Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday legal practice. From summarising information and producing first drafts to assisting with research and administrative tasks, AI has the potential to make legal work quicker and more efficient.
For Legal Secretaries and PAs, however, its growing use may raise understandable questions about the future of the profession. The SRA's latest warning notice on the misuse of AI offers some reassurance. AI can assist legal professionals, but it cannot replace human judgement, responsibility and oversight.
What has the SRA said?
On 17 August 2026, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) published a warning notice on the misuse of AI in legal services. The notice follows 42 reports of suspected AI misuse received over the past year, with a number of investigations still ongoing. The regulator is not discouraging firms from using AI. Instead, it stresses that firms and individuals remain fully responsible for meeting their professional obligations when doing so, regardless of the tools they use.
The SRA highlights two particular risks: inaccurate AI-generated information and breaches of client confidentiality.
Inaccurate information: Generative AI can produce convincing but incorrect information, sometimes called an AI "hallucination". The SRA points to real examples of the damage this can cause. In one High Court case, R (on the application of Ayinde) v Haringey LBC [2025] EWHC 1383 (Admin), AI-generated case citations that turned out to be fictitious were submitted to court. The lesson for anyone using AI is clear: never assume its output is accurate simply because it sounds authoritative.
Client confidentiality: Confidentiality is equally important for Legal Secretaries and PAs, who routinely handle sensitive client and matter information. The SRA warns that information entered into AI systems may not necessarily remain confidential, depending on how the particular tool operates. In one case before the Upper Tribunal, UK v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] UKUT 81 (IAC), the tribunal noted that putting client and Home Office letters into an open AI tool effectively places that information in the public domain. Legal Secretaries and PAs should follow their firm's AI policies and never enter confidential or client-specific information into an AI tool unless they are authorised to do so and appropriate safeguards are in place. If in doubt, ask before using it.
Why Legal Secretaries and PAs remain essential
Perhaps the most reassuring aspect of the SRA's warning is its emphasis on human oversight and professional judgement. AI can produce text and process information remarkably quickly, but it does not have the contextual understanding and practical experience of a skilled legal professional.
Legal Secretaries and PAs do much more than carry out administrative tasks. They understand legal terminology and procedures, manage deadlines, communicate with clients and other professionals, protect confidential information, anticipate the needs of fee earners and spot when something does not look right. Those skills become more important when AI is involved.
An AI-generated document still needs someone to check names, dates, figures, facts and references. It also needs someone to recognise when the tone is inappropriate, information is missing or an apparently convincing statement simply does not make sense. Attention to detail, proofreading and professional judgement have always been valuable Legal Secretary skills. AI reinforces their importance rather than removing it.
AI as an assistant
Used responsibly and in accordance with a firm's policies, AI can be a useful productivity tool. It may assist with drafting, organising information, generating ideas or summarising appropriate material, leaving legal professionals with more time for work that requires judgement and human interaction. The important word is assist.
Legal Secretaries have adapted to technological change before. Word processing, email, digital dictation and case management systems have all transformed the role. AI is another development in that continuing evolution.
Legal Secretaries and PAs should therefore be included in firms' AI training and conversations. Understanding which tools are approved, what information can be entered into them and how AI-generated work should be checked will increasingly become part of being an effective legal support professional.
Working alongside AI
The SRA's warning notice is a timely reminder that AI should be approached with care, not fear. The future of legal work is unlikely to be a choice between people and technology. Instead, the greatest value will come from professionals who know how to use technology effectively while recognising its limitations.
For Legal Secretaries and PAs, that means embracing AI as a useful assistant while continuing to rely on the qualities that technology cannot easily replicate: judgement, discretion, accuracy, organisation, communication and an understanding of people.
AI may change how Legal Secretaries and PAs work, just as previous technologies have done. But it does not remove the need for skilled legal professionals. Learning how to use AI confidently, safely and critically is becoming an increasingly valuable professional skill in its own right.
For Legal Secretaries and PAs who would like to develop those skills, ILSPA's AI in Legal Practice course provides practical guidance on working with AI in a legal environment. The course helps learners understand how to review and check AI-generated work, while also providing important information about how to use AI tools safely and responsibly.
