Repsol is a global, multi-energy company operating across the entire energy value chain — from exploration and production to renewables and low-carbon generation. With more than 25,000 employees in over 20 countries, Repsol serves 24 million customers and is driving the transition to a more sustainable energy model.

Repsol’s Legal Division comprises over 200 professionals in 12 countries, led by General Counsel Pablo Blanco Pérez and Head of NewLaw and Digital María Pedrosa. Together, they are shaping one of the most forward-looking legal departments in Europe — one that combines deep legal expertise with data-driven insight and cutting-edge AI.

When Pablo Blanco was appointed General Counsel in 2023, he saw an opportunity to redefine what excellence in-house could mean.

“You need to do your work. You need to do it well. And you need to do it fast,” Blanco said. “Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work. You have to decide whether you want to lead or follow — and I wanted us to lead.”

Under his leadership, Repsol launched the Protea Project, a department-wide transformation named after South Africa’s national flower — a symbol of adaptability and renewal. The project spanned 14 workstreams covering digital transformation, legal tech, knowledge management, and new ways of working.

For Blanco, the goal was clear: to build “unbeatable lawyers” — professionals empowered by technology, capable of providing faster, higher-quality advice, working to their full potential and delivering strategic impact.

The team began evaluating AI platforms in late 2023 through a rigorous blind test, comparing Harvey, Microsoft Copilot, and Repsol’s internal AI prototype, Lexia. Harvey consistently delivered the highest-quality output, standing out for its fine-tuned performance on complex legal tasks.

The pilot launched in January 2024, with 50 lawyers across 12 jurisdictions. After just eight weeks, the results were decisive: Harvey outperformed alternatives in both accuracy and time savings. By April 2024, Repsol signed on for a full rollout.

Two years later, the results speak for themselves:

The measurable benefits are matched by cultural ones:

The transformation has gone far beyond efficiency. “It’s not about saving time,” Pedrosa explains. “It’s about gaining time for what matters.”

Lawyers now reinvest their time in strategy, collaboration, and professional growth. Harvey enables them to explore new areas of law, contribute to knowledge management, and approach complex problems with fresh insight.

One lawyer shared, “If I left Repsol and joined a company without AI, I’d be stepping back in my career.” Others joke that they “have coffee with Harvey,” underscoring how deeply integrated the tool has become in their daily work. “Harvey enhances our capabilities,” says Blanco. “It allows us to do more, faster, and better.”

Innovation, once adjacent to Repsol’s legal function, is now its center of gravity. The department’s success has inspired other Repsol internal departments — including Tax and Labor — to adopt Harvey as well.

“Artificial intelligence helps us grow as professionals,” Blanco reflects. “It gives us the time to develop our full potential — to focus on the work that truly moves the business forward.”