Bar Council Addresses AI Misuse Concerns and Protects Legal Integrity
In response to your report highlighting Dame Victoria Sharp’s urging for the Bar Council and our solicitor colleagues at the Law Society to address the misuse of AI urgently, we wholeheartedly agree. This high court ruling underscores the significant risks associated with the inappropriate use of artificial intelligence by legal professionals, especially concerning large language models, and the severe implications for the administration of justice and public trust in the system.
The public has a right to expect utmost integrity and competence from legal practitioners in their understanding and application of new technologies, as well as in all other aspects of their work. The Bar Council has proactively issued guidance on both the opportunities and risks linked with generative AI, which the court has referenced, and we are in the process of establishing a joint working group with the Bar Standards Board. This group aims to identify effective ways to assist barristers in maintaining those standards through enhanced training and supervision.
Lawrence Akka KC
Chair, Bar Council IT panel
