Contributors
Womble Bond Dickinson's Chief Innovation Officer, Sam Dixon, has been named in The Lawyer's Hot 100 2026.
Each year, the Hot 100 celebrates excellence across the legal profession, recognising an extraordinary range of individuals; from criminal law advocates and corporate dealmakers, to barristers, in-house counsel, rising associates, and those driving positive change in the industry. Sam's inclusion in this year’s list reflects his outstanding contributions to clients, teams, and the wider legal community.
The Lawyer recognised Sam for "finding clever and creative places to embed technology into the daily texture of the firm's operations". Last February, he led WBD to become the first UK practice to sign up to roll out Thomson Reuter's CoCounsel to all lawyers, with hundreds now using the tool each month.
He also spearheaded the deployment of Definely - a legal tech solution that helps lawyers draft, review, and proofread contracts more efficiently - and iWomble, an internal chatbot powered by generative AI that enables colleagues to find answers to questions about our policies which was shortlisted by the FT's Innovative Lawyer awards for innovation in generative tools.
These initiatives form part of a two-tier innovation model developed by Sam. The first tier provides self-service tools that empower people to find ways to do things differently with minimal need for central approval. The second tier offers dedicated support for more complex automations. This model is supported by the firm's idea management platform, introduced by Sam, which allows anyone to submit ideas (anonymously or otherwise), each of which is assigned to a decision-maker with the authority to take it forward.
Appointed Chief Innovation Officer in April 2024, Sam has been with the firm since he joined as a trainee. He has experienced every stage of legal practice, becoming Partner in the Restructuring and Insolvency Team in 2020. His understanding of the challenges faced by practising lawyers – combined with his passion for innovation, behaviour change and technology – enables him to bring a different point of view to legal innovation.
Commenting on the recognition, Sam said:
"It’s a real honour to be recognised in The Lawyer Hot 100 alongside so many inspiring professionals. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved at Womble Bond Dickinson, and I’m excited to continue driving innovation that makes a meaningful difference for our clients and colleagues."
Paul Stewart, Managing Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, said:
"We are absolutely delighted to see Sam’s achievements recognised in The Lawyer Hot 100. His innovative approach and unwavering commitment to improving the way we work have had a transformative impact on our firm. Sam’s leadership inspires those around him, and we are proud to have him shaping the future of legal services at WBD."
Check out the full list here: The Lawyer Hot 100 2026
