PwC Tax & Legal and IE Law School launch the NewLaw Chair to transform the future of the legal sector

The initiative will focus on three areas: an executive education program, an annual report on the impact of artificial intelligence, and meetings with leaders from across the legal ecosystem.

PwC Tax & Legal and IE Law School have launched the NewLaw Chair, a joint initiative designed to drive the transformation of the legal ecosystem through specialized education, knowledge creation, and connections between companies, law firms, institutions, and legal professionals.

The Chair will combine IE Law School’s academic rigor with PwC Tax & Legal’s practical experience to examine how technology, artificial intelligence, data, and new operating models are changing the delivery of legal services and the management of legal and compliance functions.

A Chair connected to the realities of the legal sector

The initiative will be led by Patricia Manca Díaz, Of Counsel at PwC Tax & Legal and a leading expert in the digital transformation of the legal function, legaltech, and technology, media, and telecommunications. She will work alongside Francisco González, NewLaw Partner at PwC Tax & Legal, who is responsible for shaping PwC’s strategic vision for legal and tax functions.

The Chair will have the executive sponsorship of Joaquín Latorre, Managing Partner of PwC Tax & Legal, and David Mellado, Managing Partner TLS at PwC Tax & Legal. It will also have an academic director appointed by PwC and a joint PwC and IE Law School steering committee.

“The Chair was created as an open meeting place where corporate legal departments, institutions, regulators, and professionals from across the sector can share the progress made and the challenges encountered in the transformation driven by artificial intelligence,” says Francisco González of PwC Tax & Legal. “Our aim is to provide objective data, based on a rigorous methodology, that enriches the public debate on the future of the legal ecosystem.”

“This Chair reinforces IE Law School’s commitment to generating applied knowledge and educating professionals capable of leading the evolution of the legal sector in an increasingly complex and technology-driven environment. Our partnership with PwC Tax & Legal enables us to continue working together and create a robust space for reflection, analysis, and collaboration between academia and legal practice, where we can address the major challenges facing the legal function with rigor,” says Soledad Atienza, Dean of IE Law School.

Executive education to lead legal transformation

The first initiative will be the Executive Program in Legal Operations and Legal Function Transformation, whose first edition began in October 2026 with around 20 participants.

Designed for legal and compliance professionals with more than seven years of experience, the program will comprise 45 hours of training across seven modules and 30 in-person sessions. It will combine strategy, processes, data, technology, leadership, and change management, alongside content on digital ethics and a final project.

An annual report on the impact of artificial intelligence

The Chair will produce an annual report on the adoption of artificial intelligence in the legal sector and its effects on efficiency, processes, business, employment, and professional capabilities. It will also examine issues related to ethics, regulation, knowledge management, and access to justice.

The study will be conducted over six months and will draw on surveys, interviews, expert contributions, and an analysis of national and international sources. Its findings will support the creation of an annual AI adoption maturity index.

NewLaw Sessions: a forum for dialogue with the sector

The NewLaw Sessions will hold two meetings each year to discuss applied artificial intelligence, legaltech, automation, new business models, and the digital transformation of the sector.

The forum will bring together legal and compliance professionals, general counsels, chief legal officers, innovation leaders, PwC Tax & Legal clients, institutions, and regulatory bodies. These meetings will provide a space to share experiences and connect academic research with the needs of organizations.

Through these initiatives, the NewLaw Chair will help generate applied knowledge and translate it into professional practice. PwC Tax & Legal and IE Law School are thereby reinforcing their commitment to the responsible transformation of the legal sector, grounded in innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.