Baker McKenzie Deploys Legora Globally

Baker McKenzie has rolled out Legora across its global lawyer network, marking a major step in its decade-long AI strategy.

The deployment signals a shift in how large law firms are integrating AI into daily legal work, moving beyond pilots to firm-wide adoption.

A Decade of AI Work

Baker McKenzie's investment in AI began in 2016, when the firm started building its thinking around artificial intelligence and machine learning in legal services. By 2017, it had become one of the first global law firms to put a formal AI strategy in place.

In 2021, the firm launched an AI-first legal practice, initially called BakerML. That practice has since been renamed Applied AI and continues to operate as a cross-disciplinary team of technologists and specialist lawyers.

The Legora rollout is the latest step in that progression, not a new direction.

What Legora Brings

Legora is a legal AI platform that will be made available to lawyers across Baker McKenzie's global network. Legora's legal engineers will work directly alongside the firm's Applied AI team and a newly created role called Practice Innovation Lawyer, which is being placed in each of the firm's global practice groups.

Together, these teams will design, build, and refine custom workflows inside the platform. The goal is to convert legal expertise into repeatable, scalable solutions across work types including large-scale transactions, disputes, global compliance audits, data breach response, transfer pricing, employment advice, and commercial projects.

The firm has not publicly disclosed the financial terms of the partnership.

Training and New Roles

Beyond the platform deployment, Baker McKenzie is investing in structured training programs for its lawyers. The firm has launched a flagship AI Accelerator Program, an intensive, in-person training initiative targeting high-performing associates and counsel across practice groups.

This program sits on top of a broader global training curriculum available to all lawyers at the firm. The firm is also hiring Practice Innovation Lawyers, one per global practice group, to drive AI adoption from within each discipline.

Ben Allgrove, Partner and Chief Innovation Officer at Baker McKenzie, described the firm's position clearly: "Being a high-performing lawyer in 2026 is no longer just about knowing the law; it is about using AI effectively to deliver it."

Strategy Over Hype

Baker McKenzie has been deliberate in how it frames its AI investment. The firm does not position its efforts as technology adoption for its own sake. Instead, its stated focus is on finding use cases where AI makes its legal product more valuable for clients.

Allgrove explained: "Our AI strategy is rooted in delivering better client outcomes, not technology for its own sake. We actively push back against the hype. We are looking for use cases where the deployment of AI, and other innovation, makes the product we sell more valuable for our clients."

Max Junestrand, CEO and Co-Founder of Legora, acknowledged the firm's track record: "Baker McKenzie has one of the most serious and sustained commitments to AI in the legal industry. This is a firm that has been building toward this moment for a decade, not chasing a trend, but executing a strategy."

The firm's Applied AI practice has won industry awards and handles AI-driven legal workflows across a wide range of matter types. It now operates with the added support of Legora's engineering team embedded alongside it.

Three milestones mark Baker McKenzie's AI timeline: an AI-focused strategy in 2017, the launch of an AI-first practice in 2021, and the platform-wide deployment of Legora in 2026. Each step built directly on the last.

The firm has not disclosed the number of lawyers in its global network or the number of Practice Innovation Lawyer roles being created; however, the rollout applies across all global practice groups.

About Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie is a global law firm operating across multiple countries and practice groups. The firm provides legal services across areas including transactions, disputes, compliance, employment, and commercial matters. Its Applied AI practice is a cross-disciplinary unit that designs and deploys AI-assisted legal workflows for clients.

About Legora

Legora is a legal AI platform that provides workflow tools and engineering support to law firms. The company partners with firms to build and iterate on custom legal workflows within its platform. Max Junestrand serves as CEO and Co-Founder.

Read more about Legora here

Legora

Legora AB