Firms do not need to master every shiny new AI tool on the market but should instead focus on creating a culture where people are curious and learning as they go, says the College of Law’s new Director of Innovation.
Alison Laird will lead the College of Law’s Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) and organisation-wide AI strategy as Director of Innovation. She is also Director, Consulting at Elevate, where she works with legal departments and law firms across legal operations, people, process, technology and AI.
Alison said the key to keeping up with the fast-paced changes in technology was to think of AI literacy as something to build into daily practice, not a mountain to climb all at once.
“For law students, that means getting hands-on wherever possible – using AI research tools, joining tech-focused clinics, or taking subjects that blend legal thinking with practical technology skills,” she said.
“For firms and legal teams, it’s about making experimentation safe and normal or ‘business as usual’: regular training sessions, pilot projects with clear boundaries, and giving people permission to try things out without fear of getting it wrong.
“You don’t need to master every shiny new tool that launches – instead focus on creating a culture where people are curious, asking ‘how might this change the way we work?’ and ’what problems do we need to solve’ and then learning as they go.”
Alison said challenges were evolving as quicky as the technology, and identified three emerging issues to watch.
“First, there’s a critical gap between AI adoption and AI maturity,” she said. “Legal teams are deploying platforms – sometimes multiple ones – but they haven’t necessarily developed the governance, judgment, or client-focused workflows that create real value, or sorted out whether their data is even accessible to begin with.
“And that’s precisely where questions about accuracy, trust, accountability, and standards really matter.
“Second, most firms are still asking ‘how can AI help us do things faster?’ when the strategic question for the best ROI should instead be ‘how do we redesign legal work from the ground up?’.
“That shift from efficiency to transformation hasn’t happened yet, and the implications are significant – from operating models and pricing structures, right through to how we train, support and develop the next generation of lawyers.
“And third, capability is developing very unevenly across the profession. Well-resourced firms and sophisticated in-house teams are moving quickly, while smaller practices and regional firms risk being left behind, which is concerning for access to justice and the health of the market overall.
“Underneath all of this sits regulatory uncertainty, which creates a real tension: people want to innovate responsibly, but the standards they’re innovating toward are still being defined.”
Alison said firms could view AI as an opportunity rather than a challenge by examining their mindset.
“The shift happens when firms move past two limiting mindsets – that AI will replace all the lawyers, or that it’s simply about working faster – and start asking fundamentally different questions: ‘What client problems could we solve that we can’t solve today?’ or ‘What would we build if we designed this service from scratch?’,” she said.
“The real opportunity isn’t in incremental efficiency – it’s in rethinking operating models, exploring new pricing structures that reflect value rather than hours, and honestly asking whether the traditional leverage model still serves clients or the business.
“We’re starting to see forward-thinking firms recognise that AI maturity isn’t just about technology – it’s about building adaptive, curious cultures where experimentation is safe and learning is continuous.
“The legal teams making headway aren’t the ones chasing every shiny tool; they’re the ones willing to challenge their own assumptions about how legal work should be structured, staffed, and delivered.
“The opportunities AI brings isn’t about replacing lawyers – it’s about freeing them to focus on the human traits required to be a great lawyer: judgment, critical thinking, empathy.
“At the same time, new ways of working will start opening up access for clients who’ve been priced out or live in regional and rural communities where legal help might be harder to find.”
College of Law Group CEO Marcus Martin said Alison Laird was exceptionally qualified in the field of innovation and a highly strategic leader.
“Over the last six years Alison has served as an Advisory Board Member for the Centre for Legal Innovation (CLI) and holds decades of experience in public and professional services working with multi-functional teams and global businesses specialising in innovation,” he said.
“Alison Laird’s leadership of the College of Law AI strategy is an essential role as AI continues to permeate every area of what we do.”
Her dual roles mean industry insights will flow directly into CLI and the college’s strategy, AI governance framework and practitioner-facing innovation programs. It will also assist in ensuring the college and CLI’s courses remain relevant.
The CLI is an independent think tank and will continue to be a neutral resource for the legal profession.
“Operating as a neutral and trusted advisor, the CLI will bring together law firms, in-house teams, academia, regulators and vendors to translate emerging innovation and AI concepts into practical and professional-ready guidance,” Alison said.
“Focused on evidence-based insights, the objective is to build capability across the profession through information, education and shared learning.”
“I am thrilled to join the College of Law as Director of Innovation. My objective is to utilise AI to enhance learning experiences, personalisation and accessibility. We will embrace practical experimentation to inform guidance to the profession, not just theory.”
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