AI at work, by profession
The SRA warning notice on the misuse of AI, explained
What the Solicitors Regulation Authority published on 17 August 2026, who it applies to, and what it expects before an authority goes into a document or a client's information goes into a tool.
Checked against the published sources on 2 October 2026.
The short answer
The notice does not ban AI. It says how the existing Principles and Codes of Conduct apply when AI is used, and that failing to have proper regard to it puts a solicitor or firm at risk of disciplinary action. You remain accountable for all work and advice delivered to clients, whether or not AI was used to prepare it, and reliance on an AI output would not be a suitable defence.
- Published
- 17 August 2026
- Applies to
- All firms and individuals the SRA regulates
- Two concerns
- False or inaccurate material in documents, and client confidentiality
- Key case
- R (Ayinde) v London Borough of Haringey [2025] EWHC 1383 (Admin)
The first concern: authorities that do not exist
A generative tool produces the most plausible text. Asked for an authority, it can return a believable case name, court, year and citation that does not exist, or cite a real case for a point it does not decide. The notice calls these hallucinations.
The standard it sets is that you should be assured that all named case law authorities are genuine, relevant, have a verifiable citation and advance the argument being put forward. In Ayinde the court said that where false citations are placed before it, a reference to the regulator is likely to be appropriate.
- Genuine: found on a recognised source, not confirmed by the tool
- Verifiable: the citation leads to that judgment
- Relevant: the passage relied on has been read
- Advances the argument: it says what you say it says
The second concern: what goes into the tool
Client information should only be entered into AI systems where appropriate contractual, technical and organisational safeguards are in place. Firms should satisfy themselves that client data stays within a secure environment, is not accessed by unauthorised third parties, is not used to train AI models unless explicitly authorised, and is not retained longer than necessary.
The notice records the Upper Tribunal's observation that putting client documents into a public AI tool is to place the information in the public domain, and warns that legal professional privilege may be permanently waived as a result.
Supervisors and firms
Those who supervise junior or non-authorised colleagues may also be found in breach if false citations reach a court without adequate review or supervision. Firms need effective systems for supervising client matters, and the compliance officer for legal practice must take all reasonable steps to ensure compliance.
In practice that means a written policy on which tools may be used and for what, training for everyone who drafts, a verification step before anything goes to a court or a client, and a record of what was checked.
This page explains what the rule says. It is not legal, regulatory, clinical or financial advice on your own position. Rules change, so read the sources listed beside it, and tell us at hello@wajd.co.uk if something here is out of date.
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AI at work, by industry · 1.5 CPD hours
AI in legal practice: the SRA's warning, citations and client confidentiality
Questions people ask
Has the SRA banned solicitors from using AI?
No. The warning notice is about misuse. It says firms have the freedom to use AI tools provided they meet the SRA's standards, and that you remain accountable for the work whether or not AI was used.
Is it a defence that the AI tool invented the case?
No. The notice says reliance on an output of AI would not be a suitable defence. Lawyers remain personally responsible for the accuracy of what they put before a court, whatever tools were used in drafting.
Can I use a public AI tool if I remove the client's name?
Removing a name does not supply the contractual, technical and organisational safeguards the notice requires, and the facts of a matter usually identify the parties to anyone who knows of it.
Does the notice apply to paralegals and support staff?
It is relevant to everyone working in an SRA regulated firm. The firm answers for the work of all its people, and supervisors may be in breach where work was not adequately reviewed.