Digital Transformation and AI in Legal Education: A Workshop Report
This report has been prepared to capture and synthesise current thinking on the future of legal training in an age defined by rapid technological transformation. Its primary purpose is to provide a structured, accessible account of the key issues confronting legal educators, law firms, and professional bodies as they adapt to new modes of learning, digital tools, and the rise of AI. As automation, hybrid practice, and global collaboration reshape legal practice, the need for coherent guidance on skills development, pedagogical design, and responsible technology use becomes increasingly pressing. This document therefore serves both as a record of emerging insights and as a basis for further dialogue across the profession.
The report distils the outputs of BIICL's Legal Training and Technology Workshop held on 15 October 2025, which convened senior academics, partners from major international law firms, knowledge and innovation specialists, and AI experts. Participants included keynote speaker Professor Diana Laurillard of the UCL Knowledge Lab in conversation with Dr Yarik Kryvoi of BIICL; as well as contributors to the first roundtable — Clare Semple of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Abdul Sattar of Withers, Barry Fletcher of DLA Piper, and Carys Clipper of White & Case — and to the second roundtable on AI in training — Benjamin Barrat of Clifford Chance, Mona Wright of White & Case, and Vanessa Naish of Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of all workshop participants.
In addition to these speakers, other roundtable participants made valuable contributions, including representatives from academia and individuals overseeing the training of government officials, whose perspectives broadened the discussion and highlighted the diversity of institutional needs in legal education.
Beyond documenting the insights generated through these discussions, this report also serves as the conceptual foundation for the establishment of ELDA — Education & Learning in a Digital Age — a new initiative inspired by the workshop's shared recognition that the legal profession requires coherent, well-designed, and inclusive approaches to digital-age training. ELDA aims to provide a long-term platform for evidence-based learning models, responsible innovation, and enhanced access to high-quality professional development across jurisdictions. In this sense, the report looks both backward and forward: it captures where the profession stands today and outlines a direction for how legal education and training may evolve tomorrow.
