First-hand experience
You’ll hear how other firms are actually using AI and legal tech – including the detours you won’t find in any product presentation.
Events
Inner Circle. At the table, not on stage.
Dinners and salons for decision-makers from law, technology and innovation – with an opening keynote and open conversations in a small group.
The conceptNot on stage, but at the table
Each dinner has a theme and a carefully curated group. The evening opens with a short input session, after which the floor is given over to conversation.
Decision-makers from law firms, legal departments and companies, as well as from legal tech and AI, are invited. Partners from law firms, legal tech and AI help shape the evenings' content.
- Carefully selected venues with a focus on quality and atmosphere
- Curated group of 10 to 20 participants
- Chatham House Rule – open exchange without attribution
- Evenings in rotating cities, attendance by confirmation only
Why we keep the group small
Questions you won't hear asked on any stage.
At conferences, you mainly hear about what works. At the table, it's also about what didn't work: the rollout that took longer than planned, the review effort nobody had budgeted for, the question of who ultimately bears responsibility.
Such experiences are more readily shared within a group you can actually see – and when it's clear that nothing will be attributed to names outside the room. That's why the Chatham House Rule applies at every Inner Circle.
Your benefitWhat you'll take away from an evening
A topic that carries the room
Each evening has a guiding question, such as: AI in the legal department – who’s steering, and who’s checking? This keeps the conversation focused.
Contacts on equal terms
With 10 to 20 participants, you really get to know the group – decision-makers facing questions much like your own.
ProcessHow an evening works
Arriving at a handpicked venue – a restaurant, a bar or a host’s premises.
Opening input: hosts and partners share experiences and views on the evening's key question.
Open discussion at the table – practical experience and different perspectives.
Personal exchange over dinner or drinks and finger food.
An evening from 2026Legal Tech Salon in Nuremberg
On 29 October 2026, Freshfields and the German Legal Tech Hub hosted the Legal Tech Salon in Nuremberg. The key question: AI in the legal department – who steers, and who checks?
- Steering, not just generating: Where does AI add value in managing complex information, processes and decisions?
- Efficiency or review burden: When does AI genuinely ease the workload – and when does the necessary oversight limit its benefit?
- What remains human: How will lawyers build experience and judgement in future, as ways of working change through AI?
DatesUpcoming evenings
All Inner Circle dates- No dates have been published for this format at the moment. View calendar
Looking backWhere the Inner Circle met in 2026
AI in the legal department: Who steers it – and who checks it?
Munich
Salzkruste Restaurant & Bar, Georgenstraße 45, 80799 Munich
An exclusive evening in select company: Legal tech decision-makers, law firms and Blockbrain – fine dining and open discussion on …
With Blockbrain GmbH
Düsseldorf
Restaurant Port Victoria, Hansastr. 14, 41460 Neuss (near Düsseldorf)
With Blockbrain GmbH
Berlin
heimlichTreu, Anklamer Str. 38 (2. Innenhof), 10115 Berlin
With Blockbrain GmbH
With Blockbrain GmbH
Cologne
Seitz Rechtsanwälte, Cologne
PartnersTogether with partners
In 2026, Blockbrain helped shape a dinner series in Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Munich; in Nuremberg, Freshfields hosted the Legal Tech Salon.
ApplicationHow to apply
Apply via the contact form, selecting “Inner Circle” as your enquiry – please use your company e-mail address.
We review every application individually and get back to you within a few days.
If your profile fits a particular circle, you’ll receive an invitation. We confirm attendance separately for each evening.
In briefFrequently asked questions about the Inner Circle
Who can take part in the Inner Circle?
The Inner Circle is aimed at decision-makers from law, technology and innovation – from law firms, legal departments and companies, as well as from legal tech and AI providers. Participation is by application and confirmation only, as each round is deliberately curated.
What does the Chatham House Rule mean?
Whatever is said on the evening may be used freely by all participants afterwards. Who said what, and for which organisation, is never disclosed – and the same applies to every other guest. This allows everyone to speak openly about their experiences, including the difficult ones.
Is the Inner Circle included in the membership?
All memberships include access to exclusive Inner Circle events. Places for each evening are limited. Our comparison shows which membership suits you.
How do I register for events?
About the calendar: for open-format events, you register directly; for curated formats such as the Inner Circle, you request a place. Members register via “My Hub”, drawing on their allocated quotas.
Your seat at the table
Apply using your company e-mail address – for a specific evening or for future rounds.