Kennedys has hired Milan Devani as global CIO from Baker McKenzie, replacing Paul Brotzel who left the firm in November.
Devani arrives after 26 years at Baker McKenzie, 14 of them as director of global infrastructure. He brings almost three decades of experience in the legal IT sector aligning business and technology priorities, where his range of expertise covers delivery of secure systems and large-scale cloud transformations.
In his new role he will be responsible for overseeing Kennedys’ global legal technology functions, focusing on modernising its IT platforms and reinforcing information security, alongside building high-performing technology teams.
Devani said: “Technology in the legal sector is at a transformative stage, and I look forward to evolving Kennedys’ technology strategy at this pivotal moment for legal innovation.”
Kennedys has made several key senior business appointments over the past 18 months, with Tracy Watkinson joining as chief operating officer from UK bank NatWest Group, where she was also COO.
US-based Laura Koller was appointed as CFO in July last year after six years as finance director, and Catherine Goodman has become the firm’s first ever chief knowledge officer in September 2024, joining from Paul Hastings where she spent more than five years as director of practice innovation and knowledge management.
Last year Kennedys sealed a technology partnership with NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) Legal Connect network. NATO created this initiative in 2022, and through DIANA, Kennedys offers legal advice that supports the development of dual-use technologies for security and defence.
A strategic partnership was also agreed with AI platform Spellbook to implement a training programme for junior lawyers.
Kennedys operates 45 offices in 18 countries spanning North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. As of May last year the firm had 363 partners.
Brotzel, meanwhile, moved to UK public sector law specialist Capsticks as director of technology and innovation in November last year.
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