Brock Hankins

Brock Hankins

Brock Hankins serves as Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Defense’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer—the senior official reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense that is responsible for the DoD’s adoption of data, analytics, and Artificial Intelligence. In this role, Brock has the opportunity to shape the future development, use, and regulation of Artificial Intelligence in our country. In recognition of outstanding service while at the DoD, the Director of National Intelligence awarded Brock and several members of his team the National Intelligence Meritorious Unit Citation. Prior to the DoD, Brock served as product counsel for Uber’s autonomous vehicle and electric vertical takeoff and landing system divisions where he helped bring Uber’s moon-shot ideas to life. Brock began his career as a patent attorney at Allen, Dyer, Doppelt + Gilchrist P.A., the largest intellectual property law firm in Florida.

Outside of work, Brock is also a leader in the local community. Among other activities, he is currently Secretary for the UF Law Alumni Council, was elected to the Board of Governors for The Florida Bar’s Young Lawyers Division representing out-of-state attorneys, serves as pro bono legal counsel for Florida Diabetes Camps, is on the Board of Directors for the Florida House on Capitol Hill, and is an advisory board member for Orange County’s Citizen Commission for Children.

An eighth generation Floridian, Brock has strong roots in the state and attended both undergrad and law school at the University of Florida. His undergraduate activities included serving as President of his fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon and as a J. Wayne Reitz Scholar, and his law school activities included serving as an executive editor for the Florida Law Review and as President of Florida Blue Key.

Brock is also the proud husband of Celeste Thacker Hankins, a fellow UF law graduate, and father of a two year old daughter and newborn son.

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