Dutch lawyers report surge in AI-generated legal documents

Lawyers in the Netherlands are reporting a rise in AI-generated legal documents submitted by clients and opposing parties. The Financieele Dagblad found that firms are spending significant time reviewing and correcting such materials.

Several practitioners said documents produced with chatbots are often vague, error-prone and filled with irrelevant details. Employment lawyer Laura Smit described the added workload as becoming a nonsense checker alongside complex legal analysis.

Firms in the Netherlands also warned that chatbots can be steered to produce favourable interpretations. Pascal Besselink said clients sometimes arrive convinced a legal path is viable, even when professional advice indicates otherwise.

Family law specialist Glenda Raap said some clients submit complete AI-assembled files expecting them to be filed unchanged. Courts have also begun to push back, with a Brabant ruling criticising ‘poor, AI-produced legal documents’ submitted without verification.

The growing use of generative AI in legal preparation is reshaping workloads and raising concerns about quality control. Lawyers say while AI may assist drafting, responsibility for accuracy and relevance remains with human counsel.

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