Driving Grads Forward

From Silicon Valley startups to the executive suite at Lyft, Kristin Sverchek ’07 has spent her career at the forefront of technological change — and is helping future lawyers do the same.

Immediately after Kristin Sverchek ’07 earned her J.D., she entered an industry defined by its relentless drive toward innovation. Nearly two decades on, her journey has taken her from one technology frontier to another.

“When I attended UC Law SF in the early 2000s,” she said, “I wasn’t aware of tech as a possible career path for attorneys but was lucky enough to take a Law & Venture Capital class in my third year of law school. That class, and my time at UC Law SF, gave me the foundation to build a career at the intersection of law and technology.”

Sverchek started in legal offices in Silicon Valley and then joined rideshare service Lyft, first as general counsel, then president of business affairs, and ultimately president. Departing Lyft in 2024, she is now an advisor to tech startups and is on the board of Mountain View-based Kodiak AI, which focuses on advancing driverless technology in logistics and transportation.

This year, she and her husband, Tom, donated $125,000 to launch named scholarships for UC Law SF students focused on technology. She said the goal is to create “breathing room” for 2Ls and 3Ls with financial need and a demonstrated interest in tech and innovation law.

Her advice to students: “The law will always need great legal minds, but the tech economy needs lawyers who are genuinely excited about what’s being built. Be one of those people.”