How Stridon's Copilot Success Roadmap transformed early success into lasting behavioural change
Company overview
Howes Percival are a leading commercial law firm with clients ranging from individuals and families to national and global organisations. The firm's strong digital maturity and appetite for innovation created the ideal foundation for exploring how generative AI could support people across the organisation.
The opportunity
Howes Percival first became aware of Stridon's work on generative AI in 2025. As conversations developed, the firm recognised that successful AI adoption required more than selecting the right technology. It needed a structured approach that would help colleagues understand where AI could add value, build confidence and embed new ways of working across the firm.
Through phases 1-3 of Stridon's Copilot Success Roadmap, Howes Percival had already generated significant enthusiasm and advocacy among its Champion and Early Adopter groups. The challenge was no longer whether Microsoft 365 Copilot could deliver value. The challenge was how to scale that success across a broad, multi-practice organisation with people at very different stages of AI maturity.
Some colleagues were exploring AI for the first time. Others were already developing prompts and experimenting with more advanced use cases. The firm needed an approach that would support both groups while maintaining momentum across the wider business.
The approach
Using Stridon's Copilot Success Roadmap, Howes Percival moved from a successful Proof of Value to a structured firmwide rollout focused on people, behaviours and sustainable adoption.
The programme began with a Champion cohort spanning both legal and business services functions. These Champions explored Copilot in the context of their own roles and became trusted advocates within their teams. Importantly, partners and senior leaders were active participants throughout the programme, helping to create visible sponsorship and reinforce the importance of adoption across the firm.
To support wider deployment, Stridon combined:
- Role-based workshops tailored to specific teams and functions
- Firmwide roadshows and live demonstrations
- Structured training aligned to licence rollout
- Practical use cases grounded in real legal and operational work
- Peer-to-peer learning through Champions and Early Adopters
- Ongoing support designed to sustain adoption beyond launch
Rather than treating Copilot as a technology rollout, the programme focused on helping people recognise where AI could help them perform their work more effectively and confidently.
Real work made Copilot relevant
A key factor in the programme's success was its focus on practical, role-specific applications.
Lawyers used Copilot to compare leases, review warranty schedules, extract information from Land Registry documents, summarise case law, create chronologies and improve client communications. Business services teams applied Copilot to finance and compliance reporting, policy guidance, research, troubleshooting and information management.
This helped colleagues see Copilot not as a standalone AI tool, but as a practical assistant embedded within the work they already performed.
For legal teams, that meant faster document analysis, stronger first drafts and more responsive client service. For business services teams, it meant reduced administrative effort, improved reporting and more effective use of organisational knowledge.
The results that drove the decision to firmwide rollout
The evidence gathered throughout phases 1-3 demonstrated strong adoption, confidence and advocacy among champions and sponsors:
- 96% would recommend Copilot
- 73% used it at least daily
- 46% used it four or more times per day
- 85% felt confident using it independently
- 8.5 out of 10 average usefulness score
Adoption also extended well beyond the original Champion cohort:
- More than 330 licensed users across the firm
- Approximately 120 registrations for a single Copilot Word workshop
- Champion-led learning sessions taking place across teams
- 94% active users and more than 33,000 prompts recorded in a July 2026 adoption snapshot
These results showed that Copilot was moving beyond experimentation and becoming part of everyday work.
From programme push to user pull
One of the strongest indicators of success was that demand for Copilot became increasingly self-sustaining. Interest was not driven solely by communications, training or project activity. As colleagues saw the benefits for themselves and heard about successful use cases from trusted peers, demand spread organically throughout the firm.
Champions and Early Adopters played a critical role in amplifying that momentum, sharing examples, answering questions and helping colleagues identify opportunities within their own roles. Adoption was no longer dependent on a central project team. It was being driven by the firm itself.
The strongest evidence of this cultural shift came from the way people described their experience:
"It's become part of my everyday workflow."
"It's the first place I start now."
"It helps me respond faster without losing quality."
These comments reflect an important behavioural change. Rather than viewing Copilot as an occasional productivity tool, users were beginning to see it as a practical starting point for everyday work. Whether reviewing documents, preparing client communications, organising information or tackling a new task, Copilot was becoming embedded in how people approached their roles.
Beyond productivity
The value extended far beyond saving time.
Faster document review, information extraction and drafting helped create more capacity for professional judgement, client service and higher-value work. Stronger first drafts reduced avoidable rework, while faster access to information supported more responsive decision-making and client communication.
The programme also strengthened digital confidence across the firm. People became more comfortable experimenting with AI, sharing knowledge and supporting colleagues. This created a stronger foundation not only for Copilot adoption, but for future AI innovation.
The outcome
Howes Percival successfully translated pilot success into firmwide momentum.
The firm established:
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- A cross-functional Champion network
- Strong levels of adoption, confidence and advocacy
- Visible leadership participation and sponsorship
- A broad library of proven legal and operational use cases
- Sustainable peer-to-peer learning and support
- Firmwide engagement through workshops and roadshows
- A platform for continued AI innovation and capability building
Why Stridon?
Technology alone does not create AI adoption.
Successful adoption requires leadership sponsorship, role-relevant learning, trusted peer influence, clear governance and ongoing support that helps people build confidence over time.
Through its Copilot Success Roadmap, Stridon helped Howes Percival move from experimentation to sustained adoption by combining deep Microsoft expertise with specialist knowledge of change, behaviour and organisational transformation.
The result was not simply a successful Copilot deployment. It was the creation of a growing internal capability that continues to support innovation, productivity, wellbeing and long-term competitive advantage across the firm.
Howes Percival didn't scale Copilot simply by making it available. With Stridon's support and guidance, it built the confidence, capability and momentum needed to make AI adoption stick.
Ready to move beyond the pilot?
Stridon's Copilot Success Roadmap helps law firms prove value, build confidence and create the conditions for sustainable AI adoption across the firm.
Get in touch to discuss your AI adoption journey.