Spotlights: “Don’t be afraid to be disruptive", advice for legal teams ready to welcome change

Kate Tyers may have started on a traditional legal path – moving from her law degree to a trainee solicitor – but she quickly charted her own course and moved up the ranks within in-house legal roles.

From her role as Legal Counsel at a telecommunications company, to progressing to General Counsel at an online retailer, and now serving as Global Director of Legal at an Environmental and Engineering consultancy business. She is also a conference speaker, a mentor and was listed on the GC Powerlist when she was General Counsel.
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Kate’s path to curiosity

For some, this path may still seem traditional, but it is the way Kate has approached her roles and how she has elevated the status of the in-house legal professional, that is unique and disruptive.

Kate is a self-professed “Outdated Legal Sector Norms Challenger”. This is why we wanted to learn more about her story - to learn how she is challenging the outdated norms, to explore how she is disrupting historical ways of working, and to inspire other legal professionals to follow her lead.

So, how did this disruptive endeavor start?

I went from a business that was 60 employees to over 10,000. Individual businesses all have slightly different problems, but everyone has process inefficiencies. And all of this got me very interested in transformation and innovation. I basically started by thinking - how can we all can make things much slicker?

Start by challenging and questioning the norm

Making things slicker is one thing, but Kate knew she also needed to change the perception of legal from a cost center and a support function, to being recognized as integral business advisors who really drive value.

You’ve got to be so much more than a lawyer now.

This philosophy has enabled a step back to review the bigger picture and encouraged a new mindset in approaching legal tasks:

• Firstly, “we've got to find really creative ways to try and get everything done to make sure that we're concentrating on the high value stuff “
• Secondly, “we’ve got to cut unnecessary red tape and ask questions such as “why are we blocking the same things if they aren’t very risky for us?”
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For many in-house legal professionals, this can appear daunting, as it can be difficult to know where to get creative and where to cut the unnecessary red tape. Kate encourages people to, “start with some small tasks such as automating your NDAs, having playbooks for your NDAs or introducing smarter contract processes.”‍

By starting small, you can get the ball rolling and begin to educate  your business to move beyond traditional ways of working.

However, this shift does require a change in mindset, “it requires legal professionals to challenge the status quo, ask why we are doing it this way?”
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Making innovation work for legal professionals

When challenging the status quo and approaching tasks in a different way, Kate often turns to technology to help.

Technology becomes a strategic enabler and legal professionals are encouraged to adopt the same mindset, “you’ve got to get with the times, it’s integral to our future and you can’t ignore it,” she says.

While she acknowledges that technology will never replace lawyers completely, as the strategic thinking and important decisions require a lawyer’s “gut instinct” or “call on which direction to go in” that technology cannot produce.

However, before implementing any technology, it's essential to lay the groundwork and understand the problem you're trying to solve - once again asking, “Why are we doing it this way?"

This issue was also highlighted in our Legal Disruptors 2025 report, where many legal professionals felt pressure to adopt technology and AI tools without first identifying the broader challenges they were meant to address.

To counter this, Kate promotes a concept she calls Innovation Time,

Innovation Time is where I put an hour in my diary every week and I do something that makes something more efficient. If you can do that, then you're going to be in a much better place because the whole concept of being more innovative and disruptive doesn’t seem as overwhelming.

Her approach encourages legal teams to step back and think proactively. Just imagine what you could discover in your first hour of Innovation Time.
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Be Brave. Be Curious. Be Disruptive.

Kate’s mindset is clear for legal teams – be innovative, be critical, challenge and “don’t be afraid to be disruptive.”

Disruption doesn’t mean tearing everything down. It means challenging the status quo with purpose and courage and asking the uncomfortable questions.

This can be difficult for solo and small legal teams, which is why it is vital to connect and learn from your peers.

Go to events, be part of networks, talk to other professionals. You’ll find that everyone, from GCs to legal assistants, is overwhelmed by the volume of tech out there. Don’t look at the mountain, just look at the next step ahead.

Vital advice to move forward

Kate’s career and her drive to challenge the status quo and look for better ways of working is inspiring for legal professionals who want to rethink their status and position in their wider business.

Taking the first steps can be the hardest part, so let Kate’s 5 practical tips inspire you to start making changes:

1. Know your business – As an in-house lawyer, your job is to be a strategic partner, not just a legal advisor.
2. Don’t be afraid to disrupt – Ask why things are done a certain way. Challenge inefficiencies, because change is good after all.
3. Make time for innovation – “Innovation Time”, block out an hour per week for improving something. Consistent small changes lead to big results.
4. Start small with tech – Lay the groundwork first and think of the bigger picture, but don’t be afraid to start small.
5. Be part of the community – Attend events, stay connected, and talk to others.

As the legal profession continues to evolve, this story is proof that innovation is not just possible, it’s necessary. The legal role can be one of vision, strategy and thinking outside the box. Don’t be afraid to be disruptive and you will be surprised with what you can achieve.

Explore even more stories, and our Legal Disruptors findings in full, via our Legal Disruptors report.