In a historic regulatory decision, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has authorised the first UK law firm to deliver legal services exclusively through an AI-powered assistant.
Garfield.law, founded by commercial litigator Philip Young and quantum physicist Daniel Long, is an AI model that focuses on helping businesses recover unpaid debts of up to £10,000 in the small claims court.
More than a generic legal chatbot, Garfield is described by its creators as a hybrid AI and expert system. It is built on a domain-specific knowledge modelled to align with the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), offering a transparent and precise legal process. According to Young, the system delivers “access to justice through responsible AI.”
How does it work?
Garfield’s offering is highly automated while maintaining crucial human oversight.
Users input the unpaid invoice and relevant contract, with the system analysing key factors such as limitation issues and debtor insolvency via Companies House records. It then guides users through pre-action steps – charging as little as £2 for a polite chaser letter and £7.50 for a letter before action – before moving to issue proceedings, apply for judgment and even assist with trial preparation.
A crucial detail is that Garfield is not autonomous; the user must approve each step, preserving accountability throughout the process.
A Rigorous Regulatory Pathway and AI Safeguards
The SRA’s authorisation follows an eight-month regulatory process, during which the regulator scrutinised Garfield’s products, processes, personnel, and risk management. It sought reassurance regarding quality control, client confidentiality, and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
Notably, the SRA identified AI hallucinations as a high-risk area, stating that Garfield is not designed to propose case law, which remains a risky task for large language models (LLMs).
The technology employs a multi-layered accuracy strategy, combining two years of development and testing, real-time analytics and a cautious launch phase where Philip Young oversees all claims that pass through the system. Eventually, the company plans to adopt a risk-based sampling approach to ongoing quality assurance.
A New Era of AI-Regulated Firms?
The system has been well-received by both the judiciary and the profession. Lord Justice Birss, Deputy Head of Civil Justice, last year described Garfield’s AI-driven approach as “absolutely at the core of what we can do for access to justice.”
Chief Executive of the SRA, Paul Philip, described the authorisation of Garfield as a “landmark moment” for UK legal services. He emphasised the public benefit of responsible AI-driven innovation but noted that this new model comes with regulatory risks that require close monitoring, stating:
“Any new law firm comes with potential risks, but the risks around an AI-driven law firm are novel. As this is likely to be the first of many AI-driven law firms, we will be monitoring progress closely.”
Garfield currently employs around 15 people, including four solicitors and a barrister, supported by angel investors.
Could we a similar move within chambers in the near future?
