AI is Driving a 25% Rise in Complaints against Barristers

Complaints to the Bar Standards Board have risen by approximately 25% in the last year. The BSB has confirmed a significant part of that increase is being driven by AI. Complainants are using AI tools to draft detailed, structured submissions — and those take longer to assess than traditional reports, adding pressure to an already stretched enforcement process. 

The BSB set this out in the introduction to its 2026-27 business plan, published on 8 April. Interim Director General Steven Haines wrote that “the use of AI is now a contributing factor in driving reports” and acknowledged that “our efficiency and timeliness targets have not been fully met” as a result. 

"We are receiving complaints about barristers where the reporter has used AI to generate the report. They can be more time consuming to assess and this is contributing to an approximate 25 per cent increase in the volume of annual complaints the BSB is receiving." 

BSB spokesperson, Legal IT Insider, 9 April 2026 

What this means for Chambers 

AI-drafted complaints tend to be better structured and harder to dismiss on procedural grounds than traditional submissions. That doesn’t make them more likely to succeed — but chambers should expect complaints that take longer to respond to and require more careful handling. 

Chambers relying on informal or undocumented complaints procedures are most exposed. If a BSB report arrives and there’s no clear record of how the underlying matter was handled internally, the position is harder to defend. 

What the BSB is doing about it 

The 2026-27 business plan commits the BSB to accelerating case assessment, prioritising backlog reduction, and improving the process for those making reports. A specific target is set to improve confidence in its approach to bullying and harassment complaints by April 2027. The BSB is also appointing a Chief Operations Officer with direct accountability for regulatory casework capacity. 

The plan separately commits the BSB to developing formal guidance on safe AI and technology adoption — a signal that expectations around AI use in chambers are moving from informal guidance towards regulatory obligation. 

Complaints-handling procedures: worth reviewing now 

The volume and sophistication of complaints is rising. Chambers should check their complaints-handling procedures are documented, current, and understood by those responsible for acting on them. A procedure that hasn’t been reviewed in the last 12 months is likely to need updating.