As the legal profession evolves to meet the demands of an increasingly digital world, a new and vital role has emerged at the intersection of law and technology: the legal engineer. No longer confined to traditional models of practice, forward-looking law firms and in-house legal teams are embracing legal engineers as a bridge between legal expertise and technological innovation.

But what exactly does a legal engineer do, and why are they becoming so essential?

A legal engineer is someone who applies technical thinking and often technological tools to solve legal problems. They may not be qualified solicitors, although some are. What distinguishes them is their ability to think in both legal and technical terms. They understand legal processes and documents but also know how to design systems, use software tools, and build or customise solutions that improve how legal services are delivered.

Legal engineers often:

  • Work on legal automation and document assembly
  • Map out and optimise legal workflows
  • Design logic for legal chatbots and self-service tools
  • Collaborate with developers on legal tech products
  • Help integrate AI, contract analytics, and data tools into legal processes

Why the Role Is Emerging Now

Several developments have paved the way for the rise of legal engineering:

  • Legal tech adoption has accelerated, especially in response to remote work and the need for efficiency.
  • Clients are demanding more value and better service delivery, with greater transparency and faster turnaround times.
  • Legal operations as a discipline has grown, focusing on how legal services are managed and scaled.
  • Younger lawyers and law students are increasingly tech-savvy and open to interdisciplinary career paths.

As a result, law firms and in-house teams are recognising the need for professionals who can bridge the gap between legal complexity and technological capability.

Legal engineers are helping reshape the legal landscape in a number of ways:

By applying process improvement techniques like Lean and Agile, legal engineers identify inefficiencies in legal workflows. They help teams redesign these processes, often using automation tools to reduce manual work.

2. Driving Document Automation

One of the most visible areas of impact is in document automation. Legal engineers help create smart templates that generate contracts, policies, and legal letters based on structured inputs. This speeds up drafting and reduces errors, especially in high-volume tasks.

Some legal engineers work alongside developers and designers to create legal tools, apps, and client-facing platforms. Their legal knowledge ensures that products comply with the law, while their technical insight ensures that they are user-friendly and functional.

With increasing attention to metrics and KPIs in legal departments, legal engineers play a role in designing dashboards, collecting data, and improving how legal teams report on performance and risk.

Legal engineering is still a new discipline, and people arrive at it from different paths. Some come from a legal background and learn technical skills such as:

  • Legal tech platforms (e.g., Contract Express, HighQ, Josef, or Bryter)
  • Process mapping and automation tools
  • Data analysis or basic coding (Python, JavaScript, or SQL)

Others come from a tech or business background and learn about law through work experience or postgraduate study.

What they all share is:

  • A problem-solving mindset
  • Comfort with change and experimentation
  • Strong communication skills to work with both lawyers and developers

Legal engineers can be found across the legal industry:

  • Large law firms employ them to support innovation teams or lead legal tech initiatives
  • In-house legal departments rely on them to optimise internal processes and integrate tech tools
  • Legal tech companies hire them for product roles, legal design, or customer support
  • Alternative legal service providers (ALSPs) see them as core to delivering scalable, tech-enabled legal work

A Career Path for the Future

For students and young professionals interested in law and technology, legal engineering offers a career path that is creative, impactful, and increasingly in demand. It may not follow the traditional solicitor's route, but it places you at the heart of legal transformation.

Universities and legal education providers are starting to offer modules or short courses in legal technology and innovation. Initiatives like the SCL Student Bytes platform, coding bootcamps, and hackathons also provide great opportunities to explore the space and build skills.

Legal engineering reflects a broader shift in the legal profession: away from paper-based, one-size-fits-all approaches, towards a more digital, client-centred, and efficient model. Legal engineers are playing a key role in that transition, helping legal teams embrace innovation without losing sight of what matters most—delivering sound legal advice and value to clients.

As law and technology continue to converge, the rise of the legal engineer is no passing trend. It is a sign of where the future of the profession is heading.

Author's Note:
If you are interested in a career that blends legal knowledge with technology and design, explore more at SCL Student Bytes, where students and graduates are shaping the future of law and innovation.