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22 January 2025
Issue: 8101 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Legal services , Artificial intelligence
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Survey highlights advantages of human contact in legal services

More than three-quarters (78%) of UK adults who have used a solicitor in the past five years had a positive experience, according to Law Society research.

The survey, conducted by YouGov this month on more than 2,500 adults, highlighted the advantages of human contact. While 59% said their experience would be enhanced by being able to access their legal matter on an app or online platform, 70% would not feel confident using online legal services without a lawyer’s guidance.

The public also showed reluctance to rely on artificial intelligence (AI) instead of a professional lawyer—77% said they do not trust AI to provide legal advice.

Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society, said: ‘Our profession honours tradition yet it is open to innovative solutions that address the issues we face.’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys—Maggie Kwok & George Weston

Harneys senior leadership appointments

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths—Keith Browne & Jim Jordan

Freeths strengthens London Construction and Engineering practice with two strategic senior hires

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins—Laura Moss

Anthony Collins announces strategic hire to deepen skills base in the social business sector

NEWS
More than 100 teams from the legal and financial services sectors competed in five sports at the 51st Law Society RFC Festival of Sport earlier this month
Part-time status need only be an effective cause of less favourable treatment, rather than the sole cause, the Supreme Court has held in Augustine v Data Cars
Britain’s new acknowledgement that Israel’s occupation is unlawful, and accompanying settlement-goods ban and sanctions, is significant but overdue, argue Danny Friedman KC and Victor Kattan in NLJ this week
New planning fee rises, wider trade union access rights and a service-by-email trap feature in Stephen Gold’s latest Civil Way
Existing defamation law can respond to AI ‘hallucinations’, but allocating responsibility will prove harder where outputs reach users without human intervention
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