The chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales has stated that the pilot program for artificial intelligence legal assistants must undergo thorough evaluation and its outcomes must be made public. This comes as the UK government announces a trial of AI tools in crown courts to address the growing backlog of cases.
AI Assistants in Crown Courts
David Lammy, the deputy prime minister, is set to announce on Tuesday that AI-powered virtual legal assistants will be trialled in crown courts across England and Wales. The initiative aims to reduce the significant backlog of cases, which has reached record levels. Judges are already planning to use a new AI tool to help identify trial-ready cases and group similar hearings together, according to the Ministry of Justice.
Law Society's Concerns
However, the Law Society, which represents over 200,000 solicitors, has cautioned that the technology should not be used as a substitute for adequate funding and additional court staff. Ian Jeffery, the chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales, emphasized the need for rigorous evaluation: "For the use of AI in the crown court to be effective, the pilot must be thoroughly evaluated. The outcomes of these evaluations, along with the impact of AI on the justice system, should be made public." He added, "While new technology should enhance access to justice, it cannot replace vital funding and additional court staff. Robust safeguards are needed to protect us all and preserve the integrity of the justice system."
Previous AI Issues in Courts
Concerns about AI in the justice system are not unfounded. Last year, two cases were affected by fake case-law citations that were either confirmed or suspected to have been generated by AI. In a damages case against Qatar National Bank, claimants cited 45 case laws, of which 18 were fictitious. The claimant admitted to using publicly available AI tools. In another instance, Haringey Law Centre cited phantom case law five times when challenging the London borough of Haringey over temporary accommodation.
Backlog Crisis
The backlog of crown court cases in England and Wales has reached a record high of over 80,000 cases this year, more than double the pre-pandemic figure of 38,108 in 2019. Freedom of information requests revealed that 2,600 crown court trials are not scheduled until at least 2028, with 29 not due to be heard until 2030. The government has announced plans to scale back jury trials as part of efforts to overhaul the justice system and reduce the backlog.
Lammy's Vision for AI
In a speech at London Tech Week, Lammy is expected to say: "Artificial intelligence has the power to transform how we live, work and govern for the better. This impact for good can be seen in our justice system, with thousands of days of admin work saved for our probation staff and the advent of new tools which aim to cut court backlogs and deliver swifter justice for victims." However, the potential dangers of AI were highlighted by a review into the banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from a match against Aston Villa in November 2025, which found that an "AI hallucination" produced by Microsoft Copilot had helped police justify the decision.
