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20 March 2026
Issue: 8154 / Categories: Legal News , Artificial intelligence , Privilege , Technology
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NLJ this week: AI privilege battles expose risks

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Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost

In one case, documents created using an AI tool were not protected because there was ‘no reasonable expectation of confidentiality’; in another, protection survived as disclosure was not to an adversary.

The analysis underscores a key risk: using public AI tools may amount to publishing information ‘to all the world’.

English courts are likely to take a similarly fact-specific approach, focusing on privacy expectations and tool settings. The warning is blunt—AI is ‘different’, and without careful governance, organisations may inadvertently waive privilege.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys—James Paterson

Charles Russell Speechlys further bolsters Private Equity expertise with the appointment of James Paterson

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons—Samuel Flower

Ellisons strengthens Rural Affairs team with senior appointment

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley—Carl Hotton

Sidley adds insurance mergers and acquisitions partner to London office

NEWS
Consultant-led law firms should prepare for closer regulatory attention as oversight evolves
Artificial intelligence may draft workplace grievances, but employers cannot treat them any differently from conventional complaints
From dishonest claimants to judicial promotions and procedural skirmishes, the latest legal developments offer plenty for litigators to digest
Fresh guidance is set to influence how courts decide whether hearings take place online or in person
County Court judges remain divided over whether landlords can lawfully force entry to carry out essential safety inspections after tenants ignore access injunctions
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