AI has become part of everyday working life, both for us and for our clients. Organisations are experimenting with AI for analysis, preparation and answering questions. At the same time, we are exploring how AI can support us in legal research, structuring information and working more efficiently. The question is therefore no longer whether we use AI, but how we use it together: responsibly, effectively and while maintaining the highest standards of quality and human judgement.
At our firm, this approach sits at the heart of what we call Smart with AI. It is neither a passing trend nor simply a choice of technology, but a deliberate way of working. We see an AI market that is evolving at remarkable speed and making increasingly ambitious promises. At the same time, experience shows that many AI initiatives fail to deliver lasting value, often because they begin with the technology rather than the work itself. AI is not a magic solution, nor is it some distant future prospect. It is a tool that creates value only when it is properly understood, carefully applied and embedded in day-to-day practice.
This reality extends beyond our own organisation and is equally relevant to the way we work with clients. AI is blurring the traditional boundary between preparation and review. Whereas much of the work previously rested with advisers, clients are now increasingly using AI within their own legal processes. This creates opportunities for greater efficiency, but also raises new questions. What can you reasonably expect from AI-generated output? Where are its limits? And who ultimately bears responsibility for quality?
For us, being Smart with AI means not avoiding these questions but addressing them together. Efficiency and excellence are not opposing objectives. AI can free up time, reveal patterns and suggest alternatives. But legal quality will always require context, experience and professional judgement. AI lays the groundwork; people make the difference. By being transparent about how we use AI, and by encouraging openness about how our clients use it, we create space for better alignment and more informed decision-making.
Responsible AI use also requires shared principles and clear agreements. AI has limitations, including hallucinations and a false sense of certainty. That is why robust safeguards, human review and ongoing reflection are essential. This is not a responsibility that sits solely with either adviser or client; it is a shared responsibility. Only by making expectations explicit and involving one another in key decisions and considerations can we realise the benefits of AI without compromising reliability or quality.
New forms of legal service delivery do not emerge in isolation either. We rely on our clients to help us understand where AI genuinely adds value in practice. Equally, clients rely on us to connect its use with legal rigour, quality assurance and responsible implementation. Innovation is therefore not a solo endeavour, but a shared learning process.
For us, being Smart with AI means discovering together, learning together and improving together. We believe that the best new services emerge where technology, legal expertise and practical experience come together. That is why we actively invite our clients to join the conversation — about opportunities, limitations and expectations. Not because we already have all the answers, but because we can only find them together.
AI does not call for a ready-made solution; it calls for a meaningful conversation.
