Legal Geek Live

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in Amsterdam, this episode is a front-row seat to how one of the Netherlands' leading law firms is navigating the AI revolution from the inside. Joris Willems, partner and head of the Technology Group at NautaDutilh, has been a tech lawyer for over 25 years, and even he had to walk on his toes to keep up.In conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Joris shares the real story behind NautaDutilh's AI journey:- How NautaDutilh got embedded inside Prosus' AI engineering team during the build of their internal tool Toqan, not writing memos from the sidelines, but joining standups and design decisions- The deliberate choice to first build their own AI tool with a startup, before switching to Legora for firm-wide rollout- The "AI virus": how organic adoption made it impossible to take the tool away, and how that became the smartest pitch to the partnership- Why two junior lawyers chatting at the in-house barista about a five-minute Legora translation says more about the future than any strategy deck- The generation gap: juniors who embrace AI instantly versus senior partners who are still processing what just happened- How the profession will change and why nobody, including Joris, has all the answers yet- Why value-based billing will replace the billable hour as the default, and what that means for firm economics- The culture of a 302-year-old firm where senior partners see themselves as custodians handing the keys to the next generation, not owners protecting their share- What it was like negotiating with OpenAI when the Italian regulator suddenly intervened mid-call- Why "get comfortable being uncomfortable" is Joris' most important advice for young lawyers, and why it has nothing to do with AIJoris offers a refreshingly candid perspective on what it actually takes to land AI inside a traditional law firm, not just the tooling, but the culture, the patience, and the willingness to experiment while the profession reinvents itself around you.

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in Amsterdam, this episode takes you inside one of the largest generative AI rollouts in the legal industry. Bert Vries, Director of Information Technology & Innovation at CMS Netherlands, led the global deployment of Harvey across 7,000+ lawyers in over fifty countries a journey that started with a simple email in 2023 and is still going.In conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Bert shares the real story behind CMS's AI transformation:- How CMS went from pilot to global rollout, and why it took two and a half years- The shift from horizontal, firm-wide AI features to vertical, practice-specific use cases- Why Banking & Finance uses Harvey differently than Labor Law or Corporate M&A- The concrete example of reviewing 10,000 invoices and why no lawyer signs up for that- How AI doesn't just drive efficiency, but can genuinely improve the quality of legal advice- Why the ROI of legal AI isn't measured in euros saved, but in changing how people feel about their work- How the billable hour model is being challenged, and why Bert believes in a nuanced, hybrid approach to pricing- What the dotcom era taught Bert about innovation hype and why today's AI wave feels eerily familiar- Why so many firms get stuck in analysis paralysis, and Bert's Columbus analogy for breaking free- How CMS chose Harvey: no lengthy RFP, no feature matrix just experimentation and momentumBert offers a refreshingly honest perspective on what it actually takes to land AI in a global law firm, not just the technology, but the patience, the conversations, and the willingness to experiment while others are still analysing.

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in London, this episode dives into the fast-moving world of agentic AI with Jeremy Coleman, Vice President, Legal Research & Development at ContractPodAi. Jeremy breaks down the shift from GenAI experimentation to real-world implementation, and explains why legal teams should be planning, not panicking.In conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Jeremy explores:What agentic AI really is, and why it’s not as scary as it soundsHow agents bring more control, not less, by working within user-defined guardrailsWhy we’ve already been preparing for this through workflow automation, machine learning, and GenAIHow legal work will shift from individual tasks to coordinated agentic systemsWhy the biggest opportunity lies in connecting departments, not replacing themHow ContractPodAi’s platform Leah helps in-house teams build real-world agentic workflowsWhich legal tasks (e.g. real estate, regulatory prep) are ripest for automationWhy law firms may not become tech companies, but already operate like themJeremy offers a clear-eyed view on what’s changing in legal tech, what will remain the same, and how to build smart AI systems that augment lawyers rather than replace them.

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in London, this episode features Jody Glidden, serial entrepreneur and founder of Postilize (and previously Introhive), sharing how AI can transform the way legal professionals build relationships, generate revenue, and stay ahead of the billable hour crunch.In this dynamic conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Jody breaks down:Why law firms must shift from reactive to proactive business developmentHow the billable hour is being eroded by AI, and what should replace itWhat he learned from working with the top rainmakers at 50+ global law firmsHow his framework turns signals into new legal matters using automationWhy relationships are still the most valuable asset in the age of AIHow lawyers can build scalable, empathetic, high-value connectionsWhy sales, empathy, and strategy are the future-proof skills every lawyer needsThe real reason so few associates become rainmakers, and how AI levels the playing fieldWith insights from a founder who’s worked on both sides of the legal table, this episode is a practical, energizing roadmap for lawyers looking to thrive in an AI-first, relationship-driven future.

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in London, this episode features Alex Fawcett, VP Product, CoCounsel Platform at Thomson Reuters, offering an inside look at how one of the world’s biggest legal tech players is shaping the future of AI in law, with a deep focus on trust, content, and domain expertise.In conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Alex unpacks:Why law firms aren’t tech companies, and what they should (and shouldn’t) build themselvesHow verified content, legal domain expertise, and AI engineering power TR’s product ecosystemWhat makes “professional-grade AI” different from ChatGPT and other consumer toolsWhy hallucinations and trust are the critical battlegrounds in legal AIWhat sets TR’s agentic workflows apart, and how human oversight is built in by designWhy most firms lack a proper AI strategy, and how TR helps bridge that gapHow Thomson Reuters uses 600,000+ automated tests and a team of lawyers to ensure accuracyIf you're wondering how enterprise legal AI is built, governed, and scaled, this episode is packed with practical insights from one of the industry's biggest players.

Recorded at the Legal Geek Conference in London, this episode features Mark Cullen, VP of LegalTech Product Management at Thomson Reuters, on how one of the industry’s biggest players is approaching the next wave of AI, with a balance of cutting-edge technology, strategic acquisitions, and a deeply human mindset.In conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Mark unpacks:Why storytelling is just as vital as tech in a crowded AI marketHow Thomson Reuters blends build, buy, and partner strategies to scale smartlyWhat makes CoCounsel and TR’s AI tools truly “professional-grade”How AI is transforming legal teams into strategic business partnersWhy agentic AI is coming fast, and why “human in the loop” will always be essentialHow TR’s tools are built on trust, not just tech, with real-world data, testing, and legal contentThe future of law firms: not tech companies, but product companiesWhy now is the time for law firms to turn tacit expertise into scalable servicesThis episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how enterprise legal AI is being developed, governed, and deployed, and why the next phase is about helping lawyers do more, not less.

In this fast-paced episode from Legal Geek Conference in London, Ruben Miessen, co-founder and CEO of LegalFly, shares the story behind one of Europe's most rapidly growing legal AI startups. From leading AI projects at Tinder to building a product-first legal tech company, Ruben explains how focus, timing, and obsession with real legal workflows are powering LegalFly’s growth.In this conversation with Hidde Bruinsma, Ruben covers:Why LegalFly pivoted away from law firms to focus entirely on in-house legal teamsHow AI is reshaping legal work inside companies, and reducing reliance on law firmsThe importance of focus and verticalization in building a scalable legal AI platformA peek into LegalFly’s new horizon-scanning tool for real-time legislation trackingWhat it’s like to raise €18M, scale a team across Belgium and the UK, and hire top talentHow LegalFly grew out of a real bottleneck Ruben faced while working with Match Group’s legal team at TinderFrom product pivots to legal AI agents, this episode is a masterclass in legal tech entrepreneurship, and a window into how GenAI is fundamentally changing the legal industry.

In this inspiring conversation recorded at Legal Geek Europe, legal design expert and ADS Studio founder Anna De Stefano explores how law firms can navigate the AI era without losing their human touch. Hosted by Hidde Bruinsma, this episode delves into:How adaptive leadership empowers multigenerational legal teamsWhy legal design is the bridge between tech and real-world problem-solvingThe power of asking the right questions in the age of generative AICreating safe spaces for innovation within law firmsWhy critical thinking and ethics matter more than everHow to avoid becoming a commodity in the AI ageWhether you’re a legal leader, tech enthusiast, or next-gen lawyer, this episode offers fresh insight into keeping humanity at the center of innovation.