By Andrew Cohen
Belief — in her research, its importance, and herself — propelled Kosha Doshi LL.M. ’25 to heights she never imagined.
During a 2022 summer term at the London School of Economics, she began looking into “dark patterns.” The term describes manipulative design strategies that are widely used to deceive online users, making it onerous for them to unsubscribe from various major platforms.
Doshi helped develop a website about deceptive design and highlighted its findings when her home country of India drafted dark pattern guidelines through its Ministry of Consumer Affairs. Seeing that the proposed guidelines’ list of prohibited tactics did not include certain deceptive tactics, she submitted recommendations urging the government to include “trick questions” as a recognized dark pattern, particularly in the context of social media platforms.
Skeptical about what traction a student could make in this space, her belief system soon changed radically when a former internship mentor texted to reveal that India had incorporated her suggestion. Doshi recalls “running across my parents’ house telling them, ‘The government is listening to me!’”
Seeing her recommendation influence national policy was a pivotal moment, she says: “It reinforced the importance of having the courage to voice one’s ideas, regardless of background or experience. At the time, I was still an undergraduate law student, yet my research, persistence, and belief in my work helped bring about tangible change.”
Doshi adds that the experience played a crucial role in overcoming her imposter syndrome, showed that impact is not limited by age or title but by the ability to advocate effectively, and launched both her career path — and confidence — to keep pursuing legal and policy reforms.
On to Berkeley
She took that momentum to UC Berkeley Law, where she’s earning an LL.M. degree while capitalizing on myriad opportunities. India’s data protection landscape was still evolving when she applied, with a comprehensive legal framework yet to be enacted.
“I wanted to gain expertise in a jurisdiction where data protection laws had been well-established for years, allowing me to learn from existing regulatory frameworks, judicial interpretations, and industry best practices,” Doshi says. “UC Berkeley Law stood out to me for several reasons. The curriculum, faculty expertise, and proximity to Silicon Valley’s thriving tech industry made it an unparalleled choice.”
She relishes the school’s robust interdisciplinary offerings that she says align with her interests and allow her to take courses across different schools, noting that the many opportunities to “interact with professionals who have played a pivotal role in shaping laws have been inspiring.” This semester, she is externing at the university’s Office of Intellectual Property and Industry Research Alliances (IPIRA) through the law school’s Field Placement Program.
Aiming to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, IPIRA has raised over $1 billion in industry-sponsored research, the commercialization of over 800 products, and the creation of numerous successful startups. Doshi calls working in that space within UC Berkeley — the nation’s top-ranked university for generating startup founders, companies, and women entrepreneurs — especially gratifying.
Her responsibilities include reviewing and drafting non-disclosure agreements; researching contracts related to federally funded projects, material transfer agreements between public and private entities, and data transfer agreements; and advancing inter-university research partnerships.
“I get to work at the intersection of research, innovation, and legal compliance — ensuring that groundbreaking discoveries at Berkeley are protected while facilitating collaborative efforts across industries,” she says.
Doshi’s work has been well received, with a recent mid-semester evaluation from her supervisor stating that “she has excelled at reviewing various types of agreements and has drafted thoughtful and thorough comments explaining UC Berkeley’s position.”
Linking technology with responsibility
She was also chosen to join the board of directors for All Tech is Human’s Responsible Tech University Network, a nonprofit enterprise that empowers students to connect with leaders in the growing field known as responsible technology.
In addition, Doshi completed a 12-week fellowship at UC Berkeley’s Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology — which encourages students to explore new ideas and collaborate to develop innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology skills that create impact in startups and beyond. It included entrepreneurship mixers, campus-wide forums, networking events, and brainstorming sessions for innovative business strategies.
“Some of the most memorable experiences included attending an AI Summit and Innovation Mixer, participating in a Smart Cities workshop with esteemed experts, and engaging in data and democracy discussions,” she says. “These experiences pushed me beyond my comfort zone, encouraging me to think creatively, develop problem-solving skills, and connect with professionals from diverse fields.”
Now active with the law school’s Berkeley AI Safety Student Initiative, Doshi works alongside students from diverse backgrounds — including computer science, humanities, and social sciences — and strives to advance AI safety by merging technical and legal expertise to develop responsible governance frameworks.
Her interactions with startups at Berkeley SkyDeck have illuminated real-world challenges of implementing technology within legal and ethical constraints, and Doshi teamed up with LL.M. classmates to further bridge that gap by launching Legal Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Berkeley, a student group pushing to equip law students with tech-focused legal skills.
“The ever-evolving nature of technology has always intrigued me, and being in Silicon Valley has only heightened my awareness of the constant advancements in AI, cybersecurity, and data privacy,” Doshi says. “The law often struggles to keep pace with technological change, and I see a critical gap that needs to be bridged.”
After graduating, she hopes to leverage her experiences, knowledge, and network to create more meaningful progress in the tech law field.
“Every day at Berkeley has been a step forward in shaping my professional journey, and I aspire to use these learnings to drive positive change in society,” Doshi says. “The encouragement I have received from my peers, professors, and the broader Berkeley community will continue to guide me as I embark on the next phase of my career.”