What is the essential standard for AI governance for law firms?

Define and Test the Firm's Confidentiality and Oversight Controls

For each proposed AI use, have the firm's relevant reviewers assess confidentiality, client restrictions and supervision. Record permitted tools and data, approval owners and output-review responsibilities. Treat the checklist below as questions for that decision, not an identified legal standard or a guarantee of protection.

AI Managed AI Governance & Support

The essential controls law firms should have

• Tooling policy with an approved stack: identify permitted tools, accounts and configurations, with instructions for the approved tasks
• Client data handling rules: record prohibited material and permitted uses; assess redaction and workflow controls against the engagement's restrictions before entering client data
• Output verification: specify human review and source-checking before reliance on an output; do not copy it into advice without the required checks
• Logging and audit trails: record what tool was used and for what purpose (especially for high-risk work)
• DPIAs and vendor controls: review the processing and supplier terms for transcription, summarisation and document review, and have the privacy reviewer assess whether a DPIA is required
• Training: role-specific guidance for partners, associates, paralegals and support staff

AI Risk & Efficiency Audit

Decision rights: who can approve AI use cases?

Assign the decisions below to named owners or the firm's existing governance group. Record whose legal, privacy, IT or practice review is needed, and distinguish authority to approve a use from access to the tool:

• approved tools and configurations
• data categories permitted for each tool
• uses needing close review, such as drafting advice, client communications or due diligence summaries, with reasons for the assessment
• incident response and disclosure thresholds

How to reduce hallucination and confidentiality risk in practice

1. limit AI use to defined tasks and inputs
2. cross-check factual claims against the underlying sources; a generated citation is not verification
3. check the actual tenant configuration, access and supplier terms before approving client-related work; a secure or enterprise label is not permission
4. assess redaction and template-based prompts for the permitted task, checking that restricted information is not included
5. monitor changes in use, investigate departures from approved tasks and update staff guidance or controls where needed

Questions for the Firm's Professional Reviewer

Have the firm's professional or legal reviewer identify the SRA and other requirements relevant to the engagement and proposed AI use. Record how advice quality, confidentiality and supervision will be checked, with named responsibilities. This checklist does not establish compliance with those requirements.

AI Implementation

Need a safer AI route for your firm?

For a law-firm AI standard, define permitted tools, matter-data boundaries, review responsibilities and an exception route. Check applicable professional requirements separately.

• Map AI risk and opportunity
• Put usable AI governance in place
• Roll out AI with privacy and supplier controls
• See AI support for legal services