The legal profession is rapidly embracing artificial intelligence, with AI companions becoming commonplace in law firms. This can be by design from the leadership or by the use of AI on private devices, whether firms agree to this or not.
Litigants in person are experimenting with ChatGPT (sometimes with mixed results), and major law firms are deploying sophisticated proprietary systems; the practice of law is evolving.
As we integrate generative AI into our law firms, it’s essential to weigh both the risks and rewards.
Judicious Use of AI
A recent First-tier Tribunal (Tax) decision illustrates how AI can support the judiciary without compromising legal integrity. In VP Evans (as executrix of HB Evans, deceased) & Ors v The Commissioners for HMRC [2025] UKFTT 1112 (TC), Judge McNall used his private judiciary Copilot account to summarise documents while preparing his judgment.
Importantly, Judge McNall clarified that AI was not used for legal research, and that the evaluative aspects—assessing arguments and framing the order—remained entirely his own work. By sharing his approach, Judge McNall underscored that AI is a tool, not a substitute for judicial reasoning.
While judges aren’t generally required to disclose their preparatory methods, Judge McNall felt it was ‘appropriate’ to do so in this instance. I wholeheartedly agree; transparency like this is invaluable for the profession, as it guides others on when to use and how to use it: as an aid, not to do the work.
My Experience with AI
Like Judge McNall, I’m an advocate for using AI thoughtfully and as a tool. Recently, I needed to draft a complex letter to a client’s insurer, who was unfamiliar with the background. The correspondence was lengthy, intricate, and at times contradictory—classic litigation challenges.
My goal: to summarise the background, flag key issues, and provide supporting documents so the insurer could effectively assist the insured party.
In the past, this would have involved:
- Drafting a dictation plan
- Listing relevant documents
- Highlighting background materials physically first with paper and pen, and then in the dictated material
- Dictating and revising the draft
This process would have taken three to four hours in this case due to the length and complexity of the underlying 20 documents.
With AI:
- I uploaded five background documents
- Crafted a detailed prompt for Copilot, referencing a similar letter I’d previously drafted
Copilot produced a first draft, which I refined to reflect my expertise and perspective (it was fantastic, and I kept about 80% of it). Next, I uploaded 15 enclosures, requesting they be ordered by date and accompanied by a one-sentence summary explaining their inclusion and key points.
Once both responses were reviewed, I prompted Copilot to merge them into a single document.
The result? A shorter, clearer, and more client-friendly draft—produced in about half the time. At every stage, I added my knowledge and judgment, but AI helped clarify my thinking and streamline the process.
The Benefits for Law Firms
Why use AI?
Lawyers are problem-solvers. AI can assist by responding to our prompts and supporting our work. We think (AI does not think, it predicts).
The outcome:
The insurer received clear enclosures and a concise summary of our client’s position.
The benefit:
- The process was faster
- The result was clearer
- My expertise was amplified, not replaced
Most importantly, AI freed me to focus on thinking through the key issues where Bennett Briegal LLP adds real value. The thinking aspect is crucial for me: I have the privilege of being paid to think, and AI, when used as a co-intelligence tool, helps me think clearly.
Lessons for Law Firms
I strongly argue that law firms should embrace AI to make client work clearer, quicker, and easier—for themselves and their clients. But beware of overreliance: AI is a tool to help you think more clearly and deliver better service; it is not a replacement for professional judgment. Judge McNall helpfully showcased this by explaining his use.
Just as telephones evolved from landlines to smartphones, AI is just another technology platform—powerful, but not a complete solution. The user of a phone or AI is responsible for the output shared with third parties. As with previous technological advances, AI brings both opportunities and challenges.
Why are you obsessed with AI?
A contact asked me last week, “Why are you obsessed with AI?” The answer is pretty obvious: since 2020, I have been focused on productivity, habits, and clear thinking.
We are not an AI provider, nor are we selling software, and we never will be.
We advise solicitors and law firms on legal and regulatory issues, so we offer in-house training in those areas. AI is one of several key issues in the profession right now. Having had a corporate career pre-law, during which I gained management experience and qualifications, I have always found the management of law fascinating. For our clients, we offer management team consultancy and support, so that’s my link: I want our clients to thrive.
If a law firm wants to be more productive and profitable from 2025 to 2030, AI is one key tool. As anyone who has asked me to provide training recently will know, I also think supervision and authentic leadership are just as key to profitable practice. Why? Clear thinking and a good client experience are crucial to success in law firms.
Conclusion
Use AI as a tool to enhance your work, and your clients will thank you.
Above all, lawyers and judges must continue to uphold the highest professional and ethical standards when using AI. Let it aid your thinking and improve your output, but never let it do the work for you.
Paul Bennett is a Partner at Bennett Briegal LLP, specialising in regulation, partnership and the management of law firms.
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