Technology adoption specialist iTrain has appointed respected former IT director Sarah Blair as head of transformation, where she will lead iTrain’s portfolio of AI services.
Blair was previously director of technology and transformation and latterly chief transformation officer at top independent Scottish law firm Thorntons Law, and is an active member of the legal technology community. Since 2019 she has been chair of the Law Society of Scotland’s LawTech Advisory Board.
Blair joins iTrain at a point when many UK law firms are working through what AI adoption looks like in practice. Tools are now widely licensed across the sector, and firms are increasingly focused on consistent use across teams, with the right governance, the right skills, and the right support in place to make adoption stick. To address this, iTrain are building on their AI training expertise and developing a programme to support firms through all stages of AI maturity.
iTrain’s stance is that technology change is, first and foremost, about the people who use the technology. The company says that Blair’s appointment and her human-centred approach are a natural extension of that into the AI work clients are increasingly asking iTrain to support.
iTrain’s AI adoption framework is delivered across three pillars: foundations, skills and embedded adoption. It focuses on the firm’s business goals, the day-to-day work of its people, the judgement they apply, and the professional responsibilities they carry. The courses demonstrate where AI can add value within that context, with governance acting as an enabler.
In a regulated profession, accountability ultimately sits with the lawyer and the firm, and the approach is built around that reality from the start. The framework is structured so that leadership teams, IT directors and innovation leads can engage at the level that suits their firm, from focused leadership briefings through to longer-term embedded adoption partnerships.
Blair said: “AI adoption is about far more than the technology. Most of the organisations I speak to have already invested in the tools – the real work now is helping people use them well. That means building confidence across teams, putting the right governance and support in place, and making sure adoption sticks so firms can realise the benefits and leverage AI effectively. I’m excited to be joining iTrain at such an important time. They put people at the heart of their services, going well beyond technical training.”
Dorigen Sykes, CEO at iTrain, added that Blair “brings a rare combination of deep operating experience inside a law firm, leadership credibility, and a thoughtful, people-centred approach to AI adoption,” observing “demand from our clients is growing quickly, and Sarah’s appointment gives us a strong foundation to support them as they move from early interest in AI to confident, sustained adoption.”
To register your interest in the programme, visit https://itrainlegal.co.uk/contact-us/ or connect with Sarah Blair and Dorigen Sykes on LinkedIn
