The Bar Council has welcomed the publication of the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other technologies.
The regulator's guidance says it "supports the adoption and use of technologies, including AI, where they are likely to benefit practice management, or the availability, quality or client experience of barristers’ services.".
It explains how existing duties in the BSB Handbook apply, and advises barristers and chambers to prepare themselves appropriately and take a risk-based approach before procuring, adopting, and using AI technologies, while being aware of the risks posed by generative AI tools.
The BSB has engaged with us on the guidance through our joint technology and innovation working group, and it complements our own guidance, which was updated in November.
In April, we responded to the Civil Justice Council’s (CJC) consultation on using AI when preparing court documents, agreeing that that there is no need to add new court rules concerning the use of AI by legal professionals when writing documents like statements of case or skeleton arguments.
Kirsty Brimelow KC, Chair of the Bar Council, said: “We welcome the publication of the BSB’s AI guidance, which complements our own, and we believe will help barristers understand what the regulatory framework means for their use of AI.
“We agree that barristers’ use of AI engages several of the BSB Handbook’s ethical principles and Core Duties, including the duties not to mislead the court, to provide a competent standard of work and service, and to act with honesty and integrity.
“The Bar Council encourages a conscientious and responsible use of modern technologies to help provide access to justice and to assist with the administration of justice.”