How it started
From a basement in Utrecht
Ten years ago we started again from scratch. No traditions, no baggage, just one question: what does the client actually get out of this? The answer came down to three things: a firm that builds better technology, a firm that genuinely looks after its people, and a firm willing to be judged on its impact.
Done with the old way of practising law, Paul and Dries set up LEAN LAWYERS in 2016. Inspired by Toyota's LEAN philosophy and Eric Ries's The Lean Startup, they built a firm from nothing. Delivering something of real value, every single day. No billable-hour targets. No hierarchy. No endless memos you can do nothing with. AI-driven and people-first. Mindful of people, the environment and society.
Done with the old way of practising law, Paul and Dries set up LEAN LAWYERS in 2016. Inspired by Toyota's LEAN philosophy and Eric Ries's The Lean Startup, they built a firm from nothing. Delivering something of real value, every single day. No billable-hour targets. No hierarchy. No endless memos you can do nothing with. AI-driven and people-first. Mindful of people, the environment and society.
Build, measure, learn
We build a service or product we can see clients need. Then we measure whether it works. Then we improve it. Then we go round again.
That is how our fixed-price LEAN law products came about, along with the one-page employment contract and the tools we build ourselves or with partners. When part-time unemployment benefit (Deeltijd-WW) was announced during covid, our tool was live within a week. We treat ourselves the same way: a little better every day, rather than one strategy away-day every three years.
Technology
We got in early. And we have kept at it.
Law firms are not known for their pace when it comes to new technology. In 2016 we started by asking how it could be done differently, and we still ask that question every day, every week, every year.
Our people work with Wolters Kluwer's InView for source material, and with LegalMike and Saga for AI research, document analysis and review. We also build our own: LEAN LAW products for recurring questions, and tools for whatever the market is wrestling with at the time.
Three things never change. Every answer can be traced back to its source. Your documents never go into a public model. And the final call is always made by a human being in a gown.
In depth
What that means for you
Value over hours
Find the value, cut the rest. If something adds nothing, we don't do it and we don't bill it.
Quality isn't up for debate
A young firm with more than 175 years of experience between us. You get the specialist, not a trainee with a supervisor somewhere in the background.
We say what we think
Even when it isn't what you wanted to hear. Especially then.
Easy to reach
You get a direct line, not a general switchboard. We reply within one working day, usually much sooner.
More for tomorrow
B Corp since 2023
Like Tony’s Chocolonely, Patagonia, Fairphone and Rituals, LEAN is a B Corp. Certified B Corps voluntarily meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. They want to make a difference in society and put corporate social responsibility (CSR) into practice.
A B Corp certification isn't something you pick up with the weekly shop. It's an extremely demanding process: you have to keep improving, and you're reassessed every 3 years.
Because B Corporation certification is awarded by a third party (B Lab, a US non-profit), it has become a globally recognised benchmark for companies meeting the very highest standards of social and environmental performance.
Because B Corporation certification is awarded by a third party (B Lab, a US non-profit), it has become a globally recognised benchmark for companies meeting the very highest standards of social and environmental performance.
As a B Corp, LEAN takes responsibility for making the world a better place, and we put 'legal as a force for good' into practice.
So much so that our 2026 recertification came in at 116.4 points. That puts us in the world's top 3 legal service providers with B Corp certification.
Top 3 law firm
worldwide
worldwide
Climate
More for tomorrow, since 2021
Carbon neutral isn't enough for us. So since 2021 we've done three things: (1) we measure 100% of our CO₂ emissions, (2) we actively bring them down in line with the Paris Agreement and (3) we offset at least 110% of our annual footprint.
Our footprint is measured every year and verified externally. Offsetting runs through Trees for All and Regreener. What that means in practice: every time you instruct us, it's that bit more positive than instructing another firm.
You'll find our most recent CO₂ report below.
We look beyond our own four walls
What we do outside the office
We founded B Local Utrecht and sit on its board: the Utrecht network of B Corps and like-minded impact businesses. It runs regional events, meet-ups, workshops and company visits to share knowledge and inspiration.
We also founded CO2alition Nederland, a platform for sharing knowledge, training and best practice on cutting CO₂. Together we're working towards climate neutrality by 2050.
On top of that, we do pro bono work on a structured, demonstrable basis, and everyone here can volunteer during working hours. That way we all contribute to a better world in our own way.
Top 3 law firm
worldwide
worldwide