Ben Shillito
Ben founded and leads the digital consultancy, Olus.
Olus is committed to empowering the legal industry to thrive in the digital era, and partners with law firms and corporate legal teams to embrace cutting-edge technologies, foster cultures of growth, and deliver sustainable, long-term value.
Prior to founding Olus, Ben Shillito led the Digital Legal Services team at Fujitsu, where he continues to work closely with a global team of lawyers, legal engineers, and operations specialists. The team operates with a worldwide scope to drive a digitally enabled approach to complex multi-jurisdictional legal services.
The team were recognised at the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards as the most digitally innovative team for leading a global digital transformation programme. The programme reimagined the value the function can deliver, and its purpose in the Fujitsu Group, using data, technology, and standardisation, as well as cultural and behavioural change initiatives.
Ben began his career in London at Hogan Lovells before moving to the legal team at Hewlett Packard Enterprise and then Fujitsu. At Fujitsu, Ben led the UK Commercial team, and then the UK Legal team, where he was recognised on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist 2021.
Ben speaks regularly at UK and international legal conferences about digital transformation, legal technology, and the future of in-house legal services.
Practice Area
Panel
- Contributing Author
Qualified Year
- 2014
Experience
- Fujitsu (2017 - 2024)
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise (2015 - 2017)
- Hogan Lovells LLP (2012 - 2015)
- Olus (2024 - Present)
Qualifications
- Politics, Philosophy and Economics BA (Hons) (2009)
- GDL (2010)
- LPC (2011)
Education
- BPP University (2009-2011)
- Durham University (2006 – 2009)
- Westminster School (2000 - 2005)
2 Contributions by Ben Shillito
PRACTICE NOTES
Delivering faster, higher-quality in-house legal services: leveraging legal tech and GenAI with the right operating model, culture and skills
Legal tech is reshaping the legal sector in ways once hard to imagine; just as technology has repeatedly done across our lives. In law, that shift has been measured and careful—until now. The tempo of change is accelerating rapidly, and legal teams must determine how to weave technology into their workflows to maximise their value and impact, and to stay relevant. This Practice Note, created in partnership with Ben Shillito, Senior Director at Olus, explores the use and influence of legal tech from an in-house legal team’s standpoint.
What is legal tech?
Legal tech denotes technology designed specifically to support the work of legal professionals, or to provide legal services directly to a client or consumer. Traditionally, such tools centred on matter management, document management, billing, or document formatting. As more advanced capabilities have emerged—such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and natural language processing—the broader potential of legal tech is being realised. Technology can now fundamentally reframe the role and purpose of a lawyer by creating value across new domains, including:
document automation
document analysis
smart contracts...
In-house Advisor
PRACTICE NOTES
In-house legal technology transformation: strategy, AI, process design, vendor selection, integration, training, KPIs, ROI and future-proofing
The legal sector is in the midst of swift change, with technology central to redefining how legal services are provided. As outlined in Practice Note: Legal tech—why is it important to in-house lawyers and how to build the team of the future, legal tech describes tools and solutions that assist legal professionals in their roles, or that deliver legal services directly to end users. With progress in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and natural language processing, the scope for legal tech to drive efficiency, precision, and strategic impact is higher than ever. Yet adopting legal tech alone does not suffice. For in-house legal teams to fully realise its benefits, rigorous planning and considerate rollout are vital. It is not merely about procuring new software or automation, but about embedding these technologies in ways that align with wider business objectives and the legal function’s place within them. To implement legal tech successfully, teams must not only adopt new tools, but also redesign workflows, develop capabilities, and nurture a culture of continual learning and adaptability.
Define the strategic purpose and vision
Before beginning the implementation of legal tech, it is vital to plan with care and align with business goals and role...
In-house Advisor
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