Spellbook launches AI training for jr. lawyers at Kennedys
Junior lawyers at Kennedys will soon be training on how to stay efficient as artificial intelligence takes over many traditional tasks.
Kennedys has entered into a strategic collaboration with Toronto-based legal AI firm Spellbook to implement a legal training program designed to equip junior lawyers with the skills necessary as AI and automation transform the legal sector.
The partnership comes as the introduction of artificial intelligence and automation in legal practice threatens to reduce the volume of junior-level work, such as first-draft contract preparation and document review. According to the firm, these tasks have historically provided important hands-on experience for aspiring lawyers, and their automation raises concerns about how junior lawyers will acquire the practical exposure essential to developing core legal skills.
Without intervention, junior lawyers risk missing foundational training opportunities. Recognising this challenge, Kennedys and Spellbook have partnered to create a training program that addresses how AI is changing early-career legal work.
Founded in St. John's back in 2022, Spellbook has grown to become one of Canada's largest legal AI tech companies. As of 2024, the Canadian Government reports the company's program is used in 2,500 law firms across 50 countries.
Program launch and objectives
The initiative will launch later in the year and is designed to help junior lawyers develop judgment, adaptability, and technical skills in a market where traditional entry-level legal work is increasingly being automated. The program will merge Kennedys' experience in legal practice and professional development with Spellbook's generative AI capabilities for legal drafting and analysis.
"As AI accelerates change across the legal sector, we have a responsibility to ensure junior lawyers aren't left behind. This programme is about creating AI-fluent lawyers: professionals who can combine deep legal reasoning with the ability to work seamlessly alongside AI tools," said John Bruce, Senior Partner at Kennedys. "Our collaboration with Spellbook is a forward-looking investment in the profession's future, putting our people first whilst addressing head-on the efficiency opportunities and gaps that AI and automation are creating."
The program will include simulated legal scenarios and AI-assisted drafting exercises to reflect learning experiences that junior lawyers may encounter less frequently as routine tasks become automated. Participants will receive structured feedback that mirrors coaching traditionally delivered by senior colleagues.
The technology supplied by Spellbook will play an integral part in the initiative's structure, supporting practical training and feedback for legal trainees. Scott Stevenson, Spellbook Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, commented on the broader relevance of the partnership
"Kennedys is taking a bold and necessary step in preparing lawyers, and their clients, for an AI-powered future. By embedding Spellbook into a structured learning environment, they're ensuring the next generation doesn't just survive technological change, but leads it," said Stevenson.
This collaboration is among the first in the legal sector to tackle the potential impact of AI and automation on early-career legal education. The pilot will first be rolled out across Kennedys' US and UK offices, with the intention of disseminating findings and best practices to the wider legal profession.
Image courtesy of Spellbook. From left: co-founders Matt Mayers, Scott Stevenson, and Daniel Di Maria
