Mon 28th & Tues 29th
September 2026
The Ashling Hotel, Dublin
7 CPD Hours Each Day
Book Either Day
The biggest hurdle with AI isn't the tools.
It’s finding the time to sit down, practice, experiment, and figure out what actually produces something useful for your practice.
It’s a familiar pattern. You sit in on the webinar, you watch someone demonstrate it, you nod along and think “I really should get to grips with that” – and then the phone rings, a file lands on the desk, and suddenly it’s three months later and nothing has changed.
So we’ve decided to give you the time.
This September, SGN is running two AI workshops at the Ashling Hotel in Dublin. These are working days, not talking days. You’ll spend more than half of each one with your hands on your own laptop, working on your own material, with people in the room to help when you get stuck. You’ll leave having actually done something – rather than having watched somebody else do it.
AI Foundations (Beginner Level)
Day 1 - Monday 28th September
For solicitors starting from scratch, or who have dipped in and out of ChatGPT a few times without ever really getting anywhere with it.
We begin with confidentiality and data protection – with a GDPR specialist, before anyone opens a laptop – because that’s the question sitting underneath every other question. From there, we cover a straightforward framework for getting good results, how to judge which tasks are worth handing to AI and which are not, and how to choose between tools that all look identical from the outside.
The rest of the day is protected time to try it on your own work, with help on hand.
AI Practical Applications (Intermediate Level)
Day 2 - Tuesday 29th September
For solicitors already using these tools who want to get past the basics.
We’ll still cover the essential groundwork on the day – including confidentiality and data protection – what you can and can’t safely put into these tools. From there, it’s straight into the practical: building a knowledge bank so you stop re-explaining your practice from scratch every single time. Building out prompts you can reuse rather than reinventing. Where agents and automation genuinely help – and where they don’t.
And an honest look at the case management problem: what’s possible today when your system won’t connect, and what’s coming down the line.
What Both Days Have in Common
- Capped at 30 places – so it stays a workshop, and stays fully interactive.
- Practical support on the floor throughout, including solicitors who use these tools daily in their own practices.
- Ask anything, at any point. There’s no formality.
- Refreshments in the room, so nobody loses momentum queuing for coffee.
- Anyone who wants to do both days is very welcome – just make sure you’re comfortable with the foundations before joining the intermediate session.
Provisional Running Order
Same Shape Both Days, Different Material
- 09:00 - 09:30 AM
- Registration and refreshments
- 09:30 - 09:50 AM
- Welcome and set up - what to expect
- 09:50 - 10:30 AM
- Confidentiality and data protection - a conversation with Eileen Ireland
- 10:30 - 12:30 PM
- Working block 1 + 2 - structured hands-on device time
- 12:30 - 1:00 PM
- Live demos with legal tech platforms
- 1:00 - 2:00 PM
- Lunch and Networking
- 2:00 - 2:30 PM
- Live demos with legal tech platforms
- 2:30 - 4:30 PM
- Working block 3 + 4 - structured hands-on device time
- 4:30 - 5:15 PM
- Open lab - real playtime with your own test cases
- 5:15 - 5:30 PM
- Wrap Up and Close
What to Bring:
- A laptop – and don’t forget the charging cable.
- An account already created and logged in on at least one AI tool – Claude, Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini or NewCode.ai – before you arrive.
- A quick check with whoever manages your IT to confirm the laptop isn’t restricted and those sites aren’t blocked.
- One real piece of work you’d like to make progress on, with client details removed.
Who's Leading It?
The workshops are led by AI expert, consultant and trainer Alastair McDermott, supported by a team of specialists and practising solicitors who’ll be on the floor throughout the day.
More About Your Trainer:
Alastair McDermott is the founder of HumanSpark, an AI adoption consultancy based in Sligo, Ireland. He works with small and medium businesses on practical AI implementation that improves how teams work without replacing the people who do it.
Alastair has spent two decades in technology consulting, with the last three years focused on AI adoption. He has trained 500+ professionals through structured programmes with IRDG Innovation Skillnet, Engineers Ireland, Sligo Chamber and others, and has built custom AI tools for dozens of organisations across finance, logistics, professional services and healthcare.
He is the author of the Human-First AI Series of four books on using AI well without losing the things that make people good at their work. He hosts the Fewer Late Nights – Not Fewer Humans podcast, and previously hosted a show with hundreds of episodes between the two.
Alastair McDermott
In Proud Partnership With
Book Your Place Today
Limited to 30 Seats Per Day
SGN Member Ticket
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7 hours in-person CPD
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Full day of talks & workshops
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Paperback Copy of Human-First AI Book
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Facilitated networking lunch
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Morning & afternoon refreshments
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Exclusive member rate
SGN Non-Member Ticket
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7 hours in-person CPD
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Full day of talks & workshops
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Paperback Copy of Human-First AI Book
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Facilitated networking lunch
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Morning & afternoon refreshments
Register Your Place Today!
With just 30 places on each day and both levels running back to back, we’d strongly encourage you to secure your spot early – once a day is full, that’s it.
About The Venue
This event will be hosted at The Ashling Hotel which is located in the heart of Dublin City, right across from Heuston train station.
Directions to the hotel can be found here.
It is accessible by all modes of transport and the Luas Red line runs right past the door.
Parking is available in the multi-storey car park and hotel guests can enjoy a special discounted overnight rate.
Tel: 01 6772324
Email: info@ashlinghotel.ie
Frequently Asked Questions
As this is a live in-person event, recordings will not be available to view in replay format.
Tickets for this event are refundable up to three days before the event. After this time they are non-refundable, however they will remain transferrable. Please contact us as soon as possible in the event you cannot make it.
In the event of cancellation of the event, full refunds will be issued to all ticket buyers.
Personalised CPD certificates will be emailed directly to each attendee after the event. Please allow up to 3 working days for all CPD certs to be issued.
Absolutely! If you would like to bring a guest to the Christmas party, you are more than welcome to do so, we would just ask that you notify us in advance so that we can keep track of numbers for food, etc. Email Catherine/Sarah at info@solicitorsgrowth.com.
Click below to join the waitlist
In Proud Partnership With
If you want to enquire further about the event or have any questions, please contact Catherine and Sarah at info@solicitorsgrowth.com
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