Eversheds Sutherland is to start training sessions for all its U.K. partners in the field of legal technology.

Speaking at Legal Week's Strategic Technology Forum in Marbella last week, Eversheds co-head of innovation, Andrew McManus, said it was a growing necessity for partners to feel comfortable discussing the key issues and firm's capabilities with clients. As a result the firm will start a training program this September.

“The idea is that every partner will go through a face-to-face exercise with a range of people training them on technology,” said McManus, who was appointed to the role earlier this year.

“So in the same way we trained people on things like GDPR, we're now training people on technology.”

Part of the sessions will involve providing partners with basic answers to frequent client questions, which can be used in discussions.

“The way were looking it, were giving them little cards, so the card will say this is a typical question from a client and they'll flip it over and they'll get an answer,” he said.

“The idea is to have something as gimmicky as a tips-and-tricks in their pocket.”

The classes are the latest foray into tech innovation at the firm. In November last year, Eversheds announced it had introduced an innovation crowdsourcing platform, Idea Drop, across its 66 offices to allow lawyers and staff to share, like and rate each other's ideas for improving services.

Other law firms have taken similar steps. Last year, Reed Smith announced that it would divert five summer associates into a program where they will work on developing projects that use tech to improve legal services.

Similarly, Clifford Chance announced plans to roll out a so-called IGNITE training contract from 2021 focused on legal technology, which would take on a cohort of five trainees.