Douwe Groenevelt: The real reason for making Barney, the End of Lawyers

In this episode of Beyond Billable, we sit down with Douwe Groenevelt at Lexpo to discuss his provocative short film Barney, the End of Lawyers. A project he created entirely using AI.

On the surface, Douwe might look like the archetypal legal-tech evangelist: a former lawyer championing AI as the future of the profession. But this conversation reveals a more complex truth. Douwe didn’t make Barney just to celebrate technological progress. He made it out of urgency and, in his own words, even fear.

He talks candidly about the accelerating advance of AI and how most of the legal sector remains worryingly complacent. For Douwe, adopting AI isn’t about hype or optional innovation; it’s a survival strategy. He warns that unless lawyers start using and truly understanding these tools now, they risk being left behind entirely.

We also dive into his creative process: how legal drafting skills surprisingly translated into writing AI prompts for film, and why learning to prompt effectively might be one of the most valuable skills any lawyer can develop today.

Douwe's message is clear, if a bit unsettling: confront this change head-on because there is no alternative.

Beyond Billable is a collaboration with NIO House Amsterdam and Lexpo, the Legal Innovation Event.

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