How Revolut Is Using AI Tools to Reinvent Legal Vendor Selection

Revolut is ending the era of the fixed law firm panel — and replacing it with a performance-driven model powered by in-house AI tools.

Tom Hambrett, chief legal officer at the British fintech giant, announced the shift to "Revolut Partners," a quarterly performance review system that uses AI to pre-select law firms for specific instructions and scrutinise both advice quality and billing practices. The message to incumbent firms was direct: relationship history no longer guarantees work.

"No one partner's position in the starting lineup is guaranteed," Hambrett said. "Firms will be reviewed quarterly — and we'll make changes when the model tells us to."

Key Takeaways

• Revolut is building in-house AI tools to match firms to specific legal instructions and audit invoices for scope creep, billing irregularities, and responsiveness.
• Performance criteria include advice quality, commercial discipline, client management, and direct feedback from Revolut's own lawyers.
• The move sparked debate among legal professionals: some see it as a model for reducing panel complacency; others warn that long-term trust and deep business understanding take time to build.

This is an early signal of a broader shift. As AI tools for contract review, billing analysis, and matter management improve, the argument for retaining firms based on relationships alone becomes harder to sustain.

Read the full article on The Law Society Gazette