Law firm limits AI use following 'significant' staff adoption.

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Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-02-12 08:54:37 |

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An international law firm has restricted general access to several artificial intelligence (AI) tools following a significant rise in usage by its staff. Hill Dickinson, a firm with over a thousand employees in the UK, discovered that its staff had been using AI tools more frequently than anticipated, leading to a shift in its approach to AI usage.

In an email that was seen by sources, a senior director at Hill Dickinson warned employees about the increasing use of AI tools, stating that much of this activity did not comply with the firm’s existing AI policy. As a result, the firm announced it would require employees to request permission to access AI tools going forward, rather than allowing unrestricted usage.

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) responded, advising that organizations should not discourage the use of AI but instead integrate AI tools that align with company policies and data protection standards. A spokesperson from the ICO emphasized that AI offers numerous benefits for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in the workplace and that companies should find ways to provide AI solutions that meet both business needs and legal obligations.

Hill Dickinson’s chief technology officer reported that the firm had observed more than 32,000 interactions with the widely-used AI chatbot, ChatGPT, over a seven-day period between January and February. During the same time, the firm also recorded more than 3,000 interactions with DeepSeek, a Chinese AI service recently banned from Australian government devices due to security concerns. Additionally, there were almost 50,000 interactions with the writing assistance tool Grammarly. However, the firm did not specify how many employees were responsible for these interactions, or whether the hits represented repeated visits by individual users.

The email to employees noted that the law firm had been closely monitoring the use of AI tools, especially generative AI solutions, and had detected a substantial increase in the uploading of files to these platforms. Hill Dickinson later emphasized its intention to "positively embrace" AI tools to enhance the firm’s capabilities, while ensuring they are used safely and appropriately, in line with the firm's policies and client confidentiality.

The firm’s AI policy prohibits the uploading of client information to AI platforms and requires staff to verify the accuracy of responses generated by large language models. Hill Dickinson is now restricting AI access through a request system, and some requests have already been processed and approved.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) commented on the growing use of AI in legal firms, acknowledging the need for digital skills in the sector. While AI offers substantial potential, a lack of understanding of the technology among legal practitioners could pose risks. A survey conducted by Clio, a legal software provider, revealed that 62% of UK solicitors expect AI usage to increase in the coming year, with law firms already utilizing AI for tasks such as drafting documents, contract review, and legal research.

A representative from the UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology referred to AI as a "technological leap" that can free workers from repetitive tasks and provide more rewarding opportunities. The department is working on legislation to safely harness the benefits of AI and plans to launch a public consultation to ensure its regulatory approach keeps pace with the rapidly evolving technology.

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