Our Approach
To Artificial Intelligence
What AI Changes In Our Profession
Artificial intelligence is transforming access to legal information. Multi-jurisdictional overviews, clause comparisons, and in-depth analyses can now be produced in a matter of seconds.
Our lawyers operate in this environment, just like their clients.
What is changing is the speed and scope of analysis. What is not changing is the need to understand each situation in context, to prioritize options, and to take a clear, well-reasoned position. That is where the value of legal advice lies.
Our clients do not turn to us simply for analysis. They rely on us for what analysis alone cannot provide: interpretation, judgment, and accountability.
We use AI as a tool to support our lawyers’ judgment, in full compliance with professional standards and applicable regulations. It does not replace their experience or their responsibility.
AI In Daily Practice
Our teams use artificial intelligence across multiple stages of legal work, including large-scale document review, due diligence, contract analysis, advanced legal research, and regulatory monitoring. These uses continue to evolve in line with client needs, within a framework governed by strict standards of confidentiality, data protection, and GDPR compliance.
All outputs generated by AI tools are reviewed and validated by an experienced lawyer before being incorporated into our analyses or shared with clients. No automated output leaves the firm without this review. This commitment to verification is what defines the professional use of AI.
Principles And Safeguards
Confidentiality
Client data is protected. We use only solutions whose security and confidentiality are contractually guaranteed and subject to internal review.
Responsibility
Responsibility remains fully with our lawyers, who are the sole authors of legal opinions and arguments. AI is a support tool, never a decision-maker.
Transparency
We inform our clients of the conditions under which artificial intelligence may be used in the course of our engagements. This transparency is an integral part of the trust we build with them.
Ethics
Our choice of tools is guided by criteria of relevance, security, and reliability, in full compliance with our professional and ethical obligations. No solution is deployed unless it meets all of these requirements.
The Tools
We Use
We use a limited number of professional artificial intelligence solutions, selected for their reliability, security, and relevance to legal practice. These include Harvey, ChatGPT Enterprise, Luminance, Doctrine Flow IA, Dalloz GenIA-L, Jimini, DeepL Pro, and Microsoft Copilot.
These tools are used to address specific needs, whether to accelerate legal analysis, structure information, or facilitate the review of large volumes of documents. Their use is strictly limited to professional engagements, and excludes any reliance on public or free consumer tools.
Each tool is tested and continuously evaluated before being deployed within our teams. We regularly update our framework for use to reflect technological developments and legislative changes. Our lawyers receive ongoing training to ensure they are proficient in these tools, understand their limitations, and maintain full control at every stage.
Innovation Built On Trust
At August Debouzy, artificial intelligence serves as a lever for efficiency and creativity, but its use is strictly governed and never compromises confidentiality, professional responsibility or the quality of our legal services.
Our clients can be confident that, while we adopt advanced technologies, we do so in full respect of the core values of our profession.
