Slaughter and May launches new Client Innovation Network

Slaughter and May has announced the launch of a new Client Innovation Network. The Network will act as a forum for members of in-house legal and legal operations teams to share ideas and experiences within the innovation and legal tech space, as well as test new technologies in collaboration with the firm.

Many of Slaughter and May's clients have been facing similar innovation and tech challenges, and through discussions it became clear they would value a Network dedicated to tackling these issues. Since launching the firm's legal tech programme Collaborate in 2019, the Slaughter and May Knowledge and Innovation team has worked closely with several clients of the firm in this space.

Jane Stewart, Head of Innovation at Slaughter and May, explains, 'The world of legal tech is growing, changing and improving all the time, but there are common themes in the issues and challenges that we and our clients are facing. Through our Network initiative we can offer our clients access to the innovation expertise we have developed in house as well as some of the technologies we have tested and deployed, and in doing so we plan to build an industry network of like-minded individuals.'

The Network will offer members the opportunity to participate in:

• tech demo sessions, co-delivered by Slaughter and May and our legal tech suppliers,
• workshops and training sessions on topics including legal process design, digital literacy and other skills for the lawyers of the future,
• joint legal tech pilots with the firm to test software while sharing the often intensive resource burden required, a forum to share resources such as market maps and procurement guides to help in-house teams navigate this space, and
• networking sessions, to give our clients opportunities to share experiences with peers across a range of sectors.

Ben Kingsley, Sponsoring Partner for the Client Innovation Network, adds, 'We have already had over 45 clients sign up to join the Network, including Bupa, Standard Chartered and Vodafone, and hope to see this number grow over the coming months. We recognise that many in-house legal teams are looking to make rapid progress in this area and to shape the future of legal services delivery, and are delighted to offer our clients bespoke access to a Network of peers to support this.'

Tim Way, Legal Operations Manager at Bupa, who has joined the Network, said, 'We have collaborated with Slaughter and May on various innovation initiatives recently, so it was a natural progression for us to join this network. With many organisations facing similar opportunities and challenges, it's great to share best practice and make sure we're always across the latest ideas.'