The six-week programme, a landmark national initiative designed to accelerate responsible, governed AI adoption in the legal sector, will see 475 professionals from 30 law firms participate in hands-on training sessions, learn how to deploy cutting-edge AI tools effectively, and build new firm-wide AI literacy.

Commencing this week, it marks the first time Irish law firms have participated in a coordinated national AI adoption programme. It brings together participants from across corporate, commercial and general practice and is focused on practical AI enablement, establishing a new benchmark for how the legal sector approaches adoption and implementation of AI within the sector.

Newcode, whose Irish operations are led by former Mason Hayes & Curran LLP solicitor and Cork native Donna O’Leary, was recently selected as the AI provider for The Bar of Ireland. The launch of this enablement initiative follows a period of significant momentum for Newcode that has also included a further cash injection that brings its total funding to €17 million.

Speaking about the launch, Ms O’Leary explained: “Meaningful AI adoption requires governance, capability building, and leadership alignment - not just access to a tool.

“Newcode brings a depth of expertise that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere, and this programme gives firms a structured, profession‑aligned pathway, including comprehensive training, an AI Champions track, senior leadership development, and ongoing support.

“It is the first coordinated, multi-week AI Enablement Programme for the law profession in Ireland, and the cohort this week represents an exclusive group of early leaders. We are confident applications for the next intake will open before the end of the year.”

David Rowe, Partner at Azets, also commented on the initiative: “This programme arrives at the right moment for the legal profession. There is huge interest in AI, but also a clear need for guidance, governance, and practical training.

“Newcode has created a framework that gives firms the confidence to adopt AI in a way that is aligned with professional standards and genuinely enhances how legal work gets done.”

The programme provides firms with a clear, structured pathway to confident adoption - beginning with AI literacy, progressing into discipline‑specific capability building and culminating in senior leadership alignment on long‑term strategy and governance.

In addition to the flagship programme, Newcode is launching its AI Academy to support ongoing continuous professional development, deliver tech‑agnostic training

and provide custom workshops for law firms, enabling organisations to tier their training in line with internal compliance requirements.