Announcement reveals first law firm to adopt the AIQ™ score as benchmark for enterprise AI governance, strengthening client assurance.

CHICAGO, April 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AIQA Global, LLC (AIQA), an independent AI governance rating firm, today announced that Vedder, an internationally recognized business‑focused law firm, has selected AIQA to conduct an independent assessment of its enterprise AI governance program using the AIQ™ score methodology. Vedder is the first law firm to adopt AIQA’s standardized, evidence‑based rating framework for evaluating AI governance quality.

AIQA Global’s AIQ score is an independent, standardized rating of enterprise AI governance quality.  The rating assesses how well organizations manage, govern, and protect their use of artificial intelligence. Importantly, AIQA’s assessment architecture allows organizations to participate in governance evaluation without exposing proprietary model details, architectures, or training data to external evaluators. 

Built on a 250-factor methodology, the AIQ score assesses enterprise AI governance across five dimensions – Strategic Alignment, Technical Robustness, Responsible AI & Compliance, and Adaptability & Education – using 250 data points, with scores reported on a 0–200 scale modeled on proven psychometric and capital markets ratings precedents. The score is designed to give stakeholders including boards, clients and counterparties, insurers, regulators and investors a comparable measure of AI readiness and risk across organizations. The methodology is grounded in recognized governmental and non-governmental standards, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, the EU AI Act, and ISO/IEC 42001.

AIQA’s work with Vedder will benchmark the firm’s existing AI governance program, identify priority improvements, and establish the cadence for ongoing assurance as the firm expands its client-authorized AI-enabled service delivery. 

Vedder is an international, business‑focused law firm known for pairing the scale and sophistication of a global practice with clarity, responsiveness, and commercial sensibility clients need to move forward with confidence. Empowering more than 400 lawyers across major U.S., UK, and Asian markets, Vedder’s commitment to technology‑forward digital experience is designed to make insights and expertise more accessible. Consistently recognized for excellence in high‑stakes matters, Vedder serves as a trusted advisor that combines market sophistication with hands‑on service, competitive value, and long‑term relationship building to help sophisticated clients navigate complexity and achieve measurable business outcomes.

“Our clients trust Vedder to help them navigate complexity with clarity, and responsible AI governance is central to that mandate. By engaging AIQA, we reinforce our commitment to transparency, rigor, and forward‑looking risk management in every aspect of our work,” said Michael A. Nemeroff, Vedder President and Chief Executive Officer.  “This partnership strengthens our ability to deploy AI‑enabled services with the same discipline, sophistication, and client‑first mindset that define Vedder globally.”

“Vedder’s decision to adopt the AIQ score reflects the kind of measurable assurance that only true industry leaders are willing to pursue. Their commitment to independent, evidence‑based evaluation shows a deep understanding that responsible AI adoption requires verifiable governance, not just good intentions,” said Chase Malackowski, AIQA Global Co-founder. “By partnering with Vedder, we’re helping set a new benchmark for how professional services firms can deploy AI with transparency, rigor, and trust at scale.”

The Vedder engagement underscores a structural turning point in enterprise AI: organizations can no longer rely on narrative assurances or internal policy statements to demonstrate responsible AI use. Stakeholders now expect measurable, independently validated evidence of governance quality. The AIQ score delivers that assurance, applying a ratings‑based discipline to AI governance just as credit ratings transformed fixed‑income markets and patent quality ratings reshaped the valuation of intellectual property. Built on a legacy of bringing transparency to previously unmeasured intangible assets, AIQA extends that tradition to AI governance—providing boards, investors, insurers, and enterprise buyers with a clear, comparable signal of AI readiness and risk.

About AIQA Global, LLC

AIQA Global, LLC is the first independent AI governance rating firm, providing enterprises, investors, insurers, and boards with a standardized, quantitative measure of AI governance quality. The company’s AIQ™ score quantifies enterprise AI governance quality across 250 data points and five dimensions. AIQAglobal.com

AIQ™ scores are based on disclosed and verified data and represent AIQA Global’s independent assessment of AI governance quality. Scores do not constitute regulatory compliance, legal advice, or investment advice. No assurance is provided regarding future performance, risk outcomes, or insurance eligibility. AIQ™ and AIQ™ score are trademarks of AIQA Global, LLC. Copyright 2026 AIQA Global, LLC. All rights reserved.

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SOURCE AIQA Global, LLC