This episode welcomes Karen Watton (QMUL) and Prof. Emily Allbon (City St Georges University) to talk us through what is meant by legal design and how it can benefit both law students and the public.

The law is for everyone but structures can make it hard for everyone to access the legal system. Legal design is an increasingly popular methodology, helping to improve the mindset and output that lawyers can give.

In this episode Karen Watton (Queen Mary University of London) and Professor Emily Allbon (City St Georges University) explain the important role that legal design has in creating systems around the law that work for the end user. This episode discusses the design thinking methodology, the skills students can gain from looking at things afresh and examining a legal scenario from the perspective of the end user.

We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode. Here are a few suggestions.
- Learn to pay attention. One trick is to take an everyday object e.g. a biro lid and draw it 50 times.
- Learn how to listen actively. Practice listening actively.
- Look at an agreement you just made (e.g. an app or gym membership) and think about how helpful that was for you. How could it be improved?

Useful resources
- Law Bore https://lawbore.net/ - a website directory of law for undergraduate law students.
- Home - Design the Law Nepal
- Coltsfoot Vale - The Land Law Story Map – the land law story map.
- Tl;dr - https://tldr.legal/home which includes an interactive map on Kyla’s Essay Journey.
- The Brexit Comic Strip Brexit: The Comic Strip - tl;dr - The Less Textual Legal Gallery
- Design in Legal Education - The Book - Design in Legal Education
- THE LEGAL DESIGN BOOK – Doing Law In The 21st Century – featuring qLegal’s case study in the field work section.
- Privacy Policy – Ambessa Play – A children’s privacy policy.
- Expanding Legal Design at qLegal: From volunteering to curriculum - qLegal – A news story about qLegal’s legal design module at Queen Mary University of London.

In this episode of ReImagine Law, we sit down with Peter Walsh and Pravina Pathmanathan from CMS to explore how one of the UK’s leading law firms is redefining the future of legal services through innovation and legal technology. Peter and Pravina bring fresh perspectives from outside the legal sector and share how their roles are reshaping a traditionally conservative industry—one idea, prototype, and insight at a time.

🧩 Topics Covered:

1. Getting Into Innovation in Law
Peter and Pravina share their unique career journeys—from consulting and energy to legal innovation—and what drew them to work in a sector poised for transformation.

2. What Innovation Looks Like at a Law Firm
Peter explains how CMS fosters a culture of experimentation within a traditionally risk-averse environment—using tools like Innovation Hours, hackathons, and client co-creation.

3. The Role of Legal Technology
Pravina breaks down the difference between legal tech and innovation, and how the firm leverages products like document automation, AI drafting tools, and client portals to enhance delivery.

4. Delivering Innovation and Tech in Practice
From managing complex stakeholder needs to ensuring legal compliance and data security, Pravina and Peter unpack how CMS integrates innovation and technology into everyday legal operations.

5. Enhancing Client Experience
Learn how CMS is helping clients future-proof their own services—improving speed, transparency, and self-service options to deliver more value and clarity in legal workflows.

🤖 Bonus Topic: The Role of AI in Legal Services

Peter and Pravina discuss the impact of Generative AI and how AI is shifting from a “nice to have” to an expectation across the profession.

Check out the CMS Training Contract here:

https://cmsemergingtalent.com/programmes/england-wales-ni/training-contract/

In Part 2 of this special episode we are joined by Dr Georgina Tsagas, a UK Accredited Mediator and Consultant Solicitor in England & Wales, expert in company law and sustainability, based in London and working across Europe. Dr Tsagas gives a fascinating insight into the use of “mediation” as an alternative legal route to settling disputes. We discuss what mediation is (and isn’t), why clients use this dispute resolution method, the skills needed, and some practical examples of disputes where mediation has been used.

In Part 2 of this special episode we are joined by Dr Georgina Tsagas, founder of GT Mediation | Dispute Resolution and a UK Accredited Mediator and Consultant Solicitor in England & Wales, expert in company law and sustainability, based in London and working across Europe.

We hear how mediation works practically, from evidence gathering to negotiation and closure, and also how “mediator advocates” can be involved in a mediation process (in addition to the mediators themselves).

The skills needed for mediation are explored, and Dr Tsagas offers advice on avenues that can help you build those skills and how to build a career path in this area, including how much experience is often needed to gain such roles.

Finally, some practical examples are given of cases and types of disputes where mediation can be used successfully, ranging from family business disputes to high-stakes commercial negotiations or international conflicts

Actions and resources for listeners:
· Read the article ‘The Psychology of Resolution: The art of tackling 'Cognitive Dissonance' in the “Conflict No More” Newsletter by GT Mediation | Dispute Resolution. Which skills as a lawyer do you think will be particularly key in this specific situation?
· Think about the use of mediation discussed in the episode: research, and then make a list of key reasons why you think it is a particularly useful way to settle a Workplace Conflict dispute between a Manager and a Team Member? For an example of a Workplace Dispute Read ‘Work-Place Bullying: How to spot it, its connection to the S of ESG and what to do about it?’ in the “Conflict No More” Newsletter by GT Mediation | Dispute Resolution.