The challenge

Fugro operates at enterprise scale: €2.3bn revenue, 10,000 employees across over 50 countries, spanning energy, infrastructure, and maritime sectors.

At this scale, complexity compounds. Contracts span multiple jurisdictions. Regulatory requirements vary by region and sector. Projects move fast.

Coordinating legal support across 10,000 employees in 50+ countries creates volume challenges that traditional workflows can't handle. The legal team needed to scale without sacrificing quality, consistency, or speed.

Why Wordsmith

After evaluating different AI solutions, Fugro chose Wordsmith, but the decision wasn't just about the technology.

"The decision to engage Wordsmith was driven by the team's customer-centric approach." explains Jessica Pacifico, Head of Legal Operations and Head of IP.

"Their support is responsive, solution-oriented, and tailored to the unique challenges faced by in-house legal teams. Technical assistance is delivered with speed, completeness, and clarity, minimising downtime, resolving issues effectively, and fostering trust through precise and timely communication."

For Fugro, the right partner mattered as much as the right platform.

How Fugro uses Wordsmith

What impressed the team most was Wordsmith's ability to deliver results from day one, particularly through automating routine legal tasks.

"Wordsmith has significantly enhanced our legal document workflows by automating routine tasks, ensuring consistency, and minimising human error," says Jessica. Its implementation delivered quick wins by streamlining repetitive processes, thereby improving operational efficiency and responsiveness."

The intuitive interface, combined with responsive support, enabled seamless onboarding and rapid team wide adoption. Rather than a lengthy learning curve, Fugro's legal team was seeing tangible value within weeks.

Elevating strategic capacity

But the transformation goes beyond efficiency. Despite being just one month into implementation, Fugro is already seeing a shift in how the legal team operates.

"One of the most positive surprises has been how Wordsmith has elevated the strategic capacity of our legal & compliance team." reflects Katja Fenton, General Counsel.

"Rather than replacing judgment, Wordsmith AI amplifies it and we already notice its ability to free up time from routine tasks, allowing us to focus on high-impact, forward-looking work."

The speed and precision with which Wordsmith surfaces insights, flags risks, and supports decision-making is helping to transform Fugro's legal function from reactive to proactive.

"It's not just about efficiency - it's about enabling the legal function to contribute meaningfully to Fugro's competitive edge in a fast-evolving global landscape."

Change management through partnership

From the outset, Wordsmith's team prioritised supporting change management: helping the legal team navigate the transition, understand AI fundamentals, and gain confidence.

"The Wordsmith team has been instrumental in supporting change management by teaching AI tool basics, answering questions, and enhancing user knowledge. Their quick turnaround time on support requests ensured smooth adoption and built trust across the organisation."

For Katja, this partnership approach has been critical.

"The Wordsmith team has been a true partner - responsive, collaborative, and committed to helping us succeed. Their support has made the transition smooth and impactful."

A vision for modern legal leadership

For Fugro, this is only the beginning. Katja's vision for the legal team goes well beyond operational efficiency.

"My vision is for the Fugro legal team to be a model of modern legal leadership, where AI tools like Wordsmith are seamlessly embedded into our workflows to enhance clarity, consistency, and strategic alignment. We use technology not just to accelerate work, but to elevate its quality, writing with impact, advising with insight, and leading with confidence."

This vision is also grounded in the day-to-day reality of supporting a global business.

"It empowers our team and makes life easier for those on the front lines, like our project managers, who rely on clear, timely, and practical legal input to keep operations moving."

It's an approach that mirrors Fugro's values: precision, staying ahead of the curve, doing the right thing, and building trust through openness and collaboration.

When asked about the role of AI in the future of legal teams, Katja's perspective is both grounded and visionary:

"AI will be a cornerstone of the future in-house legal teams, not as a replacement for human expertise, but as a catalyst for it. I see AI enabling legal teams to become more agile, data-driven, and embedded in strategic decision-making. It will help us anticipate risks, unlock insights, and scale our impact across the business."

"The real opportunity lies in how we lead this change with a mindset of curiosity, collaboration, and ethical stewardship. Legal teams that embrace AI with purpose and vision will be the ones that shape the future, not just respond to it."

The legal teams best positioned for the future will be those that treat AI not just as a tool, but as a driver for cultural and operational transformation. With the right mindset, AI becomes a true catalyst for meaningful change.

What's next for Fugro and Wordsmith

Fugro's legal team is already seeing the benefits - from immediate efficiency gains to elevated strategic focus. As they continue to embed Wordsmith into their workflows, the focus remains on driving legal excellence and contributing to Fugro's competitive edge in an increasingly complex global landscape.

For an organisation operating at Fugro's scale, the transformation has only just begun. But the foundation is set: the right technology, the right partner, and a clear vision for what modern legal leadership looks like.