Redefining how legal professionals work

Zeno is an AI-powered workspace built specifically for legal professionals. Unlike generic AI tools, Zeno doesn’t just search legal databases, it understands how law is applied in practice. Every output includes a clear conclusion, supporting legal reasoning, and transparent citations, allowing users to follow the logic and apply their own judgement. The platform supports drafting, translation, document review (including bulk analysis), and project management, serving both small firms and large in-house legal departments.

They approached me shortly after their rebrand to design a new Design System from the ground up. What started as a system design task quickly evolved into broader product work as we identified core areas needing improvement.

The biggest challenge was aligning the product around how lawyers actually work. Unlike tech users, legal professionals often juggle multiple tools, cross-reference sources, and expect a high degree of trust and clarity. The platform initially felt like a collection of powerful features rather than a coherent, unified experience. My task was to bring structure, hierarchy, and ease of use to a complex tool built for a traditionally conservative industry.

I led the redesign of Zeno’s visual and interaction layers, from building the Design System to auditing and refining existing features. I worked closely with the Co-Founder and CPO to define priorities across onboarding, adoption, and overall usability. I also conducted competitive research across the legaltech and AI space to identify familiar patterns and spot opportunities to differentiate.

Zeno has since grown into a standout brand in the Dutch legaltech scene. User adoption increased significantly, and the product helped onboard multiple new law firms. Internally, the company scaled from a team of 3 to 27, and both client base and recurring revenue have grown considerably, driven in part by a more cohesive and user-centred product experience.

The platform now feels distinct, considered, and grounded in how lawyers actually think and work, helping Zeno gain traction in a complex, highly traditional industry.