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From curiosity to concrete adoption

As generative AI gains traction in law, firms are moving beyond experimentation. Legal professionals share how thoughtful implementation is streamlining workflows, boosting accuracy, and enhancing client value – without replacing human judgment

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Evelyn A. Jacobs

Yanko Popovic Sidhu

Allan Akizuki

Thomson Reuters Canada

Erica Kitaev

Thomson Reuters

Doug Higgins

Hull & Hull LLP

Industry experts

Evelyn Jacobs began her academic journey at the University of Calgary with a BA in sociology, focusing on crime and deviance. While studying, she worked in the non-profit sector and discovered a passion for advocacy. In 2014, she joined Yanko Popovic Sidhu as a paralegal under David Yanko’s mentorship. After eight years, she pursued her LLB at the University of Buckingham, graduating with first-class honours in 2023. Jacobs earned several academic awards and was nominated for a Woman of the Future Award. With extensive experience in personal injury, she advocates for patient rights and has spoken at The Women’s Parliament.

Yanko Popovic Sidhu

Evelyn A. Jacobs

Allan Akizuki brings over 25 years of experience in legal research and technology solutions with Thomson Reuters Canada. Currently leading a team of solutions consultants and customer success managers, his career encompasses a diverse range of roles including product training, instructional design, customer success, and product marketing. Akizuki is passionate about empowering clients to maximize their technology ROI. His team focuses on reducing time-to-value and accelerating solution acquisition and adoption. Beyond his primary role, Akizuki leads the law school program at Thomson Reuters Canada and partners with non-profit organizations promoting social justice.

Thomson Reuters Canada

Allan Akizuki

A 20-year veteran of the legal industry, Erica Kitaev joined Practical Law from private practice, where she was a partner in the data protection and litigation groups at an AmLaw 100 firm. An early proponent of legal technology, she has deep expertise in using and building solutions that leverage artificial intelligence to drive the delivery of high-quality legal services.

Thomson Reuters

Erica Kitaev

Doug Higgins is a litigation associate with Hull & Hull LLP, a leading Canadian firm in trusts, estates, and capacity issues. Higgins’ practice focuses on contentious estates and trust disputes, seeking practical solutions for his clients through firm, focused advocacy. An important component of his practice is the use of cutting-edge technology to better serve his clients’ interests. Higgins is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canada) and The Advocates’ Society, and a proud alumnus of Queen’s University.

Hull & Hull LLP

Doug Higgins

In Partnership with

Fighting for the customer

The customer owned a bank saw a huge boost after the Hayne Royal Commission. One year on and their market share is growing as customer continue to see their value.

Read on

Christopher Lee

MFAA head credit adviser, Finsure Finance and Insurance

Stewart Saunders

Heritage Bank

Darren McLeod

Beyond Bank

Fernando Lemos

Bank Australia

Industry experts

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Bank Australia

Fernando Lemos

Beyond Bank

Darren McLeod

Heritage Bank

Stewart Saunders

MFAA head credit adviser, Finsure Finance and Insurance

Christopher Lee

In Partnership with

Fighting for the customer

The customer owned a bank saw a huge boost after the Hayne Royal Commission. One year on and their market share is growing as customer continue to see their value.

Read on

Christopher Lee

MFAA head credit adviser, Finsure Finance and Insurance

Stewart Saunders

Heritage Bank

Darren McLeod

Beyond Bank

Fernando Lemos

Bank Australia

Industry experts

LAST YEAR this feature’s headline declared that customer-owned banks were the industry’s “best-kept secret”, but as these banks have continued to see success over the past 12 months, the secret might be coming out.

Although there was a slight dip in the early months of 2019, the mutual banks’ market share has grown to more than 3% of broker business since the royal commission began. The sector’s growth has corresponded to a drop in loans settled with the major banks, as well as regional banks aligned to the majors. On top of this, an independent report by KPMG has demonstrated that mutual banks, credit unions and building societies managed to grow their residential lending by 7.3% and customer deposits by 8.5% in 2019. The report noted that this was down to their increased investment in both people and technology to meet customers’ needs. Read more about these investments over the following pages.

banks may have to worry about driving a profit, customer-owned banks work for their customers. Thank you to the representatives of the customer-owned banks who took part in MPA’s roundtable. It is always great to speak to those within these organisations about how they are working with brokers. Thank you also to the brokers who took time out of their day to take part in the discussion. Read more about what they all had to say in the pages ahead.A recent KPMG report showed that customer-owned banks grew their residential lending in the past year. Why do you think they did? The customer-owned banking sector has continued to grow over recent years, particularly as borrowers and brokers look for alternatives to the major and second-tier banks. Released in November, the KPMG Mutuals Industry Review 2019 found that mutual banks, credit unions and building societies had grown their residential lending by 7.3% in the year previously. Taking the lead in answering this first question, Stewart Saunders, head of broker distribution at Heritage Bank, said the royal commission had been a key driver of the increase the mutuals have seen as customers look elsewhere.

In January, MPA held a roundtable discussion with four customer-owned banks: Heritage Bank, Beyond Bank, Teachers Mutual Bank Limited and Bank Australia. We were also joined by two brokers who use mutual banks for their clients’ business: Christopher Lee and David Merison. As brokers such as these struggle with the greater scrutiny that has following the royal commission, customer-owned banks are stepping up to the plate, providing a service that highlights the value of human interaction. With questions around living expenses forcing a heavier workload on brokers, this personal touch can be vital. During the roundtable, which took place at Otto restaurant in Sydney, the group discussed the unique value proposition that customer-owned banks offer, particularly with the lack of shareholders they have to cater for. While other

“The value proposition that mutual banks provide is getting some more attention,” he said. “We’ve known for a long time that the customer satisfaction that members get through mutual organisations is very high compared to the major banks. I think we’ve struggled to convert that into member growth, but more recently, with it being so front of mind with customers, it’s definitely starting to grow.” Growth in the sector is giving the mutual banks their “time to shine”, said Beyond Bank head of third party Darren McLeod, adding that they had worked hard over the last two years on selling their proposition. Referring to the previous year’s roundtable, when the catchphrase of the day was that the customer-owned banking sector was the industry’s “best-kept secret”, McLeod said, “I think that secret is finally getting out.” “I don’t think we’re doing anything different,” he added. “We’re doing what we’ve always done, but there’s more customer uptake because the market’s in a place where people are now looking, and they’re willing to try it.” Agreeing that the royal commission had had an effect on consumers heading to the mutual banks, Mark Middleton, head of third party at Teachers Mutual, said there was a growing groundswell. Not only were borrowers looking for alternative options but aggregators were adding more choice to their panels, he said. Offering a different perspective, Middleton said consumers were becoming more aware of responsible lending and social responsibilities and asking about things like climate change. Teachers Mutual is not only carbon neutral but gives back around 6.8% of its net profits to community grants and other projects. “It’s particularly topical right now, with the bushfires happening around the country, that people will start looking for who is doing things to make a difference, not just for this generation but future generations,” Middleton said.

“I think we’ve been actually ahead of the curve; no one’s been really aware of it, but the last 12 months it’s become more prevalent.” Middleton also talked about the wider recognition the sector was receiving, as reflected in its high NPS scores. “From all the mutuals around the table here, clearly when customers are being recommended by brokers to come to us, they’re voting with their feet,” he said. McLeod agreed that a lot of the growth was coming out of the third party space. “We’ve all been working hard in the broker space over the last couple of years as more brokers use customer-owned banks,” he said. “I think the growth is definitely in the broker channel and the work all of us have been doing in the business. The growth we’re talking about is definitely coming from brokers.” Brokers have also been an important factor for Bank Australia. Senior relationship manager Fernando Lemos said the bank had been bolstering its support around the third party distribution space. He added that it was not only about diversification of products but also diversification of lenders, and this helped brokers cater for a wider client base. “I think brokers are really starting to become aware of what we’re about and what we stand for,” Lemos said. “There’s a marketing edge as well: they can go out there and promote themselves. They’re not just a line to a particular organisation; they can look after certain types of clients.” Agreeing, McLeod added that the extra regulation, such as the caps on interest-only lending, had also had an effect on the sector.

“We all had to slow down for the caps,” he said. “But when it opened up, the brokers who used four lenders were now using a lot more, so it really gave us a chance because we’re in that larger group. So it’s really opened up the market, because it was so confusing in terms of who was doing what – who’s doing construction, who’s doing interest-only, who’s doing investment – so it’s opened up the market and it gives us a shot at getting the business." One of two brokers joining the roundtable, David Merison from Vault Plus Mortgage and Finance Consultancy said the demographic of people looking to borrow money wanted choice, rather than relying on those who came straight out of the banks and were simply agents for those lender “We’ve got to hold ourselves open and come up with some innovative solutions, and that means introducing some lenders they wouldn’t always think of,” he said. Finsure Finance and Insurance broker Christopher Lee said his primary objective was to put the largest amount of money in his client’s pocket rather than the bank’s pocket, and the mutuals offered a cheaper alternative, as well as a more diverse product range. Not just that but Lee simply enjoys dealing with the mutuals more.

“They actually listen to you and there’s genuine, open conversation,” he said. “I’m there to work for my clients, and a lot of my clients don’t have a straightforward profile, but the mutual banks are always willing to listen and to see how they can potentially make the deal work. “And you don’t just feel like a number; I know a lot of the staff at the mutual banks, and that gives me the confidence to pass it on to the clients.”

Beyond Bank

Darren McLeod

Heritage Bank

Stewart Saunders

MFAA head credit adviser, Finsure Finance and Insurance

Christopher Lee

Bank Australia

Fernando Lemos

Taking a practical approach – and taking it slow

Published Jun 4, 2025

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“We’re very excited about the future and what we can deliver: effective, efficient tools that enable legal workflows from end to end. That’s the future we’re looking towards”

Erica Kitaev, Thomson Reuters

For the full discussion, watch the roundtable now: Practical steps to integrate AI in your law firm. If you have questions or would like more information, the Thomson Reuters team is happy to connect.

“All of our products are human-centric – we’re not here to replace people,” Akizuki stresses. “We’re here to accelerate the more mundane tasks, increase the quality of the overall work, and, I’ll say it again, add value to clients.” While there’s no question that generative AI is here to stay, “it’s about us getting behind it and knowing how to use it in our favour,” Jacobs adds. Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to enhance your current approach, the important thing is to get started. There are stalwarts in the space who can light the way for you. “Get off the analysis line of thinking,” Akizuki sums up. “There’s no utopia of one single interface that performs everything

“All of our products are human-centric – we’re not here to replace people. “We’re here to accelerate the more mundane tasks, increase the quality of the overall work, and add value to clients”

Allan Akizuki, Thomson Reuters Canada

‘The biggest change is not just coming – it’s here’ This isn’t the first time there’s been a transformative moment in the legal industry, but it’s certainly one of the most impactful. “The biggest change is not just coming – it’s here,” Kitaev says, pointing to Thomson Reuter’s annual 2024 Generative AI in Professional Services Report, which clearly shows an upward trajectory in terms of Canadian legal practitioners considering, adopting, and using these AI tools. “We’re very excited about the future and what we can deliver: effective, efficient tools that enable legal workflows from end to end. That’s the future we’re looking towards.” And that forward-thinking approach is rooted in 150 years of publishing quality legal content in Canada. Importantly, Thomson Reuters is less focused on the technological tool – though these are state-of-the-art and top of the line, make no mistake – and more concerned with the hand that holds it.

72% of respondents in legal believe AI will be a force for good in in their profession

77% of respondents believe AI will have a high or transformational impact on their work over the next five years

2024 GenAI in Professional Services Report

Akizuki’s team is in constant contact with clients, both existing and potential, managing expectations along the spectrum of those who think an AI system should do absolutely everything to those who think it can’t do anything. Noting that there’s a fatigue among firms trying to figure out every possible thing the technology can do, Thomson Reuters steps in. As a qualified and experienced authority, the vendor makes it its mission to help firms find that middle ground of measured confidence in AI’s ability to coexist with and supplement existing talent. “We’re able to guide them through where they’re going to get the most value out of the product, at least initially,” Akizuki says, and Kitaev points to the many longstanding relationships with clients as proof of their trust in the products and people of Thomson Reuters. “We take extra efforts to support them,” she notes. “We’re there through the whole process.”

Relying on a knowledgeable vendor Allan Akizuki, manager, solutions consultants at Thomson Reuters, sees many clients interested in investing in AI, from government, large law, and corporations to mid-sized and small firms. It’s the latter group that’s seeing the most activity – firms with agility, tech-forward focus, and real-use cases that benefit from genAI solutions. Emphasis is on that last point, he notes. “It’s becoming more and more important to understand it’s not just evaluating the efficacy and ethics around the software itself,” he says. “It’s about how you’ll get value out of this product, and how quickly. Implementation and change management are just as crucial as assessing the quality of the system.”

“Be deliberate and have a strategy. Make sure people are comfortable using these systems. That’s how they’re going to get the full value – and there is real value here”

Doug Higgins, Hull & Hull LLP

While every firm will have different technology setups, most AI products are adaptive: with a bit of forethought all products can work in concert. “Be deliberate and have a strategy,” Higgins advises, noting taking a one-on-one approach and asking people what practice pain points they wish would disappear is a great first step. “Make sure people are comfortable using these systems. That’s how they’re going to get the full value – and there is real value here.” While ethical concerns are valid, there is wider recognition that much of it can be mitigated with the vigilance that should be applied anyway. The role of due diligence by the lawyer on the file should be underscored in all training, from the get-go. “It’s a first-draft system, not the be-all-end-all,” Jacobs stresses. “There’s always somebody revising the information, making sure it’s accurate, and then using it in practice.” Another important point is to bolster buy-in. Taking a leadership role and establishing a peer-to-peer dialogue internally that enables people to share their wins and struggles, best practices, and prompts is more effective than any formal training session.

As impressive and empowering as genAI is, change is still difficult – but it doesn’t take long to see the benefits. The key to a smooth transition is to go into implementation with a clearly defined plan. While many firms opt for firm-wide roll-out, that might not be feasible right out of the gate. Hammering out details – such as who will be trained first: just lawyers, or clerks and support staff as well? – in advance is important. It’s also critical to consider how AI will integrate with the firm’s existing tech stack. With co-counsel, it’s essentially “plug and play” where it connects to existing document management systems. This reduces friction by avoiding system transfers.

“It’s game-changing; it was honestly astonishing to see how quickly information could be synthesized and used for our practice”

Evelyn A. Jacobs, Yanko Popovic Sidhu

“We’re more nimble in how we approach our files,” he explains, noting that where his firm is seeing the most benefit is in the time saved when looking for “that needle in the haystack.” Over the months leading to trial, there are often tens of thousands of emails to sift through. Any litigation lawyer is familiar with that frustration of trying to track down a document they know they’ve seen at some point, typing random key words into a search function. AI can take that vague recollection and locate the relevant item almost instantaneously – and that time savings equals cost savings to clients. Erica Kitaev, global product management for Practical Law at Thomson Reuters, calls that feedback “music to my ears.” With over 650 editors globally producing content and infusing their expertise into genAI solutions, the end goal is always to assist clients in getting their work done efficiently and effectively. “We want to create products that allow lawyers to exercise their legal judgment more and get them to that step more quickly,” Kitaev explains, noting it’s not about eliminating the necessary “busy work” of running a case, but moving it along more seamlessly. And the advantages change according to where you may be in the case cycle. “It’s a common theme we hear from our clients: the value is to be had in multiple different ways in their business. It’s not only saving significant amounts of time; it’s adding value for your clients by increasing the overall quality of the work as well.”

Its value also shone in the discovery process, where lawyers field questions about often-minute details in the records. Jacobs was able to find exact footnotes in the files in the AI product, anticipate questions, and be quick on her feet when looking to respond, without the tedious manual work. “It’s game-changing; it was honestly astonishing to see how quickly information could be synthesized and used for our practice,” Jacobs says. Doug Higgins, associate at Hull & Hull LLP, agrees that, when wielded correctly, AI allows lawyers to “establish and maintain an edge.” Focusing primarily on estates, family trusts, and capacity litigation, Higgins’ work is also incredibly document-heavy and therefore ripe to reap the benefits of automation.

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AS GENERATIVE AI moves from buzzword to business tool, the legal industry is entering a new phase: practical implementation. Law firms are no longer just curious – they’re seeking clarity on how to integrate the technology meaningfully and deliver measurable results. For many, that starts with learning from peers already putting AI to work in high-stakes, document-heavy cases. Real-world impact: establishing and maintaining an edge Evelyn Jacobs, lawyer at personal injury firm Yanko Popovic Sidhu, is no stranger to sifting through vast amounts of data. From thousands of pages of medical records and case law summarization to reviewing defense briefs, Thomson Reuters’ gen AI product includes a timeline feature that was incredibly helpful in setting up the critical kick-off point.

Respondents predicted that, on average, 56% of their team’s work will utilize new AI-powered tech in 5 years’ time

magically across the enterprise. But at Thomson Reuters, we create tools that match how people work. And now we’re connecting our many long-standing resources with a genAI assistant to get the best of both worlds.”

Taking a practical approach – and taking it slow

Published Jun 4, 2025