Top European law firms reveal how Gen AI is disrupting legal work, pricing and training models
Generative AI is no longer a distant buzzword in the legal sector – it’s already reshaping the way law firms across Europe work, bill and train. A new report from The Global Legal Post, in partnership with LexisNexis, pulls back the curtain on how top European firms are embracing AI tools in their everyday operations.
Titled Harnessing Gen AI in Law: Lessons from the Front Lines in Europe, the study draws on interviews with leading lawyers and executives from firms in Spain, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Italy. The findings are clear: firms are moving beyond experimentation and are beginning to embed AI deeply into their workflows.
The shift is not just technical — it’s cultural and commercial. “The pricing model will become more and more value-based,” said Raúl Rubio, IP and technology partner at Pérez-Llorca in Madrid. “In some cases, we’ll provide more value than the hours we invest.”
That change in mindset is echoed across jurisdictions. Beatriz Rodríguez Gómez, a partner at RocaJunyent, said AI frees her up to focus on what really matters: “I dedicate less time to things that don’t add value for my clients and spend more time on what they need me to think about.”
But implementing Gen AI isn’t plug-and-play. Law firms are grappling with integration challenges, from choosing the right tools to encouraging lawyers to adopt them. Sebastian Bardou, VP of strategy for LexisNexis in the CEMEA region, said firm size plays a major role. “The smaller ones can implement quickly,” he explained. “Larger firms need to roll it out in waves – you can’t flip a switch.”
Embed from Getty ImagesBeneath these practical hurdles lies a more profound shift. AI is automating many tasks once assigned to junior lawyers, raising urgent questions about training and career development. Mathieu Balzarini, VP of product at LexisNexis, put it bluntly: “The most valuable professionals will be those who ask the right questions, interpret AI output critically, and use those insights to deliver better results.”
Firms like Hengeler Mueller and Gleiss Lutz in Germany, and Pérez-Llorca and RocaJunyent in Spain, are already integrating Gen AI into their day-to-day practice. Hengeler Mueller is using it for first-level reviews in investigations, while Gleiss Lutz deploys AI to summarise and compare documents.
For Balzarini, success depends not just on software but on how law firms evolve. “AI integration isn’t just about dropping in a tool – it’s about reshaping processes, mindsets and, in many cases, incentives,” he said.
The report also includes voices from Portugal’s Vieira de Almeida, Belgium’s Monard Law and Italy’s BonelliErede, offering a pan-European snapshot of a profession in flux. The legal sector is undergoing its most significant technological shift in decades, and those who adapt early appear poised to lead.
In a world where AI can draft, summarise and analyse at scale, lawyers will need to prove their worth in new ways. Building relationships, exercising judgment, and navigating complex legal issues remain human strengths. But increasingly, AI will handle the grunt work, leaving lawyers to add value where it matters most.
