Artificial Intelligence & Digital Regulation
Discover what artificial intelligence & digital regulation means in legal practice: how lawyers advise companies on AI, privacy, data and online platforms, what they do day to day, the career ladder, and how students prepare for an internship or traineeship.
Introduction
What is artificial intelligence & digital regulation?
Artificial intelligence & digital regulation is the fast-growing practice area around the regulation of technology: artificial intelligence, personal data, data and online services. It is strongly EU-driven, with a wave of new legislation that has taken effect in recent years.
The AI Act is the flagship of this field, alongside the General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, the Data Act and the NIS2 Directive on cybersecurity. Together these rules determine how companies may develop, procure and deploy technology.
This field does not stand alone, it touches intellectual property, commercial and competition law. An AI product, a data platform or an online service often raises questions that touch these practice areas at the same time.
The practice
Three settings where you practise this field
The breakdown below mainly says something about the type of employer and the client you serve, not about the quality of the work.
At the technology practice of a law firm you often work close to intellectual property and commercial. At specialist privacy and technology firms you focus fully on data and digital regulation. In-house or at a regulator you sit closer to day-to-day decision-making and enforcement. In addition, advisory firms and the Big Four are building large privacy and AI advisory teams.
What they do
What digital regulation lawyers do
The work differs by matter, but the building blocks below come up in almost every technology matter.
Legal framework
The key legislation
This field revolves around a series of mostly European regulations and directives that follow each other quickly and together shape the digital playing field.
Practice areas
The main sub-areas
The field is broad, and most lawyers specialise within one of the sub-areas below.
Step by step
How an AI system reaches the market under the AI Act
A high-risk AI system follows a fixed path under the AI Act before it may reach the market and for as long as it is in use. The weight of the obligations depends on the risk a system carries.
Who does which step depends on seniority and the stage. Junior lawyers work out the documentation and the risk analysis, while senior lawyers set the approach and support the client in dealings with the regulator.
Not every system follows the same path: low-risk systems mainly carry transparency obligations, while prohibited uses are not allowed at all. Supervision and enforcement lie with the national regulators and the European AI oversight structure.
Roles
Roles in the technology practice
Each step up the ladder shifts the emphasis further from working out the file toward setting strategy and managing the client relationship. Most lawyers climb this ladder at the same firm, though moving to a technology company or regulator is common at any level.
Student intern
Supports lawyers during an internship alongside or after studies.
Trainee lawyer
The mandatory three-year traineeship straight after graduating.
Lawyer / Associate
Handles matters independently after being admitted to the bar.
Senior Associate
Leads more complex technology matters and mentors junior lawyers.
Partner
Holds ultimate responsibility for clients and the practice group.
Career timeline
How long each step takes
The legal profession has a fixed statutory basis for the first step: a traineeship in the Netherlands generally lasts three years and is mandatory for every starting lawyer, regardless of practice area. After that, the pace of progression depends heavily on the firm and on individual performance.
After the traineeship, the emphasis shifts from learning the craft to advising independently on technology and regulation. Making partner takes more than ten years of legal experience at most firms.
Because this is a young field, lawyers regularly move to a technology company, a platform or a regulator, bringing their experience with them. The reverse move happens too.
| Level | Typical time in role |
|---|---|
| Advocaat-stagiair | 3 years, mandatory by law |
| Advocaat / Associate | 3 to 5 years |
| Senior Associate | 2 to 4 years |
| Partner | top level, 10+ years in total |
Compensation
Compensation in the legal profession
Compensation in the legal profession usually consists of a fixed salary that rises with seniority, and at some firms a variable bonus tied to individual and firm performance. This field does not differ materially in pay structure from other practice areas at the same firm.
The ranges below are general indications for larger Dutch and international firms, and do not apply specifically to this practice area or to any particular firm. Actual pay varies by firm, region and role, and is listed where known in the individual vacancies on this site.
From partner level, the nature of compensation changes. A partner typically shares in the firm's profits rather than receiving a fixed salary, which ties pay more closely to their own client portfolio and the results of the practice group as a whole.
| Level | Indicative range |
|---|---|
| Advocaat-stagiair | €60.000 – €75.000 |
| Advocaat / Associate | €75.000 – €110.000 |
| Senior Associate | €120.000 – €160.000 |
| Partner | €200.000 – €500.000+ |
Ranges are general indications for the Dutch legal profession, not specific to this practice area or a particular firm. See the vacancy pages for concrete salary figures where a firm publishes them.
A day in the life
A typical day for a junior technology lawyer
The day often starts with reviewing a data processing agreement or working out advice on the obligations of a new AI product. On days without a deadline, much of the time goes into researching new legislation and regulator guidance.
A technology lawyer often works closely with the client's product and engineering teams: the legal requirements have to match how a system actually works. That requires moving between law and technology.
On a day with a data breach, the pace shifts entirely. The lawyer helps determine the scope of the incident, advises on the notification duty, and supports the client in dealings with the Data Protection Authority.
Juniors
What trainee lawyers do
Junior lawyers carry much of the research and drafting a technology opinion rests on, under the supervision of a supervising partner.
- Researching new legislation and guidance
- Drafting data processing agreements
- Mapping data flows
- Helping work out DPIAs
- Drafting privacy notices
- Tracking guidance from the DPA and EDPB
- Supporting incident response
- Aligning with product and engineering teams
Much of this work goes back and forth several times between trainee and supervisor before advice goes out. That repetition is not inefficiency, it is how a junior lawyer learns which risks in a technology matter really matter.
Skills
Skills you will need
Legal knowledge gets the most attention in training, but the lawyers who stay longest often stand out for the ability to connect technology and law and explain it clearly.
Getting in
How you get into this field
Most routes run through a law master's with a specialisation in IT law, intellectual property or privacy law, followed by an internship or traineeship at a firm. An affinity with technology is a plus.
Preparation
How to prepare as a student
Preparation works best when it starts well before the application. Firms test not only legal knowledge, but also whether someone understands technology and can explain it clearly.
Compare
Artificial Intelligence & Digital Regulation versus other practice areas
These practice areas often overlap in the same matters, which is why students sometimes mix them up. The distinction mainly lies in which part of the matter is at the centre.
AI & Digital Regulation vs Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property protects the technology or content itself. AI & Digital Regulation governs how that technology may be deployed and processed.
AI & Digital Regulation vs Commercial
Commercial drafts the commercial contracts. AI & Digital Regulation covers the specific rules on data and AI that appear within them.
AI & Digital Regulation vs Antitrust, Competition & Trade
Antitrust handles market power in general. The Digital Markets Act is a specific digital layer on top of it that this field handles.
AI & Digital Regulation vs Administrative Law
Administrative Law conducts general administrative law. AI & Digital Regulation applies it to work with digital regulators.
AI & Digital Regulation vs ESG
Both are new, EU-driven compliance waves. ESG is about sustainability, this field is about data and technology.
Employers
Firms with a technology practice in the Netherlands
We only name firms here whose specific practice for AI and digital regulation has been verified. At this time, we have not yet been able to confirm a firm for this practice area.
We are working on verifying firms with a specific practice for AI and digital regulation in the Netherlands. In the meantime, browse all employers or all open vacancies.
Browse all employersVacancies
Vacancies in this field
We only show real, current openings with a link to the employer. Internships, traineeships and lawyer roles appear here. In the meantime, browse all current vacancies.
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Recommended resources
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is artificial intelligence & digital regulation?
It is the practice area around the regulation of technology: artificial intelligence, personal data, data and online platforms, largely based on new European legislation.
What is the AI Act?
The AI Act is the European framework for artificial intelligence. It imposes obligations that rise with the risk of an AI system, and prohibits a number of uses entirely.
What is the difference between the GDPR and the AI Act?
The GDPR governs the processing of personal data. The AI Act governs the development and deployment of AI systems, whether or not personal data is involved. In practice they often overlap.
What does a technology lawyer do day to day?
These lawyers advise on the GDPR and the AI Act, work out DPIAs, draft data processing agreements, guide data breaches, and support clients in dealings with regulators.
Do you need a specific master's degree for this field?
A law master's with a specialisation in IT law, intellectual property or privacy law is the most direct route, though many technology lawyers also come from a broad law master's with the right electives.
Which regulators play a role in this field?
The Data Protection Authority supervises the GDPR. In addition, there are regulators for the DSA, the DMA and, with the AI Act, an emerging structure for the oversight of AI.
What skills do you need for this field?
Analytical thinking, precise writing, an affinity with technology, attention to detail, and the ability to connect technology and law clearly.
How do I get into this field as a student?
Take electives in IT and privacy law, do an internship at a firm with a technology practice, and apply to structured traineeships that offer a rotation in this field.
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