Standout
Zurich Insurance Group: Winner
O: 8; L: 9; I: 8; Total: 25
The insurer’s legal team collaborated with other in-house legal departments to share knowledge and provide new opportunities for its lawyers. Examples include running digital upskilling workshops to improve Zurich’s lawyers’ understanding of artificial intelligence.
The team also runs a secondment programme with UBS Bank, whereby two to three employees swap places annually, in order to develop better understanding of the financial markets.
Microsoft
Originality: 8; Leadership: 8; Impact: 8; Total: 24
Microsoft’s Emea legal team set up schemes to encourage greater use of generative AI tools, including the technology giant’s own Copilot, and to boost efficiency. The resulting experiments, such as comparing laws across jurisdictions, showed significant time savings were possible. Team members also released online videos to show publicly how AI can help with legal tasks.
HSBC
O: 8; L: 8; I: 8; Total: 24
Disappointing feedback on employee morale prompted four members of the bank’s legal team to initiate schemes that would lead to improvements, such as better connections between colleagues and new career development opportunities. After 25 or so initiatives, organised by nearly 90 volunteers, engagement scores in employee surveys have increased substantially.
Highly commended
GSK
O: 7; L: 7; I: 8; Total: 22
In 2021, the UK drugmaker’s legal team created a six-month programme to nurture its future leaders. The team updates the course’s content each year to stay ahead of relevant trends in leadership training. Since its inception, 85 team members drawn from about 700 legal and compliance staff have completed the programme.
Booking.com
O: 7; L: 8; I: 7; Total: 22
Lawyers at the online travel company set up a group of eight representatives from different practice areas tasked with gathering and sharing information on the latest developments in AI. The group has advised the business on developing an updated chatbot for customers.
UBS
O: 8; L: 7; I: 7; Total: 22
A group of 30 of the bank’s lawyers, led by Fiona Phillips, worked with a mental health company on a series of emotional intelligence workshops. These focused on encouraging creative and entrepreneurial thinking, and the legal team plans to extend them more widely.
Commended
Banco Santander
O: 7; L: 8; I: 6; Total: 21
The bank’s Madrid-based legal team has launched a series of initiatives to improve team engagement. In one example, it established an annual essay writing competition, offering winners a trip to Harvard Law School. Leaders say these initiatives have helped retain talent and ensure its 130-plus lawyers stay connected.
ASML
O: 7; L: 8; I: 6; Total: 21
The legal team at the Dutch manufacturer of chipmaking equipment created an AI-generated computer-illiterate lawyer, dubbed “Joe”, to encourage better operations practices. Joe is used to encourage lawyers in the team to engage with technological change and share tips.
Unilever
O: 7; L: 7; I: 7; Total: 21
The consumer goods group’s legal team has run several training sessions to encourage adoption of new AI-powered systems. Some 90 per cent of the company’s 600 lawyers have attended at least one of the classes.
BAE Systems
O: 7; L: 7; I: 6; Total: 20
Two members of the British defence contractor’s 120-strong legal team created an internal network to provide 20 junior lawyers with opportunities to engage with senior staff across the business, and to engage in strategic conversations earlier in their careers.
Johnson Matthey
O: 6; L: 7; I: 7; Total: 20
The UK manufacturer’s legal team has introduced several volunteer groups to encourage wider involvement in decision-making and leadership within the department.
