadership turnover.The discussion explores the growing role of AI in legal practice, including how government lawyers are using AI tools to draft documents, accelerate research, and improve efficiency while maintaining strict human oversight and verification. Hanaway also offers her perspective on the proper balance between federal and state authority in regulating AI, noting both the traditional importance of state experimentation and the potential need for national standards in a globally competitive technological environment.Listeners will also hear Hanaway reflect on leadership in public service, recruiting the next generation of trial lawyers, and navigating a career that has spanned federal prosecution, legislative leadership, BigLaw management, and statewide office.Topics include:• Violent crime reduction as a statewide enforcement priority • Consumer protection and fraud risks involving Bitcoin ATMs • Enforcement of Missouri’s COVID-related judgment against China • Public integrity actions and removing corrupt officials • Practical uses of AI in government legal work • Verification, ethics, and safeguards when lawyers use AI tools • Federal versus state authority in regulating artificial intelligence • Recruiting and training trial-ready government lawyersA substantive discussion for lawyers, policymakers, and professionals seeking insight into how state attorneys general are adapting legal institutions to meet modern technological and enforcement challenges.Legal Regards is an official podcast of The National Law Review.