At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead AI projects, integrating innovative solutions into existing systems and workflows.
- Company: Join Birketts, a top UK law firm with a collaborative culture and strong community focus.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a dynamic team driving innovation in a supportive environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in the legal tech space while developing your skills in AI.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development and system integration, with a passion for AI.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
About us
Birketts is a full service, UK Top 50 law firm. With a heritage spanning 160 years, we have more than 700 lawyers and legal professionals and over 600 staff based in Bristol, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich, London, Norwich and Sevenoaks. We advise businesses, government and public sector organisations and individuals in the UK and internationally across four principal practice groups: Real Estate, Corporate Services, Dispute Resolution and Private Client.
We are defined by our Next Level Law proposition. We work with our clients as a proactive partner, horizon scanning and thinking ahead to the changes, challenges or opportunities that they may face. Next Level Law is also applied to our people. Our collegiate culture means everyone is encouraged to achieve their next level in everything they do. RollOnFriday recently ranked us as the 6th best law firm to work at in 2026. With our ambition to succeed, comes a strong desire to make a positive contribution to the communities we serve, and we are committed to delivering the objectives set out in our ESG strategy. Diversity plays an integral part in all that we do, with female partners comprising 42% of our partnership.
The team you will join
The AI capability sits within Birketts’ Information Technology function, working closely with Product Development, Knowledge Management, Learning & Development, Security and Risk & Compliance. Delivery will be product-led and iterative, with a small cross-functional working group using matrixed resources across teams.
The role will operate within Birketts’ core ecosystem, including Microsoft 365 (Copilot), iManage (Document Management), Aderant Expert (Practice Management), Intapp Intake (new client onboarding) and Microsoft Fabric (data platform). Azure is a likely hosting platform for any future ‘Birketts-approved AI environment’, subject to requirements and build vs buy decisions.
The work you will be doing
As AI Technical Lead, you will be a hands-on technical leader within Birketts’ IT team, working in close partnership with the Product Manager for AI. Your focus will be to turn early AI usage into safe, repeatable and supported capabilities—starting with productising M365 Copilot and Copilot Agents in priority workflows (document drafting/review and knowledge workflows in selected practice areas) and delivering practical integrations into Birketts’ existing systems. This is a hands-on role: alongside shaping standards and enablement, you will write and ship code where needed to deliver small integrations, automations and repeatable AI-enabled workflows.
This role is delivery-oriented: you will design, build and ship incremental improvements, partnering with colleagues across Development, Data, Security, Knowledge Management and Learning & Development to drive adoption, skills sharing and effective change management. You will also support evidence-based build vs buy decisions on specialist third-party legal tools and any future ‘Birketts-approved AI environment’. Platform architecture and security governance will be delivered in collaboration with Birketts’ wider Technology and Information Security leadership.
You will be supported by matrixed colleagues in Development, Data and Security; this role leads hands-on delivery of priority items rather than owning all engineering capacity. Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.
What we are looking for
This role is well suited to a hands-on technical lead who enjoys building and improving products in partnership with product management and users. You will be able to translate business needs into secure, auditable and integrated solutions, and you will be comfortable delivering in a matrixed model, bringing others along through coaching, documentation and shared patterns. You will be comfortable coding as part of delivery, not only producing guidance and patterns.
Essential experience and skills
- Proven experience delivering production-grade software, workflow or automation solutions in an enterprise environment, with hands-on build and delivery responsibility
- Strong experience integrating systems and data sources into coherent workflows (API-led integration, events and/or data pipelines)
- Hands-on software development capability, with proficiency in at least one mainstream language used for enterprise API integration and automation (e.g., C#/.NET, Python); able to design, build, test and release small services/integrations
- Practical experience delivering AI-assisted workflow features into production, including validation/testing and monitoring
- Understanding of common AI delivery patterns and controls
- Good cloud experience (preferably Azure) and understanding of secure delivery practices (identity, access control, audit logging, monitoring and operational readiness)
- Working knowledge of modern engineering practices (Git, code review, CI/CD basics, and operational readiness such as logging/monitoring)
- Experience working with security/governance stakeholders to apply controls in delivery (confidentiality, auditability and least privilege)
- Experience delivering through an agile product lifecycle with measurable outcomes (discovery, pilots, iteration, adoption/value tracking)
- Ability to apply pragmatic quality and evaluation approaches to AI-assisted features (testing/validation, guardrails, release gating and user feedback loops)
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, including the ability to explain technical decisions and trade-offs to non-technical audiences and to support adoption
Desirable experience
- Experience in legal or other regulated/professional services environments where confidentiality and auditability are critical
- Experience with Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Agents and/or Microsoft-aligned automation
- Familiarity with one or more of: iManage, Aderant Expert, Intapp Intake, Microsoft Fabric or similar platforms
- Experience building integrations with document/content platforms or line-of-business systems (e.g., DMS, intake, practice management, or data platforms)
- Exposure to Azure AI services (including Azure OpenAI/Azure AI) and/or delivering AI-assisted workflow features in production
- Experience evaluating and piloting third-party AI tools (security posture, integration approach, operating model) and supporting build vs buy recommendations
Hybrid Working
Birketts is a flexible business which has embraced a hybrid working model.
Locations
AI Technical Lead in Ipswich, Suffolk employer: Birketts LLP
Contact Detail:
Birketts LLP Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land AI Technical Lead in Ipswich, Suffolk
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the legal and tech fields. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repository showcasing your projects, especially those related to AI and automation. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can do and sets you apart from the crowd.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common technical questions and scenarios relevant to the role. Think about how you can demonstrate your hands-on experience with AI and integration solutions. Confidence is key!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at Birketts. Let’s get you that AI Technical Lead position!
We think you need these skills to ace AI Technical Lead in Ipswich, Suffolk
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the AI Technical Lead role. Highlight your hands-on experience with software delivery and integration, and don’t forget to mention any relevant AI projects you've worked on. We want to see how your skills align with what we’re looking for!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about AI and how your experience makes you the perfect fit for our team. Be sure to mention your collaborative spirit and how you can contribute to our Next Level Law proposition.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, be specific about your technical skills, especially in coding and system integration. Mention the languages you’re proficient in and any relevant tools or platforms you’ve used. We love seeing candidates who can get hands-on with technology!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Birketts LLP
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, especially Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure. Brush up on your coding skills in languages like C# or Python, as you'll need to demonstrate your hands-on capabilities during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples where you've successfully integrated systems or delivered AI-assisted features. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your impact.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with Birketts’ Next Level Law proposition and how AI can enhance their services. Be ready to discuss how your technical solutions can align with their business goals and improve client outcomes.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since this role involves collaboration across various teams, think about how you can effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you've done this in the past to show your strong communication skills.