PeopleofSuperintelligence

Public voice

Scott Schools

Scott Schools is a lawyer whose current compliance role is at OpenAI, an AI research and deployment organization. He earned a law degree at the University of Texas School of Law in 1987, served as the federal prosecutor for South Carolina and the Northern District of California, and advised Justice Department leaders on ethics and professional responsibility. He joined Moore & Van Allen in Charleston, then served again as Associate Deputy Attorney General from 2016 to 2018. Uber hired him as its first chief compliance officer in July 2018, and he later served as its Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. OpenAI appointed him Chief Compliance Officer in October 2024, and he holds the role in October 2026.

Now at
OpenAI

Timeline

  1. 1987

    A Texas law degree

    He earns his law degree at the University of Texas School of Law in 1987.

  2. 2001

    U.S. Attorney in South Carolina

    From February 2001 to November 2001, he serves as U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina.

  3. 2007–2008

    U.S. Attorney in California

    From 2007 to 2008, he serves as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. In July 2007, he joins Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher in announcing an $11 million penalty for Mirant Energy Trading over knowingly inaccurate natural-gas reports.

  4. 2008–2013

    Associate Deputy Attorney General

    From January 2008 to February 2013, he serves as Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice. He advises Attorneys General and Deputy Attorneys General on department matters focused on ethics and professional responsibility.

  5. By 2013

    Private practice in Charleston

    He joins Moore & Van Allen in Charleston by September 2013.

  6. 2016–2018

    Associate Deputy Attorney General

    He serves again as Associate Deputy Attorney General from 2016 through July 2018.

  7. 2018–2024

    Chief compliance officer at Uber

    In July 2018, he joins Uber as its first chief compliance officer. By October 2024, he serves as its Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer.

  8. Since October 2024

    Chief Compliance Officer at OpenAI

    In October 2024, he becomes Chief Compliance Officer at OpenAI, an AI research and deployment organization. He remains in that role in October 2026.

Career

  1. Since 2024OpenAIChief Compliance Officer
  2. 2018–2024UberChief Compliance Officer; Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
  3. From 2013Moore & Van Allen
  4. 2001–2013United States Department of JusticeU.S. Attorney, Associate Deputy Attorney General

Education

  1. 1987University of Texas at AustinLaw degree

From the biography.

  1. 22 of 133 people shaping AI with a former OpenAI role now work at AnthropicIncludes Scott Schools. Our estimates of where OpenAI recruits came from and where 133 people with former OpenAI roles work now, including the companies and labs they founded.
  2. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public rolesIncludes Scott Schools. Of 216 AI researchers who entered public life, 83 held advisory seats and 58 took public roles. Another 97 people moved from public careers into AI organizations or research, with 62% of dated records starting from 2020 on.
  3. Among employers with 30+ full-time cases, OpenAI leads primary technical role H-1B pay at $310,000, and Amazon, Google and Microsoft file 57% of all casesIncludes OpenAI. Across 440,669 certified US H-1B filings from 44 employers (FY2020–FY2026), OpenAI leads primary technical role base pay at $310,000 and xAI leads overall base pay at $290,000.
  4. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes OpenAI. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Scott Schools yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Scott Schools | Alumni & Giving | Texas Law law.utexas.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. NAFUSA Update September 2013 archive.constantcontact.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Scott Schools Named Chief Compliance Officer for OpenAI nafusa.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Mirant Energy Trading LLC To Pay $11 Million Penalty To Resolve Criminal Allegations justice.gov. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Scott Schools en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Schools Schools Uber on Compliance odwyerpr.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. OpenAI en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Global Anti-Corruption, Ethics & Compliance Conference legaltechevents.com. Checked 20 October 2026.