Freshfields teams up with Google to power firmwide AI rollout

Freshfields has partnered with Google to ramp up the use of generative AI across the firm, in a move that will see the Magic Circle firm deploy Google's Gemini platform and co-develop bespoke AI tools for legal and business workflows.

The partnership includes a firmwide rollout of Gemini with Google Workspace - embedding AI into tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google’s research and writing assistant tool, NotebookLM.

The firm says it will also use Google’s Vertex AI platform and Agentspace technology "to create bespoke AI agents for its legal and business processes", while NotebookLM will give staff the ability to "quickly synthesise large quantities of information and uncover new insights".

Freshfields is also integrating Gemini into its own in-house products, including "Dynamic Due Diligence" - its tool for legal reviews and due diligence - with the goal of scaling up efficiency in processes that are often time-intensive and repetitive.

The partnership leans into Freshfields’ "tech-agnostic" approach, building a stack that includes both third-party and homegrown tools.

Bigger picture

The move comes just days after rival A&O unveiled its own AI rollout with legal tech unicorn Harvey - launching a suite of AI agents designed to tackle complex legal work like antitrust filings, cybersecurity and fund formation.

A&O isn’t only using the tools internally, it plans to sell them to clients and rival firms on a subscription basis, with revenue shared between it and Harvey.

Together, the announcements point to an increasingly competitive shift in the legal AI arms race, with top firms now actively looking to build and shape the generative AI tools they use, rather than just use them.

What they said

Freshfields global managing partner Alan Mason said:

"We have a mindset of client-centric innovation, delivered in a responsible way", adding "This partnership supports our strategy by allowing us to tap into Google’s generative AI expertise for the benefit of our clients."

Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, added: "We’ve been a proud partner of Freshfields’ innovation journey for years with Google Workspace. We believe that our AI technologies can help Freshfields deliver new innovations for its organisation, clients, and the legal industry overall."