Firm wants to ensure ‘safe and proper’ use
Hill Dickinson has restricted general access to several AI tools after an upsurge in usage by its lawyers and staff.
The new rules have come in place following a “significant increase in usage”, much of which was not in line with the firm’s AI policy, according to an email seen by BBC News.
A senior director at the outfit is said to have issued a warning about the use of AI tools, with staff now only allowed to access the tools after a request process.
In the same email Hill Dickinson’s chief technology officer stated that the firm had detected more than 32,000 ChatGPT hits, 3,000 DeepSeek hits, and 50,000 Grammarly searches in a single week between January and February.
It is not clear, however, how many of the firm’s staff have accessed the tools, or on how many separate occasions. Each time a user visits the site they could register multiple hits.
The email, sent to staff, reportedly said: “We have been monitoring usage of Al tools, particularly publicly available generative Al solutions, and have noticed a significant increase in usage of, and uploading of files to, such tools.”
In a statement to LegaL Cheek, a firm spokesperson said: “Like many law firms, we are aiming to positively embrace the use of AI tools to enhance our capabilities while always ensuring safe and proper use by our people and for our clients. AI can have many benefits for how we work, but we are mindful of the risks it carries and must ensure there is human oversight throughout.”
“Last week, we sent an update to our colleagues regarding our AI policy, which was launched in September 2024,” they continued. “This policy does not discourage the use of AI, but simply ensures that our colleagues use such tools safely and responsibly — including having an approved case for using AI platforms, prohibiting the uploading of client information and validating the accuracy of responses provided by large language models.”
“We are confident that, in line with this policy and the additional training and tools we are providing around AI, its usage will remain safe, secure and effective,” the spokesperson added.
News of the restriction comes less than a week after the Master of the Rolls said that lawyers and judges have “no real choice” but to embrace AI, albeit “cautiously and responsibly”.