You're suspicious that the person doing academic research on how AI applies to law has a job related to research on law and AI?

You are not? It is at least worth investigating how much this professor benefits from AI companies. In fact this is HN. Let me come back to you in about 10 minutes.

EDIT: 10 min later. I give up. I tried to find who is funding HAI, and came empty handed, usually you can see that in their yearly reports, but no such luck for me. I know Google and Bill Gates are big donors, so take that as you will.