Guest post by James Lewindon, head of client development for flexible legal services at Pinsent Masons Vario [1]
Lewindon: Generationally diverse teams are more productive
As we progress through 2026, in-house legal function leaders will increasingly have to evolve their thinking on how to manage multigenerational teams containing differing levels of technological expertise.
This year looks set to be an inflection point in legal tech innovation, with generative AI starting to deliver on its promise. And in-house legal teams are under pressure to use legal tech to deliver cost savings and efficiencies, just as much as teams in private practice.
Managing the intergenerational dynamic may seem like a side issue, but collective adaptability has become a real competitive advantage. Our in-house clients are already asking for advice on how to harness different generations’ skillsets and drive a collective upskilling.
Changing education and training having a profound impact
Technology, especially generative AI, has already had a profound impact on lawyers’ education, the training they receive and how they deliver their allocated tasks.
Starting at university, lawyers now learn to work with technology and recognise their role as the human expert guiding the process.
There are also more lawyers taking different routes to qualification. Take the example of Pinsent Masons Vario; we recently partnered with the College of Legal Practice to launch MLS Qualify, a new route to qualification for paralegals working in our managed legal services team. The programme specifically focuses on legal technology and innovation.
In addition, more lawyers are qualifying in-house through the Solicitors Qualifying Examination route. These lawyers can have very different skillsets and experiences to those who took the traditional route of qualifying in private practice before moving in-house.
Harnessing different skillsets
While these changes can unlock new ways of delivering legal services, they can also challenge in-house lawyers with management responsibilities. It can be difficult to harness new perspectives and skillsets to encourage innovation while delivering on strategic priorities.
For example, disagreements can happen during the implementation of new technology platforms, such as contract lifecycle management tools. Some lawyers may be more willing to adopt new platforms or move quicker during the implementation phase.
They may have a greater appreciation of the benefits that a new tool could deliver or find it easier to mould their skills to new ways of working than those who’ve worked in a similar way for many years.
Without combining experience with the challenge of new viewpoints and ways of working, teams may find the process of adopting new technologies too challenging to realise their benefits.
Managing tech-savvy colleagues key to in-house lawyer progression
We recently carried out research that found that over a third of in-house lawyers have CEO aspirations.
Building a broader leadership toolkit, including managing diverse teams, is a key part of how aspiring in-house lawyers can position themselves for success. Diversity includes differences in ethnicity or socio-economic background, but also differences in skillsets, experiences and intellectual approaches.
Fundamentally, gaining an understanding of how to successfully introduce a new technology solution across a function is an invaluable asset for any leader in a modern business.
Encouraging collaboration and ideas sharing
To get the most from a new technology, it’s important to create an environment where multigenerational teams can work together productively and each individual feels confident in sharing their ideas.
This will, hopefully, ensure you’re getting the most from each individual’s skillset, no matter their rank.
Taking a more structured approach, such as setting up working groups which include lawyers of all seniorities and non-lawyer colleagues such as legal operations or business analysts, can also provide a forum for ideas sharing and encourage effective teamwork.
Underlining the importance of this meaningful intergenerational collaboration, a recent study by the London School of Economics, Bridging the generational AI gap, found that AI initiatives driven by teams with high generational diversity are more productive. And seeing visible success among peers was highlighted as driving AI adoption.
Ultimately, the success of any legal tech project depends on the people behind the processes, just as much as the brilliance of the tools. When companies invest in leadership that can bridge internal knowledge gaps, they build teams that can adapt together.
Managing the human side of legal tech adoption is the cornerstone of sustainable innovation in modern practice.