Artificial intelligence is changing the way legal work is carried out.
From researching legal issues and reviewing documents to identifying relevant information and helping prepare drafts, AI tools can make certain aspects of legal work considerably faster and more efficient.
But there is an important distinction between using AI as a tool and allowing AI to replace professional legal judgment.
A recent warning from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) highlights some of the risks of using AI in legal services, including inaccurate information, fabricated legal authorities and the inappropriate disclosure of confidential information.
At Bhakar Greenfield LLP, we believe AI has an important role to play in the modern practice of law. We use technology to work smarter and faster, while ensuring that legal judgment and responsibility remain firmly with our experienced lawyers.
What are the risks of using AI in legal work?
AI tools can be extremely useful, but they are not infallible.
Generative AI can sometimes produce information that appears convincing but is inaccurate. In legal work, this can include incorrect case citations, inaccurate statements of law or references to authorities that do not exist.
There are also confidentiality considerations when information is entered into AI systems, particularly where sensitive client or commercially confidential information is involved.
The SRA’s warning notice, published on 17 August 2026, specifically highlights these two areas of concern: AI hallucinations and client confidentiality.
The message is not that lawyers should stop using AI. Rather, AI must be used responsibly and with appropriate professional oversight.
How does Bhakar Greenfield LLP use AI?
We see AI as a legal productivity tool — not a substitute for a solicitor.
Our lawyers use appropriate AI tools to assist with aspects of our work, helping us to:
- process and organise information more efficiently;
- assist with legal research;
- review and analyse documents;
- identify issues and areas requiring further investigation;
- prepare initial drafts and working documents; and
- reduce time spent on repetitive administrative tasks.
Used properly, this allows our lawyers to spend more time doing what matters most: thinking about the client’s legal problem, developing strategy and applying professional judgment.
Human expertise remains at the centre
AI can produce a draft.
It cannot take responsibility for the legal advice given to a client or the documents put before a court.
At Bhakar Greenfield LLP, legal work assisted by AI remains subject to human review, professional judgment and appropriate supervision.
Our work is commissioned, reviewed and/or approved by our expert partners and solicitors. AI-generated material is not simply accepted because it looks convincing.
Important legal authorities, factual information and substantive legal propositions must be appropriately checked before being relied upon.
This approach allows us to combine the advantages of modern technology with the experience and accountability of qualified legal professionals.
AI should make lawyers better — not replace them
The future of legal services is unlikely to be about choosing between technology and lawyers.
It is about bringing the two together effectively.
AI can help lawyers work more efficiently. Experienced lawyers provide the judgment, context and strategic thinking needed to apply the law to a client’s particular circumstances.
For clients, this can mean a more efficient legal service without compromising the importance of accuracy, confidentiality or professional responsibility.
What does this mean for clients?
If your solicitor uses AI, that does not necessarily mean that your legal work is being automated or that a computer is making decisions about your case.
The important questions are:
- How is the technology being used?
- Is confidential information appropriately protected?
- Is AI-generated material being checked?
- Who is ultimately responsible for the work?
- Is an experienced lawyer exercising professional judgment?
These safeguards matter particularly in litigation, where an inaccurate statement, incorrect legal authority or improperly prepared document can have serious consequences.
The future of legal services
Technology is changing the legal profession, and we believe law firms should embrace that change responsibly.
At Bhakar Greenfield LLP, we combine legal expertise, commercial thinking and modern technology to provide a more efficient and forward-looking legal service. We use AI where it can genuinely add value — helping our lawyers work smarter and faster — while keeping professional judgment, accountability and client interests at the centre of everything we do.
