Sarah Walton
Managing partner,
Weightmans
Weightmans
Q&A:
Interview with Sarah Walton: ‘Leaders must accept that change isn’t always comfortable’
Stick the landing
magazines|May 2026INSIDE THE ISSUE
Destination: Law firm of the future
Leaders outline how law firms can deliver successful transformation projects and disciplined change management.
Class in session
Does AI have potential to train the next generation of lawyers?
Capturing success through a wider lens
Freeths' Nick Pryor and Susan Whitla highlight the keys to measuring project value holistically
WHO'S WHO THIS MONTH
ISSUE IN BRIEF
Welcome to Briefing May!
For an industry that is often described by many as being ‘reluctant to change’, we’ve certainly seen a lot of innovation and transformation in the legal sector, particularly over the past 18 months. Firms have been revamping their core systems and internal processes, genAI has quickly moved from pilots to mainstream operational use — with some firms unveiling new use cases, like client-facing chatbots and behavioural science AI tools for knowledge management (many of which Briefing has highlighted in previous editions) — and more lawyers are now embracing the vibe-coding trend.
As several transformation leaders emphasise in this issue’s cover story, change is inevitable, and how you tackle it can make or break your business. For transformation plans to take off (and land), the right blend of flexibility, agility and strategic planning is essential, as is having a solid change management framework in place — and these experts share the elements needed to land transformation safely for long-term results.
This edition brings you a mix of carefully curated features, exclusive interviews and new content types packed with practical insights on how to fuel transformation that takes flight and sticks the landing, despite market turbulence.
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What’s inside Briefing May?
UPFRONT
- Weightmans’ managing partner Sarah Walton outlines how the firm is shaping up its new chapter through targeted mergers, disciplined growth and thoughtful innovation
- Mel Smith, chief operating officer at Buckles Law, highlights why B Corp certification is a strategic step towards higher standards and greater client trust
- Iain Miller, partner at Kingsley Napley, outlines how firms can stay compliant following the recent Court of Appeal judgment in CILEX v Mazur
- Joe Cohen, legal innovation partner at Harvey, explores how firms can translate AI time savings into profit
FEATURES
- Transformation leaders from CMS, Eversheds Sutherland, Irwin Mitchell, Trowers & Hamlins and White & Case outline why the right blend of flexibility, agility, strategic planning and change management is essential for transformation plans to take off and land
- Editor Andreea Dulgheru hears from innovation leaders at a recent Briefing roundtable about whether AI has the potential to be a key part in training the next generations
- We share insights from our flagship conference Briefing LIVE 2026 on strengthening client relationships and navigating the M&A landscape
- Freeths’ chief knowledge and innovation officer Nick Pryor, and director of service transformation Susan Whitla, outline how they have aligned their approach to measuring project value holistically, looking beyond purely financial ROI
BRAIN TRAINING
- Aileen Johnson, director of knowledge at Charles Russell Speechlys, explores how AI is reshaping the way lawyers learn and outlines why knowledge teams are vital for improving the sector’s skillset
INDUSTRY VIEWS
- Jennie Strickland, chief customer officer at Clio Operate, underlines the key elements of successful change management and transformation projects
- TP Bennett highlights the latest office fit-out trends and critical factors to consider when building a future-proof real estate strategy
- Alex Fortescue-Webb, head of UK and Ireland and global head of legal engineering at Legora, explores how AI-powered platforms help deliver the greater collaboration and value clients are demanding
- Helen Hodgkinson, TLT’s chief people officer, explains how the firm worked with long-standing partner Interaction to design and deliver a future‑focused office in Salford
- Brian Kenneally, CEO at Bundledocs, shares how embracing collaboration over linear workflows can help firms minimise bottlenecks and risk
- Matthew Stringer, CEO at Stridon, outlines why the differentiator is no longer access to AI, but whether firms are approaching adoption as a cultural change programme
- John Machado, chief technology officer at Elite, explains why financial and operational systems are the ideal starting point for embedding AI
- Dennis Garcia, VP general counsel legal at Litera, explores why law firms need to upgrade their people development programmes to keep pace with the AI-powered transformation of the legal sector
LAST WORD
- As the legal sector undergoes profound change, five law firm leaders explore the essential skills current and future firm leaders must have to weather the storm
destination: law firm of the future
The hardest part of any firmwide transformation isn’t buying tools, it’s landing change. Transformation leaders from CMS, Eversheds Sutherland, Irwin Mitchell, Trowers & Hamlins and White & Case highlight to Briefing editor Andreea Dulgheru why disciplined change management — underpinned by early and steady communication, empathetic leadership, and complete focus from start to finish — is the solid bridge to shaping the law firm of the future
Class in session
For years, law firm leaders have been wary of AI’s impact on training the new generations of lawyers in core legal skills honed over time — but could it also be part of the solution? Leaders at one recent Briefing roundtable discussed, and editor Andreea Dulgheru reports
Learning without ladders
Aileen Johnson, director of knowledge at Charles Russell Speechlys, explores how AI is quietly reshaping the way lawyers learn and outlines why knowledge teams hold the key to ensuring the profession grows sharper, not shallower, as a result
