AI policy

Introduction

LEAN LAWYERS is a law firm doing things differently. We believe innovation and legal quality strengthen one another, which is why we welcome the technology that makes our service faster and better.

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays an ever larger part in that. AI makes our work quicker and smarter, and it creates real value for our clients. At the same time, we are keenly aware of the standing of our profession in society and of our duty of care towards the people we act for. We use AI only where it is safe, responsible and in keeping with the core values of the legal profession.

This policy sets out how we handle AI as a firm and how we use it in the work we do for you.

Why do we use AI?

We use AI to improve our legal services. It allows us to analyse information faster, spot patterns and produce first drafts. That frees up time for creative thinking, strategic advice and personal attention for our clients. We also want to use AI to automate processes, including internal ones.

Principles for using AI

The use of AI within LEAN LAWYERS rests on the following principles:

• AI supports the lawyer's work but never replaces it;
• the lawyer always remains ultimately responsible for the legal advice given and for representing the client's interests;
• We tell clients when AI is used on their case.
• using AI must not compromise the lawyer's independence, partisanship, expertise, integrity or duty of confidentiality;
• compliance with law, regulation and professional rules always comes first; and
• Only AI tools we have approved may be used in carrying out our work.

How do we use AI?

We use AI purely to support our work: drafting agreements, analysing and filtering relevant case law, researching legal questions, and adding extras that make life easier for clients, such as an overview, a summary or a translation.

In every case, a lawyer is responsible for the final content, checking and sending of advice, court documents and correspondence. AI never replaces legal advice or the human touch. Where AI is used for legal research, quotations, ECLI numbers and other references to legal sources are always verified manually by the lawyer against the primary source before being used in advice or court documents. For legal research we use only AI tools that provide traceable source references.

Our lawyers remain fully responsible for any use of an AI tool.

Confidential client information and protection of client data

We never put personal data or confidential client information into open, publicly accessible AI systems, and we avoid free AI tools. Where a free tool is used, it is only on an anonymised or pseudonymised basis, unless the client has agreed otherwise.

Client data is processed only within closed, controlled systems where the system supplier guarantees us the confidentiality of client information and the protection of client data.

We are keenly aware that AI tools collect data implicitly, processing things such as location data, metadata or browser sessions alongside what is actively entered. Staff are required to understand how each AI tool they use behaves in this respect. This forms part of the tool selection assessment and our internal training.

How do we choose an AI tool?

We apply a careful and transparent framework when selecting and deploying AI tools. We use only AI solutions that demonstrably comply with applicable Dutch and European law and regulation, including the GDPR and the European AI Act.

When choosing an AI tool, we look at the following criteria as a minimum:

• Law and regulation: the tool must comply with European and Dutch rules, specifically on data protection and AI.
• Data processing and hosting: the servers on which data is processed and stored are preferably located in the European Union. This limits the risks around data transfer when, for example, AI models are trained.
• Use of data: client data may not be used to train or retrain models.
• Security: the supplier must have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect data against unauthorised access, loss or data breaches.
• Transparency and contractual safeguards: we assess contract terms on matters including data ownership, intellectual property rights, liability, audit rights and exit arrangements.
• Risk classification: we assess every AI tool we use against the risk categories of the AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). For each tool we record which category it falls into and what obligations follow from that, including the transparency obligations under article 50 of the AI Act for generative AI applications.

Safeguarding quality

Quality matters to us, so we never take AI output at face value in advice or documents. Anything generated with AI is always checked by us.

We train our staff regularly on how generative AI works, LLM principles, prompt engineering, spotting hallucinations and incorrect source references, mitigating bias and the relevant law and regulation.

Training and refresher courses take place at least once a year as part of continuing professional development. Best practice is shared internally as a matter of course. We evaluate the use of AI in our services and the quality of the AI tools we use, and we keep a close eye on developments in law and regulation as well as recommendations from the Netherlands Bar. Where necessary, we adjust our policy and our working methods.

Transparency

We are open about our use of AI, both internally and externally. Transparency towards clients is a precondition, which is why this policy is publicly available on our website.

Meeting the guidelines and recommendations of the Netherlands Bar

Our policy follows the Netherlands Bar's recommendations on AI in the legal profession. We also keep a close eye on developments affecting our profession, and we reflect regularly on how AI is used within the firm.

Responsibility for AI

To give effect to the review cycle and the accountability duty under the GDPR, LEAN LAWYERS appoints an internal AI contact. This person maintains the tool register, coordinates the annual policy review and keeps track of developments from the Netherlands Bar and the legislator in the field of AI.

Embedded in our general terms and conditions

The way we use AI in our work for and with clients forms part of our general terms and conditions. That way, when a client accepts an instruction, they not only know how we use AI but have also agreed to it. Clients can access our AI policy through our website.

Finally

We see AI as a tool, not an end in itself. This policy allows us to offer innovative legal services without compromising the security and confidentiality of that work. If you have any questions or comments about our AI policy, please contact the person responsible for AI at [email protected].

We review this policy regularly and update it in step with technological and legal developments, respecting the core values of the legal profession and in line with Dutch and European law and regulation.

Annex(es):

• AI tool register

AI tool register (overview of approved tools)