Company Overview
Wedlake Bell is a full-service, independent law firm in London. Established in 1780, the firm provides a wide range of legal services across commercial property, private client work, litigation and high-net-worth individuals.
The Opportunity
As the legal landscape evolves, Wedlake Bell recognises that the future of law is intrinsically linked to technology and innovation. The firm’s strategy is centred around a robust digital roadmap, with generative AI playing a key role. While still early in its adoption journey, Wedlake Bell sees generative AI as a digital transformative tool to improve productivity across all areas of the business.
“The world has developed enormously, and the future of the law lies in technology. Generative AI is not a trend – it’s an essential part of how we evolve.” Martin Arnold, Managing Partner at Wedlake Bell
The Approach
Working closely with Stridon, the firm’s internal technology team took a strategic approach to understanding the market and selecting the right tools. Microsoft 365 Copilot emerged as the natural fit because it offers a comprehensive, integrated solution within the existing Microsoft ecosystem.
But just as importantly, Wedlake Bell embraced Stridon’s core philosophy: that adopting AI is not just a technology project, it’s part of an organisational shift that involves everyone across the firm, and that’s a key part of the process.
Guided by Stridon’s comprehensive generative AI adoption roadmap Wedlake Bell is approaching its journey with this philosophy, ensuring that the rollout of Copilot is aligned with the firm’s cultural, operational, and strategic objectives. objectives.
“We believe everything we need is under one roof with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Stridon has helped us understand the landscape and guided us in making the right choices.” Martin Arnold, Managing Partner at Wedlake Bell
The Value
Microsoft 365 Copilot stood out for two key reasons:
- Natural integration: It works seamlessly within the firm’s existing suite of Microsoft tools including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, thus eliminating the need to adopt and train on entirely new platforms.
- Security and compliance: As a law firm, data privacy is non-negotiable. Microsoft 365 Copilot ensures client data remains secure and compliant within the Microsoft ecosystem.
Although the firm is still in the early stages, those already using Microsoft 365 Copilot are experiencing measurable benefits and increased confidence in day-to-day use.
“Staff know they can input client data into Microsoft 365 Copilot and trust that it’s completely secure. That’s a game-changer.” David Hymers, IT Director at Wedlake Bell
Wedlake Bell is approaching generative AI adoption as a long-term strategy, including proof-of-value checkpoints for Microsoft 365 Copilot to ensure the firm is well-positioned to benefit as the technology evolves.
Why Stridon?
Stridon has been a trusted digital transformation partner to Wedlake Bell for the last 9 years, becoming an extension of both the IT and wider AI teams. The firm has played a pivotal role in Wedlake Bell’s generative AI journey, delivering not just operational support, but strategic foresight that’s helped shape the long-term vision of the firm.