Technology and Innovation at the Bar: Turning “Pockets of Progress” into Sector-Wide Change

The Bar Standards Board’s latest Technology and Innovation at the Bar research (April 2025) paints a familiar picture: the Bar is curious about technology, but adoption is patchy. While some barristers are making bold strides, many remain in “wait and see” mode.

The findings highlight both the opportunities and the stubborn barriers—and if we want to see real change, we need to address them head-on.

What the BSB Found

The report reveals:

• Pockets of innovation – especially in commercial, tech, IP, and the employed Bar, where resources and client pressures are higher.
• Barriers everywhere – a profession that’s 80% self-employed, with deeply individual workflows, limited in-house IT expertise, and tight budgets (particularly in publicly funded areas).
• Cautious AI use – barristers are experimenting with ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Lexis+ AI, and others for drafting, transcription, and research. The goal is to enhance—not replace—human judgment.
• Training gaps – most tech skills are self-taught, learned ad hoc, or from vendor demos. There’s no consistent tech curriculum in pupillage or CPD.
• Market mismatch – few vendors build for the Bar specifically; the small, fragmented market makes it hard for innovators to invest.

Opportunities We Shouldn’t Miss

The report identifies clear areas where technology can immediately improve efficiency and client service:

• Time and billing – automation could recover thousands in unbilled hours.
• Client onboarding – smoother intake, fewer admin bottlenecks.
• Evidence review & chronologies – AI-assisted sorting, searching, and summarising.
• Compliance questionnaires – standardising responses for repeat clients.
• Direct access – tech-enabled processes could make this a more viable workstream.

What Needs to Change

The recommendations aren’t just for the BSB—they’re for all of us:

1. Standardise the essentials – so barristers, solicitors, and courts can work seamlessly across shared platforms.
2. Engage with tech providers – help them understand the Bar’s unique workflows; support accreditation schemes to build trust.
3. Invest in training – make legaltech knowledge part of pupillage and CPD, with practical, on-demand learning.
4. Collaborate with the judiciary – drive digital processes that are consistent across courts.
5. Involve clients – especially in direct access, to design solutions that match real-world needs.
6. Set AI guardrails – ensuring tools are used ethically, securely, and effectively.

Why This Matters Now

Technology adoption at the Bar isn’t about replacing the craft of advocacy—it’s about protecting it. By freeing barristers from repetitive admin, we create more time for the thinking, strategy, and judgment that define the profession.

But incremental, peer-endorsed adoption is the only realistic route. That means small, proven wins—shared widely—and a climate where chambers, regulators, and vendors work together.

The BSB’s report is a timely reminder: if we don’t shape how technology is adopted at the Bar, we risk having it shaped for us.

I’d love to hear from barristers, clerks, and chambers directors—what’s the single biggest technology change you’d adopt tomorrow if the barriers disappeared?

Jess

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