McGuireWoods' autonomous car expert Elliot Katz has left the firm to join a Silicon Valley startup that specializes in the self-driving technology.

Katz came to McGuireWoods last summer from DLA Piper to head his now former firm's practice in the driverless vehicle sector. As more companies are joining the race to roll out self-driving cars, Katz sees the jump as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to bridge the gap between the rapid development of the technology and lawmakers' concerns over safety issues.

“I was originally outside counsel to the company, and didn't believe that what they were trying to do was actually possible, due to the latency issue,” Katz said. “Once I demoed the technology and saw that it did in fact work, and worked quite well, I knew how critical the tech would be for getting these lifesaving vehicles deployed, and wanted to be a part of it.”

Phantom Auto, formed by four founders in January 2017, is developing technology that allows human operators to remotely access a driverless vehicle when it gets into complex conditions that it can't handle on its own. It's where Katz is now listed as a co-founder and head of business, legal and policy at the Mountain View-based company.

However, unlike working at a law firm where he was surrounded by lawyers with multiple expertise (McGuireWoods' website lists roughly 30 professionals working in its connected and automated vehicles group), Katz said a startup moves more quickly and he usually manages a variety of tasks on any given day.

“At Phantom Auto, I am wearing several different hats,” Katz said. “Although it can be a challenge juggling my time, I do enjoy the challenge.”

At McGuireWoods, Katz advised clients such as automakers and technology companies on legal and policy issues relating to connected and automated vehicles. At Phantom Auto, Katz's role is effectively that of a business and strategic adviser, as well as the company's legal counsel.

“I am doing my job and a lot of other things that are not necessarily in my job description, so every day is definitely new and interesting,” he added.

Just last week, Katz was at the CES technology trade show in Las Vegas demonstrating Phantom Auto's technology to the public. The company's goal is to address the safety concerns of autonomous vehicles technology and accelerate the safe testing and deployment of driverless cars.

McGuireWoods, which has its roots in Richmond, Virginia, opened its San Francisco office in 2016 after bringing on a high-profile team of partners from Reed Smith. Katz was hired by McGuireWoods to help further its efforts in the autonomous vehicle space after the firm also recruited a technology law lobbying team in Washington, D.C., led by former Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld senior policy adviser Michael Drobac.

In a statement, McGuireWoods corporate, M&A and technology chair Scott Westwood said that the firm would continue to work with Katz and Phantom Auto as a client, and therefore was not actively looking to replace him.

“While we don't have a dedicated search at this time, we are committed to our connected and automated vehicles group and will be opportunistic in hiring the right legal talent,” Westwood said. “We look forward to working with Elliot in his new position.”

McGuireWoods, which in December announced a new leader in litigator Jonathan Harmon, has been busy hiring elsewhere in 2018. The firm recently reeled in a seven-lawyer real estate finance team in New York, hired real estate finance expert William Seligman in Los Angeles and brought on Buckley Sandler partner Joseph Reilly as senior counsel in Washington, D.C.

McGuireWoods Consulting, the firm's public policy arm, also opened an office in Tallahassee, Florida, earlier this month after absorbing a local lobbying shop.