Kate Greenwood – National Director – Innovation & Communication, Family & Relationship Law, Lander & Rogers
Kate joined Lander & Rogers in 2012 as a family lawyer, practising across all areas of family law for six years. Today, she leads innovation and communication for the Family & Relationship Law team, pioneering process improvements and collaborating with technology providers and designers to streamline service delivery. She also plays a key role in communicating the practice group’s strategy, ensuring clarity, alignment, and engagement across teams.
When Kate Greenwood decided she no longer wanted to practise family law, she didn’t leave Lander & Rogers. The firm encouraged her to embark on a new role, where she now leads innovation and communication for Australia’s largest Family & Relationship Law team.
That bold move shifted Kate’s trajectory—from courtroom negotiations to collaborating with technologists and designers. She now sits at a unique intersection, blending legal expertise with process improvement and digital transformation.
A Role Reinvented from Within
Joining the firm’s leadership function wasn’t about leaving one environment to join another—it was about reinventing the one she was already part of.
“It was a big transition, moving away from the black‑letter law into something where your fellow lawyers are actually your clients.”
Kate knew the firm’s rhythm and culture intimately. That institutional familiarity became her strength in a role defined not by legal precedent, but by creative problem-solving.
Innovation in Practice: Building Better Client Journeys
In her new capacity, Kate’s focus lies in streamlining and modernising how legal services are delivered—especially for family clients going through emotionally charged moments.
She now leads innovation for the Family & Relationship Law team, working across technology, design, and service delivery to improve client experiences. Equally important to her is redesigning the team’s internal workflows including introducing advanced technologies to ensure working in family law at Landers offers an exciting and engaging experience.
From client onboarding solutions built with Microsoft technology to fixed fee pricing models for family law services, Kate has driven tangible change. She’s also played a key role in sponsoring legal tech startups through the firm’s LawTech Hub — bringing external innovation into a traditionally conservative space.
Speaking Both Languages: Legal and Technical
Translating between tech and law isn’t just metaphorical—it’s part of Kate’s daily role.
“You have to be able to speak the language of the lawyers but also the language of the technologists. Sometimes you’re just the translator between those two worlds.”
That translation is crucial not just for project clarity, but for perception—helping legal teams understand what innovation can do, and tech teams appreciate real-world family law challenges.
Introducing change in a large firm requires an understanding of the psychology of lawyers. While we may not like to admit it, scepticism can be a commonly ingrained trait for lawyers, and forcing change doesn’t work. Kate emphasizes practical early wins with early adopters:
“If you can demonstrate a quick win with a sufficient group of lawyers, others will start to see the value. They jump on board. And then it’s about keeping that momentum going.”
These small victories build confidence in new approaches and pave the way for broader adoption.
From Family Law Empathy to Innovation Leadership
Despite moving away from practice, Kate’s background remains central to her leadership style.
“In family law, you’re dealing with people at some of the most stressful times in their lives,” she reflects. You learn to listen, show compassion, and to communicate clearly. Those skills are invaluable when you’re trying to guide people through change.”
Her experience enables her to champion solutions that are not only functional but emotionally attuned—advancing innovation that genuinely supports families navigating difficult disputes.
Advice for Lawyers Considering a Shift
Kate encourages those in practice to explore different career paths—inside or outside law.
“There’s this perception that if you leave practice, you can’t come back—and that’s not true. Also, the skills you develop as a lawyer are incredibly transferable. If you have a niggle that there might be something else out there for you, don’t ignore it. Reach out to lawyers who’ve had a similar career shift. People love sharing their stories.”
She also underscores that innovation isn’t a one-shot success—it’s iterative.
“You have to be comfortable with not having all the answers straight away. There’s a lot of trial and error in innovation.”
Looking Ahead: Law Firm Futures
For Kate, the future is one where technology is embedded, not just integrated.
“We’re moving towards a future where technology isn’t an add‑on—it’s embedded in how we deliver legal services. Firms that embrace that now will be the ones leading in the years to come.”
Kate describes being very aware of technology fatigue and ensuring that innovations she considers are carefully matched to the firm’s goals.
“I’m really careful about the tech products we consider because even before AI really got going, I was concerned about innovation fatigue. I have a clear understanding of the group’s long-term strategy, and I ensure our innovation decisions align with the group’s trajectory We have over 130 people in our Family Law team so there is a real need to focus on those broader team goals.”
Leading that shift from within a major firm, Kate describes the work as both a responsibility and a privilege:
“It’s exciting to think about the impact we can have, not just for our clients, but for the profession as a whole.”
Kate Greenwood’s story is a powerful reminder that careers don’t have to follow a straight line. Starting out in family law, Kate discovered that her real passion lay in shaping the future of the profession through technology and innovation. When the opportunity arose to create a new role leading legal tech and innovation at Lander & Rogers, she embraced it—proving that the most fulfilling paths are often the ones we carve ourselves. Her journey inspires others to seek work that excites and motivates them, even if it means stepping beyond traditional models of legal practice.