Sondra Rebenchuk is the inaugural artificial intelligence and innovation director at Torkin Manes

She was previously an AI consultant for law firms throughout North America

Sondra Rebenchuk has left Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP to become the inaugural artificial intelligence and innovation director at Torkin Manes.

Rebenchuk will lead Torkin Manes’ AI, legal technology, and innovation strategic initiatives, working with lawyers and business professionals in the firm on identifying and implementing technologies improving operational efficiency and streamlining workflows.

“As technology continues to transform the legal profession, we are committed to ensuring that Torkin Manes remains at the forefront of innovation. Sondra’s deep expertise and proven leadership in legal innovation will play a critical role in helping us leverage AI and emerging technologies to strengthen our operations and enhance the value we provide to our clients,” said Jeffrey Cohen, Torkin Manes’ managing partner, in a statement.

During her time at Blakes, which lasted over six years, Rebenchuk was most recently senior innovation counsel. In this role, she headed up the firm’s innovation team of innovation counsels, project managers, and legal technologists, per LinkedIn.

She was part of Blakes’ strategic AI working group and helped to develop and roll out the firm’s AI strategy. She advanced its enterprise legal technology strategy by assessing, implementing, and administering legal tech platforms across its offices in Canada.

Rebenchuk spearheaded the design and implementation of generative AI pilots across various practice groups. She also collaborated with lawyers on incorporating technology and process enhancements into day-to-day work; moreover, she developed internal and front-end CLE programs focusing on AI, legal operations, and legal technology trends.

She taught an upper-year course on law, policy, and governance in relation to emerging technologies at the Osgoode Hall Law School as an adjunct professor of law. She was also an AI practice consultant for Kira Systems, guiding law firms on AI implementation strategy moves like custom rollout plans, stakeholder presentations, and training programs.

Moreover, Rebenchuk trained AI provision models with data tagging and accuracy and precision testing as a legal knowledge engineering consultant. She helped law firms identify use cases for AI models.

Early in her career, Rebenchuk was a corporate lawyer who logged a stint with Goodmans LLP as an associate handling matters involving mergers and acquisitions and securities law.