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Barriers to tech adoption at the Bar

30 April 2025
Issue: 8114 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Technology , Artificial intelligence , Legal services
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Barristers would like to use technology more effectively but face ‘significant’ barriers due to the unique characteristics of the profession, Bar Standards Board (BSB) research has found.

The individualised nature of self-employed barristers’ work, the absence of training, the tendency to rely on tried and trusted methods of working, and proliferation of niche areas of practice all act to inhibit tech adoption. Moreover, barristers are often too busy to try out tech, according to the BSB report, ‘Technology and innovation at the Bar research report’, published this week.

However, there has been ‘cautious’ adoption of artificial intelligence for document preparation, transcription and note-taking and use of Lexis+ AI for legal research.

BSB tech and innovation manager Henry Fingerhut said: ‘Use of technology can help to promote high quality, cost-effective legal services in an increasingly digital world.’

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Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

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Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
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The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
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