Kiwi Alejandro Danao Camara (born June 16, 1984), also known as K.A.D. Camara, is a Filipino American attorney and businessman known for being founder and former CEO of CS Disco. He also represented defendant Jammie Thomas-Rasset in the first file-sharing copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. brought by major record labels to be tried by a jury. Camara abruptly resigned from CS Disco in September 2023 following accusations of improper sexual conduct.
Early life and education
Kiwi Alejandro Danao Camara was born in Manila, Philippines, to physicians Enrico Camara and Teresa Danao. At age one, his family moved to Cleveland, where he later attended the school Ratner Academy. In 1990, his family relocated to Honolulu, and Camara completed his primary education at the Punahou School.
At 16, having skipped high school, Camara earned a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science summa cum laude from Hawaii Pacific University (HPU). He completed the program in two years and was recognized by the university for outstanding academic performance.
In 2001, Camara enrolled in Harvard Law School at the age of 17.
During his first year at Harvard, Camara's use of an abbreviated racial slur in online course outlines prompted a fellow student to file a complaint and send copies to the Black Law Students' Association; the outlines were removed and Camara apologized.
After graduating from Harvard, Camara held a separate John M. Olin fellowship for 2006–2007 and was a visiting scholar at the Northwestern University School of Law. He was previously a John M. Olin fellow at Stanford Law School and briefly a Ph.D. student in economics at Stanford University.
Career
Prior to enrolling at Harvard Law School, Camara completed legal research and worked as an information systems specialist for Cades Schutte Fleming and Wright.[
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In 2007, he relocated to Houston,[ The duo became friends after meeting on their first day attending Harvard,][ and represented defendant Jammie Thomas-Rasset in the first file-sharing copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. brought by major record labels to be tried by a jury.]
Camara founded the legal technology company CS Disco in Houston in 2013, and relocated the company's headquarters to Austin, Texas, in 2018.
In 2022, Camara's total compensation from CS Disco was $110 million, making him the ninth highest paid CEO in the US that year.
On September 11, 2023, CS Disco announced that Camara had resigned as CEO and Board Director. According to a Wall Street Journal news exclusive, then carried by other services, Camara left under duress after being accused of a pattern of sexual harassment and retaliation against female employees, leaving behind compensation in the order of US$100 million in the form of unused stock options.
Awards and recognition
The Philippines awarded Camara its Jose Rizal Certificate of Achievement while he was in college and later, in 2005, recognized him with a Presidential Commendation.
Personal life
Publications
See also
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List of Harvard Law School alumni
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List of Punahou School alumni
External links
