A panel of judges selecting the most effective innovators in the legal sector has named Břetislav Šimral, innovation and intelligence director for Dentons in Europe, as the standout intrapreneur in this year’s awards program. The recognition highlights Šimral’s leadership in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) technology throughout the firm’s European operations, alongside efforts to foster a culture that embraces these advances.
Since joining Dentons from consultancy EY in 2018, Šimral has spearheaded the in-house development of Daisy, a generative AI platform launched in 2025. Daisy’s modular design allows users to seamlessly switch between AI models and rapidly incorporate new applications, including an AI assistant for client relationship management and billing. The firm mandated staff training and established a network of “AI Pioneers” to support adoption, contributing to a rise in monthly usage of the firm’s AI tools from roughly 20,000 interactions in mid-2025 to nearly 250,000 a year later across Continental Europe.
Central to this AI integration is Dentons’ broader empowerment strategy, led by Šimral, which promotes initiatives such as hackathons. These events encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and have resulted in innovations like Legal Radar—a product launched in 2026 that offers a comprehensive “health check” on clients by scanning news, financial data, deals, and legislative environments to identify risks and opportunities. One judge noted that the combined success of Daisy and Legal Radar “rehabilitates the idea of hackathons,” which can otherwise produce uneven results.
Other legal firms have also pursued transformative innovation strategies. At Mishcon de Reya, Mary Bonsor, the general counsel relationships director, co-developed the GC Academy, a training programme for in-house lawyers launched in 2025. The course covers subjects such as financial literacy, leadership, and AI, and has engaged more than 75 senior legal professionals. Bonsor’s previous work includes founding Flex Legal, a staffing platform acquired by Mishcon in 2023 that supports aspiring solicitors from underrepresented backgrounds.
At Portuguese firm Morais Leitão, Carlos Coelho—the first non-lawyer partner and director of innovation—has led a comprehensive digital transformation with a focus on co-designing AI tools alongside lawyers to ensure they are scalable and economically viable. His team developed the ML One suite, offering AI applications for governance, litigation management, and regulatory tracking, with clients including major Portuguese banks.
Other notable initiatives include Browne Jacobson’s efforts to widen social mobility in recruitment, removing degree requirements and establishing paid work experience programmes for candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds; Ashurst’s expansion of AI-enabled legal delivery under partner Jen McCormick, who encourages redesigning workflows around AI to improve efficiency; and Freshfields’ Freshfields Lab, co-headed by Lukas Treichl, which fosters collaboration between lawyers, data scientists, and software developers to create bespoke legal tech products. Freshfields also forged a partnership with US AI firm Anthropic to co-develop legal AI systems.
At Addleshaw Goddard, director of innovation Elliot White has overseen a strategy balancing in-house AI platform development with selective integration of third-party tools, while promoting transparent pricing for tech-enabled legal services. White has also initiated a graduate rotation scheme to cultivate legal technology expertise within the firm.
Collectively, these efforts demonstrate a widespread industry shift toward embedding AI and digital innovation in legal practice, supported by training and cultural change to maximize adoption and client value.