Law Firm Restricts AI Usage After Surge in Staff Activity
An international law firm has placed restrictions on artificial intelligence (AI) tools after detecting a significant increase in AI usage among employees. Hill Dickinson, a UK-based law firm with over a thousand employees, found that much of this AI usage did not comply with its internal AI policy, leading to new access limitations.
AI Usage Monitoring Leads to Restrictions
In an internal email seen by the BBC, Hill Dickinson’s chief technology officer reported over 32,000 hits to ChatGPT and 3,000 hits to DeepSeek—a Chinese AI tool banned on Australian government devices—within a single week. Additionally, Grammarly, a writing assistant tool, registered nearly 50,000 hits from staff within the same period.
While the firm did not disclose how many employees were involved, these statistics led to policy enforcement changes. Employees must now request approval to access AI tools, ensuring compliance with legal and data protection standards.
The Importance of AI Policies in Law Firms
A spokesperson from the Information Commissioner’s Office advised that firms should not discourage AI usage but instead offer compliant AI tools to ensure safe and responsible integration. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) also warned of potential risks, stating that law firms need to develop AI literacy to prevent compliance issues.
How Law Firms Are Using AI
A 2023 survey by Clio, a legal software provider, revealed that 62% of UK solicitors expected AI usage to increase in the next 12 months. Common applications include:
- Drafting legal documents
- Analyzing contracts
- Legal research
The UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology has described AI as a technological leap that can enhance efficiency. The department plans to introduce AI legislation to ensure safe and beneficial use across industries.
Balancing Innovation and Security
Hill Dickinson emphasized that it aims to embrace AI positively while safeguarding client confidentiality and legal accuracy. The firm’s AI policy prohibits uploading client-sensitive information and requires employees to validate AI-generated content.
As AI adoption accelerates, law firms worldwide must strike a balance between innovation and security, ensuring that AI tools enhance productivity without compromising ethical and legal standards.
For further reading, visit BBC News and explore more insights on Kenkou Land.
