Innovation in practice – how legal technology is shaping the trainee experience

In this article, Georgie Street, a trainee at TLT shares how her seat in the FutureLaw team has reshaped her understanding of modern legal practice. From building legal technology solutions and exploring the practical application of AI, she explains how innovation, technology and process improvement are becoming essential tools for lawyers.

I started in the FutureLaw team in March this year as a first seat trainee. This seat has given me an entirely different perspective of the legal industry and has been an incredibly rewarding experience at the start of my legal career.

Prior to starting in the team, I was not entirely sure what a seat in FutureLaw would involve. Legal tech and AI felt quite far removed from the legal career I had originally imagined.

Fast forward a few months, and I can confidently say this seat has changed how I think about practising law.

My time has been split across three areas: our Legal Tech Build team, our Legal Tech Transformation team, and Legal Project Management. Each one has challenged me in different ways.

Legal Tech – Build

My first focus was the Legal Tech Build team. The team works closely with lawyers and clients across the firm, helping improve how legal work gets done. Having zero technology experience, the idea of building sites and anything involving code felt completely out of my depth, which I am sure resonates with many people. But it turns out you don't need to be a developer. Most of what I built involved minimal coding, and a lot more problem-solving than I expected. The team was incredibly supportive and helped me figure out how to build these client solutions.

One project that really stands out is a dispute resolution portal I worked on for one of TLT’s future energy clients. The FutureLaw team ran a workshop with the client to capture their needs, and we designed a solution to act as a single source of truth for dispute-related data. It captures structured data points in one place, supports reporting requirements, and delivers personalised outputs for different stakeholders. In short, we replaced scattered spreadsheets and email chains with one simple solution for an extremely complex workstream.

One key takeaway from this project was how understanding the system helped me see how it can be used to solve a client’s needs. It also made me think carefully about the instinct to reach for AI as the default answer to any problem. Stepping back to clarify the outcome you are trying to achieve, and only then identifying the best tool to get there, is often overlooked. The Legal Tech team helps lawyers do exactly that, identifying effective, solution-oriented approaches that might not be obvious without a clear view of what is available.‍

Legal Tech - Transformation

Before joining the team, I assumed FutureLaw was focused solely on developing legal tech and AI. What I hadn't appreciated was just how much work goes into embedding AI across the firm in a way that's actually useful.

Having no previous experience with legal AI tools, I started by experimenting with an AI assistant and initially didn’t realise just how extensive AI’s capabilities are.

Working with colleagues across different practice areas to develop use cases quickly showed me the depth of what the tools can do. I have also continued experimenting with it in my own day-to-day work and trainee responsibilities and quickly realised that even straightforward use cases can open your eyes to applications you hadn't considered.

More recently, I've been involved in the firm’s innovation programme. This means working with teams across the firm, reviewing their workflows, and spotting opportunities to bring in AI, client solutions, or new ways of delivering work. It's given me a fascinating window into how different teams operate and where technology can genuinely make a difference, rather than just being layered on top of existing processes.

I also attended the first part of a newly launched three-part early careers training programme run by FutureLaw, which gives an insight into the work FutureLaw does and how it can be integrated into day-to-day legal work. This is an especially important message, as it encouraged us to think beyond traditional legal services and to engage with innovation from the outset of our legal careers.  I’m really looking forward to the second part, which will focus on how to play an active role in innovation and AI adoption, and the practical skills needed to use tools safely and effectively.

If there’s one thing I have taken from this seat so far, it's that lawyers must develop a thorough understanding of what tools are available to them so they can implement them effectively within their workflows. A lawyer with this knowledge can add real value by spotting ways to use these tools in daily work and by continually improving performance.‍

Legal Project Management

I have also had the opportunity to work with the Legal Project Management (LPM) team which sits within FutureLaw. So far, I have learnt about the various project management methodologies and tools used by the team, attended scoping calls, and discussed case studies with colleagues.

As the seat has progressed, I have taken on additional responsibilities with the LPM team, including handling a workstream for our public sector property team. In the coming months, I will be shifting more of my focus to LPM, and I am especially looking forward to shadowing a colleague on secondment with one of TLT’s largest clients, who is working with an in-house team to provide legal project and programme management support.‍

Looking ahead

Having now experienced the full breadth of what FutureLaw does, from configuring client portals and legal workflows to supporting the firm-wide roll-out of Generative AI tools, I have gained a much clearer sense of how technology and process improvement aren’t separate from legal practice and client service delivery; they’re what makes it better. That’s something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my training contract and into my career as a qualified solicitor.‍

Want to get involved? Here’s how...

If you’re interested in gaining this kind of hands-on experience, you can apply for a training contract or vacation scheme at TLT. Both programmes offer the opportunity to work alongside teams like FutureLaw, developing practical skills in legal technology, innovation and client delivery from the early stages of your career and building a modern, forward-thinking approach to legal practice.

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