AI's Impact on the Legal Profession in the UK

In the spring of 2024, a man in his 70s tragically passed away two days after undergoing intricate cardiac surgery in the Midlands. As per standard procedure, the hospital reported the death to the coroner’s service due to an unknown cause, leading the man's family to seek representation from clinical negligence barrister Anthony Searle.

To uncover the circumstances surrounding the death, Searle recognized the need for detailed inquiries directed at the surgeons. However, his request for an independent expert report was denied by the coroner, which left him feeling frustrated.

Instead, Searle turned to a valuable resource increasingly utilized in the chronically underfunded coroners’ courts: artificial intelligence. "Deaths that go to inquests are shocking events, and families seek clarity on how their loved one died," Searle explained. "Using ChatGPT enabled me to refine my questions focusing on the surgical procedure and address the gaps left by the absence of available experts."

At just 35 years old, Searle emphasizes that he refrains from inputting client data into the AI tools, ensuring he reviews all output for accuracy. This cautious approach, however, highlights his role as an early adopter of AI technology in a profession steeped in tradition.

Potential applications of AI in legal settings could extend to assisting barristers' clerks with fee negotiations and scheduling, ultimately optimizing the use of advocates' time. Additionally, the technology may aid in drafting skeleton arguments, which summarize cases for court presentations.

Searle is also leveraging AI to develop personalized tools, including an app designed to calculate damages in clinical negligence claims. This app processes data from actuarial tables used by English courts to more accurately estimate future losses due to injury, factoring in elements such as age and lost pension contributions.

His proactive use of AI has led him to participate in formulating broader governance strategies for AI in clinical negligence cases at his prestigious London chambers, Serjeants’ Inn. He remarks, "This is an ancient profession, and while we have existed for centuries, like common law, we prefer gradual development."

Despite the legal profession's typically slow adaptation to change, Searle is not alone in exploring technological advancements. In the context of England's underfunded justice system, AI is increasingly viewed as a solution to challenges such as court backlogs and resource shortages.

Proposed government reforms signal the most significant overhaul of the criminal justice system in recent history, with plans to implement AI in various court functions, including case listings, translations, and transcript generation. Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy recently highlighted the government's commitment to AI during a speech at a Microsoft AI event, a venue that would have seemed unlikely just a few years ago.

Previously, Searle relied on Google searches and YouTube videos to understand complex medical procedures. However, AI now offers enhanced capabilities, enabling him to formulate better questions relevant to his legal cases. Platforms like ChatGPT and specialized medical AI tools, such as Anthropic’s Claude, allow Searle to efficiently locate clinical studies and medical journal articles.

These AI tools facilitate a more effective approach to understanding the intricate topics he litigates daily. He has observed that some experts respond more favorably to his inquiries since integrating automated research assistants into his practice.

Nonetheless, the legal sector is wary of AI becoming merely a buzzword. Many prominent law firms are drafting ambitious plans to incorporate AI but lack substantial evidence of its disruptive potential in the multi-billion-dollar industry. Bruce MacEwen, president of the New York law consultancy Adam Smith, Esq., notes, "While AI is undoubtedly the most discussed topic among law firm leaders in recent decades, the reality is that it remains largely theoretical. The challenge lies in committing to something so unproven and consequential."

Despite the skepticism, law firms are regularly announcing pilot programs and subscriptions to AI platforms like Harvey and Legora, which assist in contract analysis and drafting. Initiatives to encourage the use of these technologies are emerging as firms strive to demonstrate their commitment to cost-effectiveness for clients. For example, UK law firm Shoosmiths allocated an additional £1 million ($1.3 million) to bonuses for staff who met a million prompts on Microsoft Copilot, while US firm Ropes & Gray is encouraging junior lawyers to dedicate a fifth of their billable hours to AI-related tasks.

However, significant reductions in lawyer numbers appear to be far off. Client confidentiality and data protection concerns currently limit practical AI applications in the legal field. The industry remains cautious following a critical judgment from London’s High Court last year, which highlighted instances of false information arising from AI use by barristers.

“Artificial intelligence is a tool that carries both risks and opportunities,” the judges stated in their ruling. “Misuse of AI could have serious implications for justice administration and public trust in the judicial system.”

A January 2026 survey indicated that 50 percent of barristers reported using AI for legal work, up from 25 percent in 2024; however, only 2 percent stated that it was integrated into their legal operations and strategy, according to legal data analytics firm LexisNexis.

For Searle, who represents both clients and entities like the NHS in cases ranging from maternal care failures to surgical complications, the medical insights provided by AI are particularly valuable. “When the legal profession discusses AI risks, it often focuses on legal research and law application,” he noted. “However, my work primarily revolves around medicine and the arguments related to specific diagnoses, treatments, or surgeries.”

Searle employs the same specialized medical programs that AI has developed for medical professionals and students, stating that these tools have become essential to his legal practice. “I believe we have reached a point where AI can effectively challenge human judgments and opinions,” he asserts. Yet, he emphasizes, “The legal system and rule of law are fundamentally human-centric. There will always need to be a degree of empathy and judgment from a human being in making final decisions.”