Family law is a complex and sensitive area of legal practice, involving issues such as divorce, child arrangements, domestic violence and financial settlements. It can be emotionally and financially draining for both lawyers and clients who often deal with lengthy and complicated Court proceedings. However, artificial intelligence (AI) can offer some solutions to make family law more efficient, accessible, and fair.
What is AI and how can it help family law?
AI is frequently in the news and is predicted to impact nearly all industries and professions across the world. AI is the technology that enables computers or software to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as reasoning, learning, and decision-making. AI can help family law in various ways including:
- Automating legal research and document analysis, saving time and money for lawyers and clients
- Providing online platforms and chatbots for legal guidance and frequently asked questions
- Using predictive analytics and machine learning to estimate the outcomes and costs of different scenarios helping lawyers and clients to negotiate and settle disputes more effectively
What are some examples of AI in family law?
There are already some examples of AI being used or developed in family law:
- Amicable, a UK-based app that helps couples to separate amicably and collaboratively, using AI to generate personalised divorce plans and financial settlements.
- Rechtwijzer, a Dutch online platform that provides mediation and arbitration services for family disputes, using AI to match parties with suitable professionals and to suggest solutions based on their preferences and needs.
- ROSS Intelligence, a US-based legal research platform using AI to answer legal questions and find relevant case law and statutes, helping lawyers to prepare and argue their cases more efficiently.
- Spot, a UK-based chatbot that helps victims of harassment and discrimination to document and report their experiences using AI to generate secure and anonymous reports that can be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
What are the challenges and limitations of AI in family law?
AI is not an absolute solution for family law, and it also poses some challenges and limitations, for example:
- Ensuring the quality, accuracy, and reliability of the data and algorithms used by AI systems, especially when dealing with sensitive and personal information.
- Protecting the privacy, security, and confidentiality of the data and communications involved in family law cases, especially when using online platforms and cloud services.
- Preserving the human element and the ethical standards of family law practice, especially when dealing with emotional and complex issues that require empathy, compassion, and discretion.
- Regulating the use and accountability of AI systems in family law, especially when they affect the rights and interests of the parties and the children involved.
- Bias and discrimination as AI procedures are trained based on historical data, which could include biases. If the data reflects present biases in the legal system, then AI can potentially exacerbate those biases.
Comment
AI can be a powerful tool to enhance and potentially transform the area of family law, but it requires careful, responsible use and oversight. As family law practitioners, we need to be aware of the opportunities and challenges of AI and engage with its development and regulation in a critical and constructive way.
How can we help?
Emma Davies is a Partner in our Family Law team, which is ranked in Tier One in the independently researched publication, The Legal 500.
Emma specialises in divorce and financial settlements which involve complex issues and substantial assets. She also advises on pre and post nuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and separation agreements along with private law Children Act disputes. Emma is a qualified collaborative practitioner.
If you need further advice on the subjects discussed above, please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your circumstances in more detail and give you more information about the services that our family law solicitors can provide along with details of our hourly rates and fixed fee services.
For more information or advice, please call Emma or another member of our team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or contact us via our online form.