Research Partner Profile: Dr Kion Ahadi, The Law Society

In this post, we feature Dr Kion Ahadi, Director of Futures and Insight at the Law Society. Dr Ahadi is the driving force behind the reinvention of the Law Society’s Futures, Research, Data and Knowledge Management functions, since he joined the Law Society in 2019.

Why did the Law Society get involved with the Global Legal Tech Report project as a partner?

The legal profession is experiencing fundamental change that is accelerating the need for law firms to innovate, to reconsider their offerings and potential client base.

It is becoming vital for firms and legal departments to employ strategic planning tools that incorporate uncertainty and complexity when they consider their future businesses and to prepare for a horizon much further out than has been typical in business forecasting.

Supporting the Global Legal Tech research is a key opportunity for the Law Society to demonstrate the importance we place on thought leadership.

It is a good way to help our members understand current trends in lawtech globally, as well as the opportunities available and how to effectively seize them. All of this has been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic which will require all businesses to embrace the latest communications technology, as the new normal, in an unprecedented global environment.

Tell us about your role at the Law Society

The Law Society is the independent professional body for solicitors in England and Wales. We are run by and for our members. Our role is to be the voice of solicitors, to drive excellence in the profession and to safeguard the rule of law.

My team’s role is to undertake and commission research and produce reports to provide evidence-based information for our members and the organisation. Our analysis covers:

• the make-up of the profession
• topical issues affecting the working lives of solicitors and the businesses in which they work
• wider legal market trends and issues (including the perspectives of buyers of legal services and drawing in data about other suppliers of legal services).

Our work underpins many of the functions carried out by the Law Society in delivering its strategic aims to support, promote and represent solicitors.

What we do for our members

The Law Society is committed to helping our current and future members:

• we influence for impact - we are the voice of the profession in Westminster, Cardiff, Brussels and with other governments across the world. We work for law reform in the interest of the public and the profession by influencing government, regulators and those who shape the law and legal market
• we promote our profession at home through our “solicitors here to help” campaign and represent England and Wales internationally as the global legal jurisdiction of choice
• we support practice excellence through specialised training, legal education and business support, helping solicitors to stay on top of changing regulatory requirements
• we act as a career companion, giving solicitors ways to plan for and take their next career step, by offering help and support through a host of events, courses and qualifications
• we keep solicitors up-to-date by bringing them the latest news, information and insight from the profession.

The Law Society Council governs our work. Members are elected to represent solicitors across England and Wales, including different demographic groups and areas of practice. We harness the knowledge and experience of our Council and volunteer board and committee representatives to deliver the advice, support and services our members want.

The profession we represent

Solicitors earn their title through dedication and commitment to legal education, training and development. They meet high professional and ethical standards, hold comprehensive insurance and a practising certificate which allows them to provide a wide range of advice and services to their clients. The Law Society represents the interests of over 180,000 registered legal practitioners to government and regulatory bodies and has a public interest in the reform of the law.

Solicitors play an essential role helping people throughout their lives. Whether clients are buying a house or writing a will, recovering compensation for an injury or defending an allegation of wrongdoing, solicitors offer support, guidance and expert advice.

Solicitors also support and advise businesses, from start-ups to major international companies, and from central and local government to charities. Solicitors deliver legal services through law firms or by working as a trusted employee within an organisation.