To help lead its 300 knowledge management (KM) professionals, EY announced last week that it hired former Baker McKenzie chief knowledge officer Mark Ford as its first-ever global law knowledge leader. Before working at Baker McKenzie, Ford served as a data privacy attorney at Clifford Chance before being appointed knowledge management director at that firm.

Ford’s arrival comes as some look for EY to strike an alliance with a law firm, like its Big Four counterparts, and expand its client base. But whether that happens, EY is expanding its legal offerings and internal legal roles. In February 2021, for example, EY appointed Jan Thornbury as its inaugural U.K. and Ireland head of legal transformation. Elsewhere, EY has acquired multiple legal services and tech providers over the years, including Pangea3 and Riverview Law.