How artificial intelligence is impacting family law, and why expert legal advice remains...
How artificial intelligence is impacting family law, and why expert legal advice remains essential.
Artificial intelligence has become one of the most significant technological developments of recent years. AI-powered platforms are changing the way people access information and solve problems. It is, therefore, unsurprising that many individuals are now turning to AI when dealing with family law matters, including divorce, financial remedy proceedings, child arrangements, nuptial agreements and protective measures.
We recognise the enormous potential of AI. It can help people better understand legal processes, reduce confusion and make more effective use of the time they spend with their solicitor. However, whilst these technologies are undoubtedly helpful, they should be used with caution.
Most AI chatbots carry a warning that their responses may be inaccurate. That warning exists for a reason. Family law disputes are highly fact-specific and often involve decisions with life-changing consequences. AI can be used to complement the solicitor-client relationship, not replace it.
How AI Can Help
The family justice system can feel daunting. AI can provide a useful starting point by helping individuals understand unfamiliar concepts and documents.
Appropriate uses of AI may include:
- Explaining family law principles in plain English (something we at CWJ pride ourselves on).
- Providing an overview of court procedures and legal processes.
- Summarising lengthy correspondence, disclosure or court documents.
- Helping prepare questions for a solicitor.
- Organising information, such as producing chronologies or event summaries.
Used appropriately, AI can help clients become better informed, allowing them to engage with their solicitor more efficiently and potentially reduce costs.
Where AI Should Not Be Used
The difficulty is that AI can produce information that appears persuasive but is incorrect, incomplete or out of date. More importantly, it cannot exercise legal judgment or understand the full context of a family's circumstances.
For that reason, AI should not be relied upon to:
- Draft witness or position statements.
- Prepare court orders, agreements or other legal documents.
- Produce substantive correspondence to an opponent or the court.
- Advise upon the merits of a case or likely outcome.
- Decide what information should be disclosed.
- Formulate litigation or settlement strategy.
Mistakes in these areas can have serious consequences and may be difficult, or even impossible, to rectify.
How Solicitors Are Using AI
The legal profession has embraced AI as an efficiency tool. When used responsibly, it can improve productivity and allow solicitors to focus more of their time on advising clients and resolving disputes.
Examples include:
- Checking grammar.
- Refining tone.
- Formatting documents and managing administrative tasks.
- Reviewing and summarising large volumes of evidence and disclosure.
- Producing concise summaries of meetings, notes and case materials.
These applications can reduce administrative burdens while improving consistency and efficiency, ultimately reducing client’s costs.
What AI Does Not Replace
Although AI supports legal work, it is not replacing the role of a solicitor.
People continue to instruct family solicitors because they provide:
- Specialist legal knowledge.
- Professional judgment and experience.
- Strategic advice tailored to individual circumstances.
- Negotiation skills.
- Risk assessment, problem-solving and practical guidance.
Importantly, responsible solicitors do not simply accept AI-generated content as correct. Any material produced by AI must be reviewed and verified before it is used. In many respects, the process is similar to supervising the work of a junior lawyer. The output may be helpful, but it cannot be relied upon without careful scrutiny and professional oversight.
The Best of Both Worlds
AI will play an increasingly important role in family law. It offers quick access to general information, can help people understand legal concepts and makes legal services more efficient.
However, decisions concerning finances, children, personal safety and future security are too important to leave to software alone. No matter how sophisticated AI becomes, it cannot replicate the experience, judgment and accountability of a qualified family solicitor.
Our view is simple: embrace AI and make use of the advantages it offers. Use it to understand legal concepts, simplify complex documents and prepare for discussions with your legal team. But when it comes to making important decisions, protecting your position and navigating the legal process, specialist legal advice remains essential.
The best outcomes are likely to be achieved not by choosing between AI and a solicitor, but by combining the efficiency of modern technology with the expertise, judgment and support that experienced family lawyers provide.
A Note from the Writer
As this article discusses the role of AI in family law, it is only fair to acknowledge that AI assisted in its preparation.
Ordinarily, a polished 900-word article would take me between 2 and 3 hours to draft and refine. Using AI, the process took just over 1 hour. Rather than inputting a short prompt into a chatbot and publishing the result, I provided a detailed brief, reviewed multiple drafts, suggesting numerous amendments and rewrote many of the sentences myself to ensure the final article accurately reflected my views, experience and professional standards.
This process perfectly illustrates the central message of this article. AI proved to be an extremely useful tool, helping to accelerate the drafting process and improve efficiency. However, the quality of the final product still depended upon professional expertise, judgment and careful oversight.
Like many technologies, AI is at its most effective when it supports the work of skilled professionals rather than attempting to replace them. This article is an example of that partnership in practice.