Law firms make more time for clients with AI
AI prepares case files, contracts and briefs. That leaves lawyers more time for strategy and advice.
Law firms have never lacked expertise. What holds them back are the many hours before that expertise can be put to work.
Reviewing 1,240 documents
| Contract | Clause | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Supply agreement, Beispiel AG | Change of Control | § 14.2, p. 23 |
| Office lease | Termination right | § 9, p. 7 |
| Licence agreement | Consent requirement | § 11.1, p. 15 |
1. Change of control in the supply agreement with Beispiel AG
2. Landlord’s termination right on a change of shareholders
3. Licensor’s consent required
Maria Muster, Partner
Creating more room for legal work
Law firms work on matters where accuracy and verifiability are critical. Advances in AI create the opportunity to turn proven processes into clearly defined, repeatable steps. Less time on routine tasks means lawyers can focus more on their clients.
AI helps analyse and bring together the information on a matter and turn it into drafts. That includes data rooms, case files, contracts and correspondence. Most firms already have tools for this, such as Microsoft Copilot or a specialised legal AI. lindenbrook helps them use these tools safely in everyday work.
Every practice group uses AI differently. Three examples from everyday work at a law firm.
Clients are paying attention too. Almost 40 % of in-house lawyers now ask for evidence or information on the use of AI when choosing a law firm.
For 78 % of companies, better work through AI is very important. Only 6 % get it from most of their law firms and advisers.
Embedding AI in every practice group
lindenbrook designs the introduction starting from the outcome you want. For each practice group, we identify which tasks are suitable, where legal judgement is indispensable and how AI should support the work.
The teams then practise with anonymised cases from their own matters, in the tools the firm already uses. Partners and associates practise separately, and legal assistants have their own workshop. We train a point of contact in every team. After 90 days, we compare the results with the starting point.
AI is not simply a way to make every process faster. It is about recognising where legal judgement is decisive.
Building trust in everyday use
Lawyers are responsible for client confidentiality and for every result that leaves the firm. The standards for accuracy, confidentiality and diligence stay the same when AI is used. Our workshops and training are built around them.
Protecting client confidentiality
The duty of confidentiality under Section 43a of the Federal Lawyers’ Act (BRAO) and Section 203 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) applies to AI tools too. Under Section 43e BRAO, providers may only be involved if a contract in text form obliges them to confidentiality and they learn no more than necessary. A data processing agreement under the GDPR is also required. The German Federal Bar (BRAK) recommends providers with servers in the EU. Private AI accounts are off limits for client work.
Checking every citation against the original
AI can invent decisions and citations that sound convincing. The Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main and the Kammergericht in Berlin have already criticised briefs with invented citations. The rule is therefore simple: AI prepares, and a lawyer checks every citation against the original and takes responsibility for the result.
Setting clear rules for the whole firm
Your AI policy sets out which tools are permitted and which data may go into them. Training with certificates of attendance documents AI literacy under Article 4 of the EU AI Act. And when clients ask in pitches or tenders how you work with AI, you have a clear answer.
We show what the German Federal Bar and the German Bar Association (DAV) recommend and how it works in everyday practice. The legal assessment of each individual case is made by your firm.
Sources: § 43e BRAO, § 203 StGB, BRAK guidance on the use of AI (German), DAV statement 32/2025 (German), Regional Court Frankfurt am Main, 2-13 S 56/24, Kammergericht Berlin, 17 WF 144/25
Common questions
What does lindenbrook offer law firms?
lindenbrook, based in Oberursel near Frankfurt am Main, supports law firms in introducing AI: with an AI potential analysis, workshops for every practice group and for legal assistants and secretaries, training on working safely with AI, the firm’s AI policy, training for AI points of contact and a progress report after 90 days. On request, we develop custom applications. On site in Frankfurt am Main and the Rhine-Main region or online, in German or English.
We already have Harvey, Legora or Copilot. Why do we need you?
So that the tools are actually used in everyday work. We work independently of any provider, with the tools you have, and practise with tasks from your practice groups. On top of that come your AI policy, points of contact in the teams and a report on what has changed.
Can client data go into AI tools?
Lawyers are bound by professional secrecy (Section 43a(2) BRAO, Section 203 StGB). Under Section 43e BRAO, external service providers, including providers of AI tools, may only be involved if they have been carefully selected, a contract in text form obliges them to confidentiality and they learn no more than necessary. For providers abroad, the protection of secrets must be comparable. If the use directly serves an individual matter, the client’s consent is also required. A data processing agreement under the GDPR is needed as well. Private AI accounts do not meet these requirements. The BRAK and the DAV take different views on how far client data should be anonymised. The legal assessment of each individual case is made by your firm. Sources: § 43a BRAO , § 43e BRAO , § 203 StGB , GDPR, Art. 28 , BRAK, guidance on the use of AI, December 2024 (German) , DAV, statement 32/2025 (German)
Who is responsible for AI results?
The lawyer. AI can invent citations and decisions that sound convincing. That is why every citation is checked against the original before it goes into a brief or to a client. Courts have already criticised briefs with invented decisions, including the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main and the Kammergericht in Berlin. Your teams practise this checking in the workshop. Sources: Regional Court Frankfurt am Main, 2-13 S 56/24 , BRAK on Kammergericht Berlin, 17 WF 144/25 (German)
Do the workshops count as continuing education?
Lawyers are required to undertake continuing education (Section 43a(8) BRAO), but the law does not set a number of hours. For specialist lawyers (Fachanwälte), only events related to their specialist field count under Section 15 FAO, and the bar decides on recognition. You receive a certificate of attendance with all the usual details. It is best to clarify recognition with your bar in advance. Sources: § 43a BRAO , § 15 FAO, Frankfurt Bar (German)
Which law firms is this for?
For commercial law firms with several practice groups that want to introduce AI across the whole firm and have no legal tech team of their own. And for larger firms that want to support their own team, for example with workshops for individual practice groups, for legal assistants or in English. On site in Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Mainz, Darmstadt and the Rhine-Main region or online.
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