Overview

• High Court ruling says AI-generated fake citations breach lawyers’ duty not to mislead courts and can amount to contempt of court or perverting the course of justice.
• In a £89m claim against Qatar National Bank, counsel cited 18 nonexistent cases among 45 authorities while a barrister in a London housing dispute cited five fictitious precedents.
• The lawyers in both cases were referred to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board without contempt proceedings being initiated.
• Dame Victoria Sharp warned that unchecked AI research undermines public confidence in the justice system and demands strict professional oversight.
• Judges urged heads of chambers, managing partners and regulators to establish training and verification protocols for AI use in legal research.