Carlos Coelho: “There is a risk of betting on the wrong horse” when investing in legal tech

Carlos Coelho, partner and Head of Innovation and Knowledge at Morais Leitão, commented to Jornal de Negócios on the challenges faced by Portuguese law firms in accessing and implementing technological solutions. “Due to the size and specificity of the national market, the legal tech ecosystem in Portugal is still not particularly broad,” he stated.

Although he acknowledges the emergence of “some very interesting solutions,” Carlos Coelho emphasises that they do not yet demonstrate the same levels of “robustness and scalability” seen in other jurisdictions. As a result, Morais Leitão has been seeking international solutions, benefiting from “the maturity, investment levels and accumulated experience in more developed markets.”

At the same time, recognising that artificial intelligence solutions “are not always ready to address the specific challenges of our market,” Morais Leitão has been developing its own legal tech tools – either in-house or through partnerships – tailored to the needs of its clients.

Commenting on the current pace of technological evolution, Carlos Coelho highlights the risk of premature investment in immature solutions: “There is a risk of betting on the wrong horse, creating dependency on something that adds insufficient value, and wasting human and financial resources.”

Read the full interview in Jornal de Negócios.