{"id":853469,"date":"2025-06-05T05:13:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T10:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/05\/artificial-intelligence-to-initiate-and-manage-litigations-after-landmark-approval\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T05:13:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T10:13:15","slug":"artificial-intelligence-to-initiate-and-manage-litigations-after-landmark-approval","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/05\/artificial-intelligence-to-initiate-and-manage-litigations-after-landmark-approval\/","title":{"rendered":"Artificial intelligence to initiate and manage litigations after \u2018landmark\u2019 approval"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"content-header\">\n<h2>The Garfield Project created an artificial intelligence-based litigation service for small claims, but how far can the technology reach in the legal sector<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-center\">\n<ul>\n<li><i data-icon=\"1\"><\/i><\/li>\n<li><i data-icon=\"2\"><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"contributors-block\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.ttgtmedia.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Karl-Flinders-profile-pic-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"Karl Flinders\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/contributor\/Karl-Flinders\">Karl Flinders,<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tPublished: <span>04 Jun 2025 15:45<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"content-body\">\n<p>The regulatory approval of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based legal firm, which can complete a legal claim process with virtually no human involvement, is a \u201clandmark\u201d for an industry ready for change, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sra.org.uk\/sra\/news\/press\/garfield-ai-authorised\/\">Solicitors Regulation Authority<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/garfield.law\/\">Garfield AI<\/a>, as the company is known, was founded by a technologist and a lawyer with the initial aim of providing a service for small businesses to claim billions of pounds in unpaid invoices.<\/p>\n<p>The AI litigation assistant, which initiates and manages small claims litigation, received approval from the SRA last month, with the organisation hailing the arrival of \u201cthe first law firm providing legal services through AI\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Using\u00a0Garfield, the claimants or their lawyers upload the relevant information and authorise each step in the process. For example, the AI platform can create letters before action, draft claims and particulars of claim forms, apply for default judgments, handle settlements, and prepare for trial.<\/p>\n<p>According to the company, it \u201cuses legal best practice to ensure all claims are prepared correctly and the claims process is followed (and tracked) precisely \u2013 significantly reducing errors and delays\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>This is just the beginning for the company. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/daniel-long-724b21171\/?originalSubdomain=uk\">Daniel Long<\/a>, Garfield AI co-founder, told Computer Weekly that as a technologist and not a lawyer, he had never considered the use case was a possibility on an AI platform, but his business partner, lawyer Philip Young, was determined to offer a service for small businesses struggling to recover money owed to them.<\/p>\n<p>Long said: \u201cAlthough the small claims court is there for them, it is not economical to hire a lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said the service was \u201ca sensible place to start\u201d for an AI-only law firm. \u201cThese are not complex cases and do not require an understanding of case law and detailed arguments,\u201d said Long. \u201cIt\u2019s largely just extracting some information like what is owed, what work was done, populating some forms and probably some letters with that information.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It took the co-founders the first year to build a minimum viable product, but after adding three experts, product development accelerated. The service is not fully autonomous and only proceeds to the next stage of a claim when the customer is happy, and a final check is by a legal expert.<\/p>\n<h3>Just the beginning<\/h3>\n<p>Law firms are currently using AI in their businesses, performing tasks such as document reviews, but Garfield AI\u2019s approval provides a legal service directly to people and businesses. Paul Philip, CEO at the SRA, described the regulatory approval as a \u201clandmark moment for legal services in this country\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Long has been surprised by how open the judiciary is to tech development. \u201cSenior members of the judiciary are banging the drum, saying \u2018the legal sector must embrace AI\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The SRA is calling for more development of AI-based legal services. \u201cWe are encouraging the development of new approaches and models due to the potential consumer benefits,\u201d it said. \u201cAI-driven legal services could deliver better, quicker and more affordable legal services.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Regulatory approval took about eight months, according to Long. He said the co-founders had already been talking about the concept with senior members of the judiciary to \u201cgauge their views\u201d and that \u201cthere was enthusiasm from them\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Long added that they could see there was a compelling argument for this in terms of improving access to justice. \u201cBut they do not want to introduce something that could harm individuals,\u201d he said. \u201cWe also presented to the department for justice select committee and one of their first questions was, \u201cHow far can you envisage this model going?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Long told Computer Weekly that the company plans to apply AI to more legal services, and that the company could initially expand by taking on larger cases.<\/p>\n<h3>Risk assessment<\/h3>\n<p>The SRA said: \u201cThere are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sra.org.uk\/sra\/research-publications\/artificial-intelligence-legal-market\/\">potential risks to the public<\/a>, so we have been making sure there are appropriate checks in place to make sure that consumer protections are not diluted.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For example, the SRA wanted reassurance that the system would not experience \u201challucinations\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Philip at the SRA said: \u201cWith so many people and small businesses struggling to access legal services, we cannot afford to pull up the drawbridge on innovations that could have big public benefits. Responsible use of AI by law firms could improve legal services, while making them easier to access and more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added that the risks of an AI-driven law firm are \u201cnovel\u201d, requiring the regulator\u2019s close attention. \u201cAs this is likely to be the first of many AI-driven law firms, we will be monitoring progress of this new model closely, so we can both manage the risks and realise the benefits to consumers,\u201d said Philip.<\/p>\n<p>Mistakes, known as hallucinations, are something that David Enright, partner at Howe &#038; Co Solicitors, is concerned about when it comes to applying AI in the legal setting. \u201cIf you\u2019re relying on AI rather than a lawyer, who do you complain to when things go wrong?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Enright added that final checks by lawyers will have to be thorough as, unlike an experienced practitioner, AI is not able to \u201cthink outside the box\u201d and, for example, spot other potential claims.<\/p>\n<p>He welcomed improved access to justice because the alternative for many is \u201cno justice\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Lewis, lawyer at Stephenson Harwood, said the senior judiciary are \u201cacutely aware that access to justice is difficult and even impossible for many people these days\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think anything like Garfield that addresses the small end of the market and improves access to justice would be welcomed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Lewis added that there are some in the legal sector advocating for AI to perform judicial functions. \u201cIn other words, decide the merits of cases,\u201d he said. \u201cI think we\u2019re some way off, but one view is that it would be a logical step.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"DigDeeperSplash\">\n<h4>\n\t\t\t<i data-icon=\"m\"><\/i>Read more on Artificial intelligence, automation and robotics<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchenterpriseai\/podcast\/How-the-legal-profession-can-benefit-from-AI-technology\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g1134366930_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g1134366930_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g1134366930.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>How the legal profession can benefit from AI technology<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/ajao_esther.jpg\" alt=\"EstherShittu\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Esther\u00a0Shittu<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.techtarget.com\/searchcio\/news\/366619010\/CEO-testifies-on-federal-agencies-as-lawmakers-clash-on-Musk\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g90787303_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g90787303_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineimages\/legal_g90787303.jpg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>CEO testifies on federal agencies as lawmakers clash on Musk<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/onlineImages\/holland_makenzie.jpg\" alt=\"MakenzieHolland\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Makenzie\u00a0Holland<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366612737\/Detective-wrongly-claimed-journalists-solicitor-attempted-to-buy-gun-surveillance-tribunal-hears\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe.jpeg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Detective wrongly claimed journalist\u2019s solicitor attempted to buy gun, surveillance tribunal hears<\/h5>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a id=\"DigDeeperItem-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366612824\/Ex-PSNI-officer-seeking-legal-advice-over-comments-made-at-Investigatory-Powers-Tribunal\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe_searchsitetablet_520X173.jpg 960w,https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/visuals\/ComputerWeekly\/Hero%20Images\/police-car-blue-lights-adobe.jpeg 1280w\" alt ><\/p>\n<h5>Ex-PSNI officer seeking legal advice over comments made at Investigatory Powers Tribunal<\/h5>\n<div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/rms\/computerweekly\/Bill-Goodwin-CW-contributor-2022-140x180px.jpg\" alt=\"BillGoodwin\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p><span>By: <span>Bill\u00a0Goodwin<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerweekly.com\/news\/366625266\/Artificial-intelligence-to-initiate-and-manage-litigations-after-landmark-approval\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><br \/>\n Anthony Mote<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Garfield Project created an artificial intelligence-based litigation service for small claims, but how far can the technology reach in the legal sector By Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA Published: 04 Jun 2025 15:45 The regulatory approval of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based legal firm, which can complete a legal claim process with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":853470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25029,3781,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-853469","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial","8":"category-intelligence","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=853469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/853470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=853469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=853469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=853469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}