Equipping our trainees with the skills to enhance innovation

At Foot Anstey, we are always looking for ways to help nurture and foster talent to be client solutions focused, which is why over the past few months, our Trainees have taken part in our Legal Technology & Innovation Programme.

The programme

The programme was spearheaded by Sophie Anderson, Head of Digital Change and Adoption, who was supported by Susie Halliday, Executive Director of Talent Development. Together they created the legal tech and innovation programme, which, through a series of modules, will enable our Trainees to embrace the changing legal landscape, understand the importance of technology and innovation for lawyers, improve future efficiency and productivity as well as use technology and innovation to support client needs.

The programme consists of a number of modules, including:

• Introduction to Innovation
• Introduction to Legal technology
• Client-focused Technology and Management of Disruptive Technologies
• Legal design thinking
• Systems design and Data
• Delivery of legal technology projects

Running alongside the programme, our Trainees have been working in teams on a practical challenge with real life context.  They have been using the knowledge gained through the programme to develop and design a sector-focused legal tech solution, which will be pitched a to some of our Partners at the programme's conclusion.  Successfully pitched proposals will be taken forward and will form part of an innovation project which the Trainees will drive with the support from our DDAT team and sector leads. Trainees will also support the discovery and testing of tech and broader innovation opportunities. We are excited to see where their creativity takes them!

Feedback

The Trainee Legal Tech & Innovation Programme has been hugely beneficial and a great opportunity to develop my ability to innovate efficiently and to construct tailored solutions based on our clients' pressures, desires and commercial considerations. This programme is unique to Foot Anstey and has shown the firm's commitment to developing their trainees into future-ready O-shaped lawyers.

Ben Smith, Trainee Solicitor

Innovation and Legal Technology is an exciting area that holds much opportunity for improvement and change in how we deliver legal services.  Launching our trainee programme gives us the opportunity to be a leader in legal innovation, to shape and build a clear career path that nurtures talent for the law firm of the future.

Sophie Anderson, Head of Digital Change and Adoption