Recognising that legal technology is already a key component of practising law today and tomorrow, AG is taking steps to integrate legal technology into its Associate career path.

The Firm, will bring in a new career path that will enable its lawyers to qualify within the Firm's Innovation and Legal Technology Team.

The Innovation and Technology team is one of the first teams to have dedicated legal technologist trainees already in place and this new initiative emphasis the Firm's commitment to being at the leading edge of innovation.

Alongside this, the Firm are establishing a programme of rolling secondments for lawyers from each of its divisions to work and train within the Innovation and Legal Technology Team for a period of six months. This secondment is an initiative borne out of a want to develop current lawyers within the Firm, and offers internal lawyers first-hand experience developing new technology platforms and solutions as well as skills like coding, data capture and analytics, complementing their traditional legal expertise.

These two initiatives follow on from the creation of the Firm's apprentice in law career pathway, which was set up in 2017 and offers ambitious individuals an alternative route to becoming fully qualified solicitors, whilst working as part of the firm's innovative TST.

Kerry Westland Head of Innovation and Legal Technology at AG stated: "With three trainees currently in the team, we have seen directly the benefits these roles bring. Their training contract gives them the unique ability to see how technology can help address internal or client challenges. Offering a seat within the team, also ensures that our future lawyers will become equipped with additional skills that the lawyer of the future requires.

Since its official launch three years ago, the team has grown to 7 dedicated legal technologists, with ambitious growth plans to enhance its team to 20 by 2019.

Axel Koelsch, COO at Addleshaw Goddard stated: "As a firm we are dedicated to the development of our staff and coming up with new and innovative ways of doing this. Investing in our lawyers, creating new outside of the box roles and career paths and not being afraid to try something different is our mantra and something which we believe is vital in order to deliver the best service to our clients."