Gen AI is moving into the legal day-to-day - and drafting is first in line
New research produced by The Global Legal Post in association with LexisNexis shows leading European firms are using generative AI to make better use of firm knowledge and streamline work, especially in legal drafting. Senior partners and executives expect that by 2030, AI tools will be embedded in the daily workflow, helping lawyers work faster and with more consistency under growing client cost pressure.
This shift will change the work junior lawyers do and how they are trained. With AI able to surface firmwide know-how in seconds, tasks once handled by mid-levels will increasingly be supported by AI - while lawyers focus on context, strategy and judgment.
Drafting is the priority - and it's getting personal
The study, based on interviews with senior leaders in Germany, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, found firms are zeroing in on drafting. Knowledge is often scattered across systems, matters and teams. Gen AI helps pull it together to produce first drafts that reflect firm language, client preferences and past outcomes.
"[Gen AI] delivers more individualised drafts than before," said Pierre Zickert, legal technology manager at Hengeler Mueller in Germany. "Our KM work and our document automation work before was rather static and rules-based, you covered the most-used documents, and you could automate a few types or categories of use cases, but that's it. With Gen AI, you can create much more individualised agreements."
People still carry the know-how
AI only adds value if the underlying knowledge is current and accessible. That means lawyers have to share what they know and contribute to the knowledge base instead of keeping insights locked in email or local folders.
"We have to be more collaborative using intelligence and using AI tools if we want to identify relevant precedents or clauses in seconds," said Sara Molina, a partner in the legal tech and digital transformation practice at Spanish firm Pérez-Llorca. "There are a lot of ways AI can help us, but lawyers have to share their knowledge so we can get the most out of the AI systems."
Clients want responsible AI - better quality at lower cost
Clients are open to AI as long as it is used responsibly. Confidentiality, auditability and quality controls are non-negotiable.
"A lot of clients are definitely in favour of using AI if you use AI responsibly, so it's not only about the possibilities, but also the safe and responsible use with checks and balances on confidentiality," said Tom van Helmond, managing partner for the Netherlands at Loyens & Loeff. "It's also a win-win, because the quality of our products is going up, and at the same time, it is becoming more cost-effective."
Service models will change
Expect more personalization and proactive advice as routine drafting and research compress. Firms will need to forecast client needs and bake that insight into how matters are scoped, staffed and delivered.
"The client of the future will demand much more personalised services," said Marta Magalhães Cardoso, head of knowledge integration at Portuguese firm VdA. "As a result, lawyers will have to cultivate their relationship with the clients and focus on more complex tasks. So if you look into the future, firms will need forecasting capabilities to anticipate client problems and provide effective solutions, by leveraging support from AI platforms."
What to do next
- Map your drafting workflows. Identify the top document types by volume and risk. Standardize playbooks, clause libraries and approvals around them.
- Feed the system with your best work. Curate precedent sets, capture playbook decisions, and maintain versioned, attributed clauses.
- Set guardrails. Define confidentiality tiers, citation requirements, approval paths and red-flag checks before AI output reaches a client.
- Pilot, measure, iterate. Track quality, cycle time, rework and client feedback. Expand only where the metrics hold up.
- Reshape training for juniors. Pair AI drafting with live review, issue-spotting drills and matter context so judgment develops alongside speed.
- Be transparent with clients. Explain how AI is used, how confidentiality is protected, and how quality is reviewed.
Tools and resources
- Explore legal-grade Gen AI offerings such as Lexis+ AI for drafting, research and knowledge retrieval.
- Upskill your team on practical AI workflows for legal work with curated programs: AI courses by job and latest AI courses.
Who contributed to the research
- Sebastien Bardou, general manager of LexisNexis CEMEA International and vice president of strategy for CEMEA, LexisNexis
- Idoya Fernández, head of knowledge and innovation, Cuatrecasas
- Marta Magalhães Cardoso, head of knowledge integration, VdA
- Joana Mascarenhas, head of knowledge management, VdA
- Sara Molina, partner, legal tech and digital transformation practice, Pérez-Llorca
- Tom van Helmond, managing partner for the Netherlands, Loyens & Loeff
- Pierre Zickert, legal technology manager, Hengeler Mueller
- Moritz Krause, manager legal tech and AI, Gleiss Lutz
Bottom line
Drafting is the entry point, but the real advantage comes from how firms capture knowledge, set guardrails and train people. Do that, and Gen AI becomes a reliable part of the legal day-to-day - faster work, fewer errors, and advice that feels more personal to every client.
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