Study title

14 semi-structured interviews conducted with legal services professionals in England over the period 2019-20. Interviewees were drawn from law firms, legal technology companies, law libraries, and legal data providers. The interviews explored in what ways does a lack of appropriate educational provision currently present a barrier to (a) law firms in adopting new technologies, and (b) computer scientists in proceeding efficiently within the rule of law; and how might this need best be addressed to allow those working in these sectors to interact innovatively and efficiently?The proposed research will explore the potential and limitations of using artificial intelligence (AI) in support of legal services. AI's capabilities have made enormous recent leaps; many expect it to transform how the economy operates. In particular, activities relying on human knowledge to create value, insulated until now from mechanisation, are facing dramatic change. Amongst these are professional services, such as law. Like other professions, legal services contribute to the economy both through revenues of service providers and through benefits provided to clients. For large business clients, who can choose which legal regime will govern their affairs, UK legal services are an export good. For small businesses and citizens, working within the domestic legal system, UK legal services affect costs directly. Yet unlike other professions, the legal system has a dual role in society. Beyond the law's role in governing economic order, the legal system is more fundamentally a structure for social order. It sets out rules agreed on by society, and also the limits of politicians' ability to enact these rules. Consequently, the stakes for AI's implementation in UK legal services are high. If mishandled, it could threaten both economic success and governance more generally. Yet if executed effectively, it is an opportunity to improve legal services not only for export but also for citizens and...