Prime Highlights
- Bird & Bird hired EY technology partner Shahin Baghaei to lead a new legal transformation team.
- Christian Bartsch said the hire strengthens the firm’s legaltech and AI capabilities.
Key Facts
- Bird & Bird is a top 20 UK law firm expanding its legal technology offering.
- A Deloitte report found 61% of legal departments are now deploying AI in their operations.
Background
Top 20 UK law firm Bird & Bird has hired a technology partner from EY, along with three of his former colleagues, to launch a legal transformation team.
Shahin Baghaei joined Bird & Bird earlier this week and will lead the development of legal technology aimed at handling clients’ routine work more efficiently. He will report to the firm’s CEO Christian Bartsch.
He is joined by head of legal solutions Dale Carden, senior manager Carl Newman and manager Carolyn Guha. The team will combine legal expertise, workflows and technology to improve the scale and consistency of processes, including contract management.
Baghaei brings extensive experience advising clients on operational and commercial matters, including how legal teams can use technology to streamline their processes. He has worked across heavily regulated sectors such as life sciences, healthcare, technology, communications and financial services. He spent seven years at EY, where he served as partner and legal transform and operate leader for the UK and Ireland, and previously worked in Deutsche Bank’s in-house legal chief operating office.
Baghaei said Bird & Bird’s leadership, lawyers and business services teams share a strong commitment to innovation and helping clients navigate change, adding that the firm’s willingness to embrace new ideas was a major factor in his decision to join. Bartsch said Baghaei’s experience advising organisations on AI and the future of legal service delivery would strengthen the firm’s legaltech and AI capabilities.
Baghaei began his career as a solicitor at Clifford Chance before founding legal and compliance consultancy Visionlane.
The move comes as law firms and legal departments increase investment in AI and legal technology. A recent Deloitte report found that 61% of legal departments are deploying AI, with 79% increasing AI investment year-on-year. Other firms, including Arnold & Porter, have also recently strengthened their AI leadership.
