Womble Bond Dickinson Launches In-House AI Labs Unit
Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson has established a dedicated artificial intelligence development unit named Womble AI Labs, according to reporting by Artificial Lawyer. Operating within the firm’s information technology department, the new division focuses on building custom legal and administrative technology tools for both internal operations and client engagements.
The firm announced the initiative ahead of the Legal Innovators UK Conference scheduled for November 4 and 5 at the Minster Building in London. Chief AI and Technology Officer Chad Ergun leads the lab, which functions as an extension of the firm’s existing Applied AI team. That technical group includes machine learning specialists, AI engineers, and legal engineers who deploy directly alongside practice groups.
Womble AI Labs Targets Repeatable Legal Processes
Womble AI Labs concentrates its development efforts on structured, repeatable, and well-defined legal processes. According to firm statements, initial development targets include regulatory monitoring, document generation and packaging, contract review and lifecycle management, early-stage legal analyses, and case assessments.
Ergun stated that the division’s solutions are built around actual workflows observed through direct engagement with attorneys and clients. These applications operate without requiring additional software licenses or advanced training, while meeting the firm’s internal security and client confidentiality standards.
As we celebrate the firm’s 150th anniversary this year and look toward the future, this initiative reflects our commitment to embracing new technologies while continuing to evolve how we deliver value to our clients,
said Merrick Benn, Chair and CEO of Womble Bond Dickinson (US).
Training Programs Build Technical Literacy for Lawyers
The AI Labs initiative operates alongside two existing firmwide adoption programs designed to build technical literacy across the 1,300-lawyer firm. The first is an educational partnership with Berkeley Law Executive Education, which delivers a generative AI course focused on practical, role-specific skills for daily legal practice.
The second initiative, known as the AI Champions network, has enrolled more than 200 legal and business professionals from every department across the firm since launching in early 2026. Participants in this network commit to learning new tools, attending advanced training sessions, and sharing practical use cases with peers.
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