Leading firms reward staff with major bonuses tied to AI use and employee ownership
Staff at 2 leading regional law firms have received significant bonuses, driven by artificial intelligence adoption at one firm and employee ownership at another.
Shoosmiths confirmed it has reached its target of 1,000,000 Microsoft Copilot prompts across the firm, triggering a £1,000,000 staff bonus 4 months ahead of schedule. The initiative was announced in April 2025 and linked a firmwide financial reward directly to staff engagement with artificial intelligence tools.
The firm said it was the first major UK law firm to tie a collective bonus to AI adoption. Having achieved the target early, Shoosmiths will now make a further £1,000,000 available to eligible staff as part of its firmwide bonus in the next financial year. Payment of the additional bonus remains contingent on the firm meeting its core financial performance metric.
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Shoosmiths said Microsoft Copilot is being used as a general-purpose AI tool across the business. It has supported staff in checking emails for clarity and quality, summarising documents, generating ideas, analysing information, researching topics, and managing meetings. The firm said Copilot is not used for tasks that require legal training or professional legal judgment.
Chief executive David Jackson said reaching the target ahead of schedule showed staff enthusiasm for innovation and change. He described AI as “an incredibly powerful enabler” that allows employees to work more efficiently and focus on client relationships and human-led services.
Meanwhile, Yorkshire-based law firm Ison Harrison has awarded £5,000 to each eligible employee as part of its annual profit share bonus. The firm became employee-owned in 2022 and has paid an end-of-year bonus every year since. In 2024, the bonus stood at £4,000.
Ison Harrison employs more than 430 staff and expects turnover to exceed £35,000,000 this year. The firm has continued to expand and recently opened its 24th office, positioning itself for growth beyond Yorkshire.
Managing director Jonathan Wearing said the latest profit share reflected the strength of the firm’s employee ownership model. He said staff contributions ranged from integrating new acquisitions to developing branches and expanding services.
Wearing added that as the firm enters its 5th year as an employee-owned business, the benefits are clear for both employees and clients. Alongside the bonus announcement, Ison Harrison confirmed it has launched a dedicated advisory service to support businesses considering a transition to an employee ownership trust.
The announcements highlight how AI adoption and alternative ownership structures are increasingly shaping reward strategies across the UK legal sector.