Jackson: AI is an incredibly powerful enabler
Staff at two leading regional law firms have been awarded significant bonuses – one for use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the other for their work in an employee-owned practice.
In April this year, Shoosmiths said staff would share a £1m bonus if they made a million Microsoft Copilot prompts in its next financial year – and they have reached the target with four months to spare.
Shoosmiths said it was the first major law firm to link a firmwide bonus to AI adoption.
It will now make an additional £1m available to all eligible staff as part of the firmwide bonus in its new financial year, which is contingent on the firm reaching its core financial metric.
The firm said that, as a general-purpose AI tool, Copilot was “helping in all job roles and proving particularly effective in checking emails for quality and clarity prior to sending, summarising, ideating, analysing, researching and meeting management”.
It does not use Copilot for tasks requiring legal training or expertise.
Chief executive David Jackson said: “Hitting this milestone ahead of schedule showcases our people’s commitment and enthusiasm to embrace change and create a new benchmark for what client service looks like.
“We are proud to be driving the AI shift and continue to explore ways to make AI even more accessible across the firm. AI is an incredibly powerful enabler – it helps us work smarter and deliver greater value for clients, freeing our people to focus on human-to-human work at the heart of client services.”
Meanwhile, Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison has awarded £5,000 to each eligible employee as part of its annual profit share bonus.
It became employee owned in 2022 and staff have received an end-of-year bonus each time; last year, it was £4,000.
We reported recently how, after a year of continued growth, Ison Harrison was ready to expand outside of Yorkshire after opening a 24th office. It has over 430 staff and expects turnover to top £35m this year.
Managing director Jonathan Wearing said: “This is a clear sign of how our employee ownership model continues to deliver shared success. Every member of the team has played a part in our growth over the past year, from the integration of new acquisitions to the continued development of our branches and services.
“The profit share is a direct result of their ongoing commitment and the collective spirit that makes this firm what it is. As we enter our fifth year as an employee-owned business, the benefits are clear for both our people and our clients.”
The firm has also launched a dedicated advisory service to support other businesses exploring the transition to an employee ownership trust.
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