Linklaters Launches 'Applied Intelligence' Practice to Deliver Bespoke Matter-Specific AI Workflows at Fixed Fees
Linklaters has launched Applied Intelligence, a new practice designed to build bespoke AI solutions tailored to individual clients and specific matters. Announced on 5 May 2026, the practice unites attorneys and data scientists to construct custom AI tools and workflows for complex engagements involving uncommonly large and complex document and data sets — resources that have historically sat outside individual practice groups. The practice was co-founded by Tom Quoroll, a structured finance partner and chair of the firm's AI programme, and Sarah Barnard, Linklaters' director of AI delivery; Quoroll told Law.com that Applied Intelligence will work alongside clients and other internal practices to identify matters that are a good fit. The practice adopts a fixed-fee approach, distinguishing it from standard hourly-rate engagements and signalling a structural shift in how the firm prices AI-enabled work. Linklaters positions Applied Intelligence as a response to client demand for deeper, matter-specific technology integration rather than off-the-shelf legal tech deployments.
Why this matters
A standalone practice dedicated to building bespoke AI workflows — rather than simply licensing third-party tools — represents a meaningful escalation in how Magic Circle firms are investing in legal technology. The fixed-fee model is commercially significant: it shifts delivery risk onto the firm and forces rigorous scoping, which will pressure competitors to articulate their own AI pricing frameworks. Embedding data scientists alongside lawyers within a named practice also raises questions about regulatory compliance, particularly around SRA rules on non-lawyer ownership of legal services. The move arrives as law firm AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, with Law360 Pulse surveys showing a marked shift in sentiment across both firms and corporate legal departments.
On the Ground
Trainees should expect due diligence and large-document review matters to be flagged as potential Applied Intelligence candidates — understanding how to scope and hand off to AI-assisted workflows will become a core skill. Watch for client pitches that now include a dedicated AI solutioning component as a differentiator. Conflicts and data-governance questions around feeding client documents into bespoke models will need early escalation.
Interview prep
Question you might get
“How does Linklaters' fixed-fee model for bespoke AI work interact with SRA transparency and pricing rules, and what conflicts risks arise from feeding sensitive client data into matter-specific models?”
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