Marval report on Argentina’s legal departments 2026: how AI is being incorporated into legal work

Marval O’Farrell Mairal devoted one of the chapters in the fifth edition of its 2026 Report on Legal Departments in Argentina to examining how legal teams are incorporating artificial intelligence. The report is based on a survey conducted in September 2026 of 109 heads of legal departments at companies operating in Argentina. The chapter covers the tasks for which the technology is already being used, the controls accompanying its use and automation priorities.

Document summarisation is the most frequently cited use, at 88%, followed by preparing simple drafts (62%) and information searches (56%). When asked about automation priorities, respondents pointed to other day-to-day processes: preparing standard documents (64%), initial contract review (51%) and tracking expirations and deadlines (42%).

Accuracy and confidentiality shape controls

The accuracy of results is a concern for 72% of respondents, and 63% say human review is mandatory. The difference between summarising a document and reviewing a contract helps explain what that oversight entails. In the first case, a lawyer can check the summary against the original. In the second, they must also assess whether a clause or omission is relevant to the transaction and whether the identified risk should be brought to the business team’s attention.

Confidentiality is a concern for 59% of respondents. Among the controls covered in the report, 57% cite the use of approved tools and 41% say they restrict the input of confidential information. The two measures reflect separate decisions a legal department must make before using AI with company documents: which applications its lawyers may use and what data they may enter into them.

Training lags behind internal policies

The report records 33% individual use without formal approval, while 44% say they have an internal AI policy. Only 19% provide specific training to their legal teams, and 12% say they still lack formal controls. These figures describe practices that may coexist and are drawn from questions allowing multiple answers.

The gap between adopting policies and providing specific training has practical implications. A policy can identify authorised tools and documents that are out of scope. Applying it to a specific matter also requires knowing how to verify a citation, spot an omission in a draft or decide when it is advisable to review the entire original document.

Business knowledge in contract review

A total of 78% highlight business knowledge as a valued capability in legal teams. This figure is particularly noteworthy given that initial contract review is among the automation priorities. An initial analysis can help identify clauses and organise comments. Assessing whether a liability cap is acceptable or an obligation is feasible requires an understanding of the transaction and the company’s priorities.

The report thus places AI adoption in two areas of legal work. On the one hand, teams are already using it to read, search for information and prepare drafts. On the other, they see opportunities to incorporate it into recurring processes such as contract review and deadline tracking. Expanding these uses raises questions about who validates the results, what documents can be used and how lawyers are prepared to carry out that review.

Key facts

• Report. Fifth edition of the 2026 Report on Legal Departments in Argentina, prepared by Marval O’Farrell Mairal.
• Sample. 109 heads of legal departments at companies operating in Argentina, surveyed in September 2026. The report does not claim that the preselected sample is statistically representative.
• AI uses. Document summarisation (88%), simple drafts (62%) and information searches (56%).
• Controls. 63% say human review is mandatory, 57% say they use approved tools and 41% restrict the input of confidential information.
• Training. 44% have an internal AI policy and 19% provide specific training to the legal department.
• Automation priorities. Standard documents (64%), initial contract review (51%) and tracking expirations and deadlines (42%).