Garfield AI is the UK’s first SRA-approved AI-driven law firm, providing legal services without direct human solicitor involvement.

The recent approval of Garfield AI marks a significant milestone. This platform automates time consuming, repetitive tasks, raising important questions about how we’ll be trained as future lawyers and how firms will maintain client trust.

Many tasks such as drafting procedural documents or completing court forms are now being automated by AI systems like Garfield AI. This technology can handle routine work, such as preparing claim forms for small claims cases far more efficiently than humans. As these tasks disappear from trainee workloads, law firms must rethink training programs. Instead of focusing on repetitive drafting, training could shift toward reviewing AI-generated outputs for accuracy, compliance, and ethical considerations.

Clients may hesitate to trust AI-driven legal services, concerned about reliability, confidentiality or the lack of a human touch. Garfield AI operates under the supervision of a qualified solicitor who remains accountable for its work. To build client confidence, firms must be transparent about AI’s role, explaining how it enhances efficiency while human oversight ensures quality. 

Firms also need to emphasise that human lawyers handle complex, high stakes matters requiring judgment and creativity. As future lawyers, we will need to communicate these points clearly, reassuring clients that AI supports rather than replaces professional expertise.

Garfield AI’s approval signals a broader shift in the legal industry. AI will handle routine tasks, leaving humans to focus on complex, strategic work. Firms that successfully integrate AI while maintaining human judgment will lead the way, offering efficient, accessible services without sacrificing trust. For law students, this means preparing for a career where AI is a tool not a threat.