The Innovation team at Addleshaw Goddard offers graduates a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of law and technology.
From developing AI tools to leading projects and contributing fresh ideas, graduates are empowered to build meaningful careers in legal innovation.
We spoke to three Innovation Graduates to learn more about their experiences, the skills they’ve developed, and how the programme is preparing them for the future.
Muthukarpagavalli Aswathanarayanan, Innovation Graduate
What specific training or learning opportunities have you received as part of the Innovation team, and how have these contributed to your skillset?
AG has provided excellent professional development opportunities within the Innovation team. I have gained valuable skills in document automation using Contract Express, legal project management through HighQ, and AI-assisted contract review, including prompt engineering. I achieved an intermediate certification in Contract Express and developed practical experience in Vibe coding and UI design using Figma. These experiences, acquired within just eight months, have significantly enhanced my technical and legal innovation skillset, and I look forward to further growth.
In what ways have you been encouraged to contribute your ideas or take ownership of projects as a graduate?
Since joining, I have been actively encouraged to contribute ideas and take ownership of projects. I have been empowered to offer fresh perspectives, ask insightful questions, and share research-driven opinions. My suggestions have been welcomed, and I have been entrusted to communicate directly with fee-earners, developing my professional communication skills. With a balance of independence and supportive supervision, I have delivered projects with increasing autonomy, fostering my confidence and initiative.
Abigail Cox, Innovation Graduate
Can you describe a project or initiative you’ve worked on within the Innovation team that you found particularly rewarding or challenging?
A rewarding project I was very fortunate to be part of was working with our Platform Delivery team to maintain and develop our own internal LLM, dubbed AGPT. Being able to involve myself with the front end designs as well as the back end acceptance criteria that could be passed on to the developer teams gave an insight into the internal workings of legal artificial intelligence systems that built on my pre-existing knowledge from my law course at the university.
The most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time at AG?
No question is a silly question! It may seem daunting at first but keeping an open communication system with your mentors and team leaders is the best way to ensure you are continuing to develop your skillset and are given the appropriate support for new and unfamiliar tasks.
Jessica Hodgson, Innovation Graduate
In what ways have you been encouraged to contribute your ideas or take ownership of projects as a graduate?
From day one, I’ve been encouraged to be creative and speak up. Even 
during the placement week, AG showed genuine interest in how we tackled real scenarios, which set the tone for the Graduate Scheme. In my first pillar, I was trusted to lead an internal project, and that ownership has only grown as I’ve rotated. I’ve always felt backed to experiment with new ideas, explore emerging tech, and make the most of our own tools to bring concepts to life.
How do you see your experience at AG preparing you for future roles in innovation or legal technology?
By the end of the Graduate Scheme, I’ll have rotated through six pillars of the Innovation Group, each offering completely new skills, clients, and ways of working. Moving between these teams has let me build a broad toolkit while carrying my interests and strengths into each pillar. Since every area exposes me to different technologies, problem solving approaches, and project types, I’m gaining a well rounded foundation that prepares me for a wide range of future roles in innovation and legal tech.
