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26 September 2025 / Clare Arthurs
Issue: 8132 / Categories: Features , Artificial intelligence , Profession , Technology , Legal services
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Do the AIs have it?

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A golden opportunity or more trouble than it’s worth? Clare Arthurs reckons with the rise of artificial intelligence

There is no escaping the rise of the machine—in particular, the rise of machine learning. Its impact and use is being discussed and developed by lawyers, their clients and even the judiciary. Artificial intelligence (AI) is clearly here to stay—but does it represent an opportunity or a challenge?

AI champions

The litigation landscape is varied in this respect. Senior members of the judiciary have consistently championed the integration of AI into our court system. In a speech in February 2025, the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, repeated his commitment to the Digital Justice System, which he hopes will allow ‘millions of disputes to be resolved online, using AI where appropriate, without the need for those disputes to enter the more expensive and time-consuming court process’.

Lord Justice Birss, the newly appointed Chancellor of the High Court (and chair of the working group on the use of AI

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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