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Darren Burrows

Darren Burrows

Senior Clerk
+44 (0)20 7520 4611
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Jackie Ginty

Jackie Ginty

First Deputy Senior Clerk
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Rob Smith

Rob Smith

Deputy Senior Clerk
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Times Law Awards

2024 Competition is Now Closed

AI: opportunity or threat for the legal profession?

Tales of robot-generated woe have been rife in the world of science fiction for decades. But real-world practical concerns have loomed larger since Open AI unleashed its latest version of ChatGPT a little more than a year ago. Only this week, the publisher of the US institution, Sports Illustrated, sacked its chief executive over allegations that the magazine published articles by fake writers with AI-generated photographs. And the legal profession is in the front line of the AI debate. Again this week, the senior judiciary issued guidance to all judges in England and Wales that warned of the pitfalls of AI. Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls, told judges to be on the alert for written submissions that refer to cases "that do not sound familiar" or that have "unfamiliar citations". American spellings were specifically highlighted as a sign that inaccurate cases drawn from chatbots might have been used. In April, Sir Geoffrey Vos predicted that robots could soon replace humans in deciding court disputes. He told a gathering at Lincoln’s Inn that the speed of technological advances made it a “real possibility that AI may become more intelligent and capable than humans” and opened up the possibility of automated decision-making in the courts. All of which means that the subject of next year’s Times Law Awards competition is entirely apposite – AI: opportunity or threat for the legal profession?

The essay competition is open to all students registered with UK higher education institutes, pupil barristers and trainee solicitors. Essays should be no more than 1,000 words and must be received by midday on Monday, 22 January 2024. There are more than £10,000 of prizes on offer to the six finalists, whose entries will be read by a judging panel of senior figures, including a justice of the Supreme Court, and Lord Grabiner KC from One Essex Court. The awards will be presented at a dinner ceremony at the Guildhall in the City of London in May next year. Full rules and entry details can be found below.