Why you’d be tempted to use AI in the first place
AI tools such as ChatGPT have become part of daily life, and people now use them to draft letters, prepare documents, or create full legal agreements.
It feels quick and efficient so for many, and it seems like a great way to avoid paying solicitor fees.
Beneath the surface, this shortcut is starting to backfire and instead of saving money, many people are ending up with documents that create more problems than they solve, and those problems take longer for legal professionals to fix which eventually ends up costing more than if the work was passed to a professional to begin with.
The issue isn’t that AI writes badly. In fact, the writing often looks polished. The problem is that legal work isn’t about neat sentences, it’s about accuracy, statutory compliance and understanding what information matters.
AI can’t weigh up risks, consider consequences or spot the crucial detail that changes a case.
Where AI documents look right … until they’re not
Employment contracts
Employment contracts are a common problem. AI tends to produce contracts that are tidy but incomplete.
It may leave out notice periods, probation clauses, or holiday provisions.
Employers don’t usually realise anything is missing until something goes wrong. By that point, the solicitor is not just tidying up a contract they’re trying to contain a situation that has been made more complicated by an incomplete document.
HR procedures
HR procedures are often treated as simple document requests, which makes people think AI is suitable.
AI doesn’t understand the legal requirement for a fair and reasonable process. It can skip crucial steps like investigations or formal meetings and create a letter that makes the dismissal look procedurally unfair.
Employers then find themselves needing legal advice to fix errors or deal with claims that could have been avoided entirely.
How your own input can skew the outcome
Something people rarely consider is how their own input affects what AI produces.
When clients describe their situation, they naturally explain it from their own perspective which is normal and what they would do to their solicitor, but AI has no way of balancing that information or recognising when it’s one sided.
So it produces documents that mirror the client’s assumptions or goals. Sometimes AI even encourages unrealistic expectations because it assumes the version of events it has been given is accurate.
Lawyers then must then spend time unpicking misunderstandings, managing expectations and correcting documents.
This adds more work and cost to the situation.
Where AI can help you
AI does have value, but only when used responsibly.
It’s useful for learning general principles and understanding processes for cases. It can help clients feel more informed before they speak to a solicitor, and it can support early planning.
But AI cannot assess risk, apply legal tests, interpret case law or understand the human elements that often influence legal decisions.
A solicitor, on the other hand, will consider the wider context and think ahead to what could go wrong which is something AI simply isn’t capable of.
Why “saving money” with AI often backfires
The biggest misconception is that AI reduces costs. In reality, relying on it without proper guidance often leads to paying more in the long run. By the time a solicitor is asked to get involved, the document may need rewriting, the process may have gone off track or misunderstandings may have escalated the situation.
What started as an attempt to save some money can quickly turn into a more complicated and stressful issue.
Final thoughts
AI can be a brilliant tool when used for learning but it’s not a replacement for legal expertise.
Legal work requires judgement and an understanding of how one detail can change an entire case. A document that looks correct isn’t always legally binding and when something affects your job or your rights, getting proper legal advice from the beginning is often the most cost effective and stress free option.