Fresh Voices on Legal Tech with Amy Brookbanks and Michael Kennedy of Addleshaw Goddard
Mar 21, 2025
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Amy Brookbanks, a Legal Operations Consultant at Addleshaw Goddard, and Michael Kennedy, Head of R&D for Innovation & Legal Technology, share their insights on optimizing legal processes through technology. They highlight the importance of aligning legal practices with business goals and the challenges of technology adoption. The duo reflects on their diverse career paths and discuss the transformative impact of AI in legal operations. Additionally, they address the need for effective collaboration and innovative solutions in bridging the legal accessibility gap.
The optimization of legal operations is crucial for enhancing efficiency, adapting to business dynamics, and meeting client needs effectively.
Empathy in communication is vital to help lawyers understand the benefits of technology, as many lack training in legal tech advancements.
Innovative programs focusing on legal technology are essential for preparing the next generation of legal professionals for diverse career paths.
Deep dives
Transforming Legal Operations
The podcast features a discussion with legal operations professionals who emphasize the significance of optimizing legal teams' operating models. They focus on enhancing efficiency in legal processes, managing resources, and deploying appropriate technology to streamline operations. For instance, one guest outlines their role in designing future workflows to ensure legal teams can respond effectively to business dynamics. This approach highlights the importance of adapting legal operations to meet clients' evolving needs and maintaining organizational effectiveness.
Addressing Technological Communication Challenges
A key insight shared involves the challenge of communicating technological implications to lawyers who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about legal tech advancements. The guests recognize the necessity of empathy in discussions with legal professionals, as many lack exposure to technology in their training. They advocate for relating technology to the lawyers' daily tasks, illustrating that tech will enhance their roles rather than replace them. By using anecdotes and concrete examples, they aim to encourage lawyers to embrace these innovations for future success.
Driving Change in In-House Legal Teams
The professionals discuss the pressures faced by in-house legal teams that often operate under heavy workloads and time constraints. They stress the need to free lawyers from low-value, repetitive tasks and highlight the critical role of innovation and technology in achieving that goal. Implementing automation in areas such as contract management can provide significant relief, allowing lawyers to focus on higher-value activities. The emphasis is on creating a strategic roadmap that helps these legal teams prioritize effectively and align with the organization's broader objectives.
AI as an Integral Part of Legal Practice
The conversation touches on the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within legal practices, particularly its role in facilitating communication between lawyers and clients. The experts emphasize that the effective deployment of AI requires a deep understanding of the legal landscape, ensuring that technologies truly meet users' needs. They mention their innovative projects, including the development of generative AI tools tailored to legal functions, which shows the firm's forward-thinking approach to legal service delivery. In-house legal teams are urged to cultivate a tech-curious culture as they explore AI’s potential.
Fostering Future Legal Leaders
The podcast highlights initiatives aimed at nurturing the next generation of legal professionals through practical exposure to legal operations and technology. A graduate program is mentioned that allows participants to gain experience in various roles across legal technology and operations, showcasing the commitment to diversifying career paths in the legal field. This program not only aids students in understanding the intersection of law and technology but also helps law firms build a well-equipped workforce. The emphasis is placed on creating pathways that educate and inspire students to pursue careers beyond traditional legal roles.
Legal teams work best when their operations run smoothly and efficiently, and developing innovations must be kept in mind as teams hone their legal operations strategies. Dennis and Tom talk with legal tech experts Amy Brookbanks and Michael Kennedy about their work helping lawyers and in-house legal teams work through problems with effective technology solutions. They discuss strategies for defining necessities in workflows to help lawyers understand how to implement technology to optimize their practices. They also discuss their career paths in the legal field and discuss current happenings in tech, AI, collaboration, and much more.
As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends.
Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions.
Amy Brookbanks is Legal Operations Consultant at Addleshaw Goddard.
Michael Kennedy is head of R&D (Innovation & Legal Technology) at Addleshaw Goddard.
