The Non-Billable Podcast Inside Addleshaw Goddard’s legal tech strategy: innovation head Kerry Westland on managing a 70-person team, the explosive rise of AG’s internal AI tool, and what the future of law looks like
May 13, 2025
Kerry Westland, Partner and Head of Innovation at Addleshaw Goddard, leads a dynamic 70-person team dedicated to reshaping legal services through technology. She discusses her evolution from paralegal to innovation leader, the impactful rise of their internal AI tool AGPT, and the firm's strategy in blending vendor tech with homegrown solutions. Kerry also explores the changing landscape of legal practices, balancing tech and human roles, and the importance of transparency in pricing models, all while envisioning the future of law.
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Accidental Legal Tech Innovator
- Kerry Westland accidently became the firm's tech lead by weekend coding a solution to record-locking issues in Apple FileMaker.
- This ad hoc tech involvement led to building a case management system and eventually founding the innovation team at Addleshaw Goddard.
Redefining Legal Innovation
- Innovation in law firms means new ideas, new ways of working, and new service lines.
- It's about technology, mindset shifts, and encouraging lawyers to question traditional processes.
AGPT Drives AI Adoption
- Internal AI tool AGPT saw explosive adoption with 85% firm usage and 2,000 prompts per day.
- Building an in-house AI assistant with secure, firm-tailored prompts drives broader and safer usage than public tools.
