Shawn Liu
About Shawn Liu
Shawn Liu is the Legal Director at Breakthrough Energy, with extensive experience in legal roles across various organizations including the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Facebook.
Current Role as Legal Director at Breakthrough Energy
Shawn Liu currently holds the position of Legal Director at Breakthrough Energy since 2021. In his role, he leads the Legal and Grants Management team. Liu's focus is on supporting Breakthrough Energy's mission to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. His role involves extensive work on climate technology and policy, which are critical components of this global initiative.
Previous Role at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Shawn Liu worked at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) from 2018 to 2021. Initially, he served as Product Counsel for 11 months in Palo Alto, CA, before being promoted to Director, Legal (Product & Privacy), a position he held for two years. His tenure at CZI involved significant responsibilities focused on product legalities and privacy issues.
Experience at Facebook
From 2014 to 2018, Shawn Liu was a key member of Facebook's legal team as Associate General Counsel, Product/Privacy, Messenger and Workplace. Based in Menlo Park, CA, he provided legal guidance on product and privacy matters for some of Facebook's major platforms.
Legal Career at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Shawn Liu also served as an Associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP from 2012 to 2014 in Palo Alto, CA. His experience at the law firm helped him build a strong foundation in legal practices that would later assist his roles in major tech companies.
Educational Background
Shawn Liu obtained his JD from the University of Chicago Law School in 2010. Prior to this, he earned an AB in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard University. These academic credentials laid the groundwork for his diverse career in law and his focus on technology and policy.