Tackling the big topics in law – from generative AI to ethics

The sudden prominence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has opened the eyes of the profession to what’s possible. Many firms we work with have invested heavily in the teams and tools they need to actively embrace these opportunities.

AI represents a huge economic opportunity for the legal sector. I recently spoke at the Legal Geek Growth conference in London, where developments in AI were, unsurprisingly, a big focus. In June, the government announced its economic plans for the next 10 years as part of its industrial strategy, and it’s a win for new technologies for law firms. Its ambition capitalises on the UK’s emerging strengths in lawtech – in fact, as we have pushed for, it has committed to support LawTech UK for a further year, giving small- and medium-sized law firms the support they need to adopt lawtech in their practice.

Our research identified around six million instances of unmet legal needs in the UK economy last year. These tech developments have the potential to help us to bridge this gap.

It's not just about technological innovation. Adoption and adaptation affect a whole range of strategy and business model discussions. These changes to systems obviously impact people, processes and all the other integrated aspects of the business model. The diversity of the legal profession, range of firms, and geographical scope means the rate of adoption across the industry will vary. Supporting firms in technology adoption is a key strategic goal for us, and forms a crucial part of our new three-year corporate strategy.

GenAI has produced so many opportunities for solicitors – but new risks too. This is why we introduced guidance on what GenAI is, how it can be used by solicitors and what the regulatory and ethical risks are. Our expert guidance is a core part of how we support the profession. It’s designed to ensure AI is used in a responsible and ethical way – underpinned by principles of innovation, impact and integrity.

Regulation around AI is a key area where the Law Society can contribute. We’re talking to industry bodies and colleagues at national and international levels about how legal services regulation will affect adoption of AI in the future. It’s always going to be a balance between safety and innovation – while recognising that the existing rule book already provides a solid foundation.

I want to hear from as many people working with AI as I can. The Law Society has drawn together an expert working group of AI practitioners from many firms with experience in developing AI technologies. The group focuses on three main areas: making sure firms and solicitors can adopt new technologies, giving solicitors a voice in the AI debate, and the efficient but ethical use of AI tools.

I don’t see AI doing all the work of skilled solicitors in the foreseeable future. It's a progression: more of the routine work done will be done by technology but, crucially, there must be human oversight. Solicitors will need to continue to be the backbone of the legal industry. There are some things machines simply can’t do, such as creative problem solving, managing relationships, empathising with clients’ issues and producing outcomes that work for them. These fantastic new tools are by no means a substitute for the skill and human qualities solicitors bring.

Ethics are a big concern as people progress in their careers. However principled you are, you can find yourself put in difficult situations. Clients or employers may want you to do things that wouldn’t fit with your professional requirements. Sometimes, you’ll work with colleagues who don't understand the role of a solicitor, particularly in-house, and want you to do things for the benefit of the business that aren’t consistent with your ethical duties.

Members have told us ethics is a key area where they’d like more support. That’s why we’ve been working on the first iteration of our in-house ethics framework, a suite of tools and resources to support in-house solicitors’ ethical practice and thinking.

Other challenges might include things like the difficulties of office politics. But most of the challenges solicitors face are ones that stimulate your thinking, test your skills and help you grow as a professional.

An ethical approach is also crucial in how solicitors use AI. For example, you could use AI to access relevant information and draft documents somewhat faster – that would save the client money and time. But you’ve got to take responsibility for the output from the tool and use your expertise to make sure it’s right for the client. If you only rely on the tool, or work in an area that you’re sufficiently experienced in, that creates a regulatory issue – as well as broader ethical issues. In court, it would be very worrying to think the use of AI tools might go beyond efficient scheduling and organisation into decision-making about the rights and wrongs of cases.

Every solicitor will face challenges during their career. There are challenges around getting the role you want, challenges progressing and challenges attracting the kind of work you want to do. Legal practice moves with the broader economy, and there are periods when there’s less demand for legal services, so it’s harder to get a training contract or a job on qualification. Sometimes you have to go sideways before you can go forward.

I took the chief executive job because it’s an unusual role that doesn’t come up very often. Having been a practising solicitor for many years, I’ve been exposed to the work of the Law Society and I was aware of what the issues would be. Of course, it doesn’t mean I know exactly what it’s like for every solicitor out there – but I knew I would have a good understanding of that life and how the organisation could serve its members.

We’re a purpose-driven organisation. We’re there to support the profession, but also to support access to justice and the rule of law. The importance of institutions like the Law Society has grown. It’s great to work somewhere that has such a clear set of things it’s trying to achieve.