Throughout 2025 we will be interviewing people in the legal tech/ops space from around the world. In this fourth interview of the year, Marc May spoke with Sara Ajmi, Legal Operations and Technology Manager at TELUS, about her journey into legal operations, how legal ops can be improved, why we should lose the label ‘alternative legal career path’ and her advice for those looking to break into legal ops.
Sara, thanks for joining me. Could you let me know what you currently do for work?
Thank you for having me. I currently work as a Legal Operations and Technology Manager at TELUS, a global leader in technology based in Canada.
How did you get into legal operations?
I got into legal operations by chance. My family and I had to relocate from Toronto to Ottawa after purchasing our home, and I couldn’t stay in my previous role because it required me to be in Toronto. While searching for a new opportunity, I wanted to continue working within a corporate legal department but without directly performing legal tasks. That’s when I came across a Legal Operations Specialist job opening. The job description aligned perfectly with what I was looking for, even though I wasn’t fully aware of what ‘legal operations’ entailed at the time. Once I started in 2022, I quickly realized that I had stepped into a dynamic, exciting, and rapidly evolving field—one that I have been passionate about ever since.
“I quickly realized that I had stepped into a dynamic, exciting, and rapidly evolving field—one that I have been passionate about ever since”
It’s fair to say you’re an advocate for legal operations careers – how do you personally think this space can be improved?
Legal operations careers have significant room for growth and improvement. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of education and awareness about the true, practical role of legal operations—not just among legal professionals, but also among senior leadership, HR, and students considering careers in this field. Many senior legal leaders either have little understanding of what legal operations entails or recognize its existence but don’t fully grasp its strategic value and impact.
Another key challenge is the lack of structure around the requirements for legal operations roles and the practice itself. There is often a misalignment between job titles, job descriptions, and the actual responsibilities of legal operations professionals. This inconsistency creates confusion for both employers and candidates, making it harder to establish clear career paths in the field.
To advance legal operations as a profession, we need greater standardization in role definitions, clearer expectations within organizations, and stronger advocacy for education—starting from academic institutions to ongoing training for professionals and leadership.
“To advance legal operations as a profession, we need greater standardization in role definitions, clearer expectations within organizations, and stronger advocacy for education”
Should universities do more to reflect legal ops as an alternative career path to practising law?
At first, I saw legal operations as an alternative career path to practicing law—considering my own experience and that of many other legal professionals like me. However, over time, I refined my thinking and realized that while this can be true in some cases, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. That’s why I’d like to clarify a few things before answering whether universities should do more to reflect legal operations as an alternative career path to practicing law.
Legal operations can certainly be an alternative path for legal professionals and attorneys who, after years in the field, find themselves more drawn to the business and operational side of legal practice rather than substantive legal work. For them, transitioning into legal ops allows them to leverage their legal expertise while focusing on efficiency, strategy, and innovation within legal departments.
However, I recently started considering that framing legal operations as an ‘alternative career path’ for law students can be misleading. Law students enter their studies with the primary goal of practicing law, and suggesting legal ops as a fallback before they even graduate or pass the bar might not be the right message. Instead, I believe they should be made aware of legal operations as part of the broader and evolving legal industry—one of many innovative roles shaping the future of legal work.
To support this, law schools should incorporate legal operations into their curriculum as an essential function within the legal profession. This could be done through dedicated webinars on legal careers, guest lectures, or even courses that introduce students to the business and operational aspects of legal practice—from technology and budgeting to strategy, project management, leadership, process optimization, and outside counsel management. By exposing students to these critical areas, we can help future legal professionals develop a more holistic understanding of the legal industry and the many career opportunities within it.
“[L]aw schools should incorporate legal operations into their curriculum as an essential function within the legal profession”
What does the Canadian legal tech/ops scene look like?
Honestly, it’s hard to say. The legal operations space in Canada still feels somewhat under the radar. While legal ops functions exist in many large companies and law firms, they are absent in many others, depending on factors such as organizational needs, financial resources, and structural priorities. In some cases, legal ops responsibilities are embedded within other roles or labeled under different names such as ‘legal innovation’ or ‘knowledge management.’
Another noticeable gap is the lack of visible community gatherings or public discussions around legal operations. While such conversations may be happening privately within organizations or closed networks, there isn’t a strong, publicly accessible community dedicated to advancing legal ops in Canada.
That being said, the legal tech space in Canada is growing, and there is increasing interest in innovation within legal departments. As awareness continues to build, I believe we’ll see more structured communities, networking opportunities, and job openings in this field.
I know you took a break from LinkedIn last year – do you think people tend to take for granted the effort taken to produce regular high quality content?
Absolutely. Creating regular, high-quality content takes a lot more effort than it might seem. It’s not just about writing a post—it requires research, thoughtful structuring, and making sure the content is engaging, relevant, and valuable to the audience. On top of that, staying consistent while balancing work and personal commitments can be challenging.
Taking a break from LinkedIn last year helped me realize just how much energy goes into content creation and engagement. It also made me appreciate the people who consistently share insightful posts and contribute to meaningful discussions. I think many people underestimate the effort behind the scenes, but once you step into that space, you quickly see how much time and thought it requires.
“Creating regular, high-quality content takes a lot more effort than it might seem”
What advice would you give to anyone looking to break into legal ops?
For anyone looking to break into legal operations, the first step is to have a clear understanding of what legal ops truly is—it’s not just about legal tech or process optimization but also strategy, financial management, vendor relations, and more. Next, it’s important to know why you want to work in this field and what unique value you bring, whether it’s legal expertise, business acumen, or project management skills. With this clarity, you can build a strategy to enter legal ops, but flexibility is key—things don’t always go as planned. If breaking in directly proves challenging, consider a Plan B, such as taking on legal ops-related tasks in your current role, reframing your job into a legal ops function, or even advocating for a legal ops role within your team. Sometimes, even a title change can open new doors. Most importantly, always stay connected and engaged in the legal ops industry—join professional networks, attend industry events, and keep learning to stay ahead in this evolving field.
