Navigating the rise of Artificial Intelligence in the Irish legal sector: Risks, Rewards andRegulations

Abstract:

The rise of Artificial intelligence is clear not only in our daily lives but across various industries and the legal sector in Ireland is not an exception. This article debunks the stories and myths on Ai in the workplace of Irish law and solely focuses on the true risk’s rewards and regulations of Ai, hearing key insights from top law firms such as William Fry LLP, Mason Curran & Hayes and recent policy developments. Ai has proven many great promises of increased efficiency in research, enhances decision making and is always available 24/7 however Ai still poses great risk of data breaches, ethical and legal concerns and regulatory and compliance issues and more. This article dives into how top Irish law firms, and the Irish legal sector have navigated the climbing rise AI in our world.

Introduction:

This article delves into how Ireland specifically the legal sector has tried to navigate a world where AI and technology are becoming more popular and useful in our everyday lives by using research from articles, case law and first-hand discussions from top law firms in Ireland such as Mason Curran & Hayes. I’ve presented many strategies Ireland has implemented to regulate the use of AI by bringing in Policies such as the EU AI act 2024, education and upskill training to make sure Ai is used ethically and has guidelines to protect the people against risks such as inaccuracy, breaches of data and discrimination where Ai is misused and not used with precaution. Misuse of AI has been seen in recent case law in Ireland and is a rising problem with legal proceedings and judiciary usually leading to dismissal of cases etc however as Ai is becoming much more popular in the recent years there are many recent developments in the risks, rewards and regulations of AI.

Research Methodology:

This article was built on a hybrid methodology gaining insights from doctrinal legal research examining previous case law and recent policy developments. Analysed the findings of surveys such as those conducted by the Irish Tech General Counsel (ITGC).  Knowledge was also gained by articles and Secondary Reports shared by professionals at William Fry LLP and Mason Hayes & Curran LLP, as well as published firm papers and public consultations.

Main body:

Legal Framework

The EU AI act was signed into law in august 2024 it established a clear framework for developing and using AI systems across the EU taking a risk-based approach to promote responsible AI practices while protecting the rights of citizens making sure that the users of AI meet transparency and accountability requirements. This stance reflects how Ireland as a nation has taken a great strategy that is aimed at fostering innovation while still protecting the rights of citizens. When it comes to using AI there are a lot of risks asides from inaccuracy a key one being breach of data when it comes to Ai tools handling sensitive data. The key legislations and regulatory frameworks used to protect against their risks are the General data protection regulation and the Data sharing and governance act 2019 that ensures secure data sharing across public bodies while guaranteeing that governance is still upheld.

Judicial interpretation

Irish courts have had to face issues whether as a direct or indirect result of Ai. A direct consequence of ai is demonstrated in the US case of Kruse v Karlen[i]  692 SW3d (Mo Ct App 2004) where the appeal was dismissed due to a lot of “fatal briefing deficiencies” as 22 false citations as obtained by GenAi and had to pay $10,000 in fines to protect the integrity of the judicial process. In the Irish case of Reddan v An Bord Pleanála[1] 2025] IEHC 172 the Plaintiff was representing himself in the legal proceedings and they had mentioned a certain legal phrase that the judge said “was not familiar in Irish jurisprudence” suggesting he had gained that knowledge elsewhere and it may be Scottish or American law and the applicant came across it while doing online research and the Judge had commented “this sounds like something that derived from an artificial intelligence source.it has all the hallmarks of ChatGPT or some similar AI tool” The court decided that there was misrepresentation and lack of supporting evidence this is a prime example of how AI effects legal proceedings in Ireland and one of the risks that come with the use of AI is often false information that maybe isn’t relevant to your research. A similar situation happened in the case of Coulston & Others v Elliott & Elliott [2024] IEHC 697 where the defendants were also representing themselves when making a submission to the court however the defendant could not explain the submission as it was claimed that a friend had prepared the submissions the judge had considered “if they had used GenAI , they have been fooled” and the judge warned the general public that the should be “ warned against the use of generative AI devices and programs in matters of law” as it can have flawed information if not thoroughly checked for accuracy and credibility however it is recognised that AI can be an useful tool for formulaic work but precaution needs to be taken when it comes to applying legal principles and referencing cases.

Critical Analysis

In the top law firm Mason Hayes  & Curran Gearoid Carey a partner in dispute resolution discusses how the more accessible AI is becoming  the misuse in litigation is beginning to draw judicial scrutiny in instances where Ai tools generate false or misleading citations and references and how there is no objection is using Ai as a support tool for tasks like document review  but in legal proceedings it must be verified and credited and he also stresses the fact that practitioners  must  understand the limits of AI protect client confidentiality  and ensure the court is never misled  and as the Irish case law develops great accountability is to be held where these standards are not met And the leading law firm William fry talks about the increasingly common use of AI across a range of HR and workforce management functions including but not limited to recruitment , assessment of applications , monitoring employee performance and task allocations . This firm acknowledges the efficiency AI has in creating job advertisements, scheduling interviews etc they also carry potential legal risks if precaution and sole reliability isn’t used when using AI as a support tools it is highlighted that AI algorithms often replicate bias that can lead to discriminatory outcomes which breaches the  employment equality act 1998 that protects certain characteristics such as age , gender or disability and the compensation for discrimination in Ireland can be up to two years remuneration or up to €13,000 for non-employees and the steps William fry has taken to avoid infringing on  the risks of AI is making sure to include human oversight in all AI system developments through regular monitoring, providing comprehensive training for staff who interact with AI tools, continuously monitoring Ai performance and developing an ethical AI policy which sets out key guidelines governing the responsible and ethical use of AI systems

Recent developments

The legal professional in Ireland is often  viewed as slow to adapt to technological change however a survey by ITGC (Irish Tech General Counsel) has revealed that 60% of in-house lawyers based in Ireland are using AI to power in-house legal work, with over 50% of the companies they work at having an established cross-functional team in place dedicated to AI governance. This statistic shows just how popular AI has been for the Irish legal sector and is being integrated into everyday life. The refresh of Irelands national ai strategy in 2024 takes account of the significant developments in ai technology and regulation since the original strategy was published in 2021 showing the great rise of the use and dependence of AI and how Ireland is trying to navigate and adapt to this new world where AI and humans can be codependent and live hand in hand both ethically to make use of  the  wide range of  benefits of ai by unlocking productivity, addressing societal challenges and for delivering public services and most importantly for people through a people centred  ethical approach to ai development adoption and use. Ireland is ensuring that they are playing an important leadership role in implementing effective use of the EU AI act, a national AI office will be established in august 2026 to serve as Irelands central coordination authority fort AI act implementation this office represent Ireland commitment to maintaining regulatory coherence while fostering innovation as they recognise that effective AI governance requires specific coordinated implementation.

Suggestions / Way forward

I believe Ireland has adapted well to the recent rise of technology and AI in industries such as the legal sector trying to  navigate their way in a life where AI isn’t really a future problem anymore but more of a reality we must face setting in and they have taken many strategic actions to make sure they get the most use out of AI while keeping safe practices for everyone some of the ways Ireland has showcased their adaptation to AI is by developing nation campaigns to raise awareness among SME’s about the benefits of AI adoption and supports available and creating safe spaces where civil and public servants are encouraged to experiment with AI tools and expanding the ranges of digital upskilling and reskilling initiatives including those available via Skillnet Ireland and Springeboard which is a great way of promoting the right use of ai. I believe Ireland should make sure to emphasise the ethical guidelines in the use of AI in legal practices and other areas and making sure there is constant training and education on the dangers and risks AI poses if used incorrectly and maintain transparency and openly communicate with clients about the use of AI and making taking every step possible to minimise the risks such as data breaches. I truly believe Ireland is Stepping into a whole new world that must be handled with precaution and care and take necessary disciplinary actions if breached to reiterate just how important the AI misuse is bad.

Conclusion

To conclude everything this article has discussed including the benefits AI provides in the Irish legal workforce. we have heard from top law firms William fry and Mason hayes & curran about the efficiency ai has given their workforce however we also discovered the risks it poses such as data breaches, discrimination and inaccuracy and the regulations they have taken to minimise those risks and regulate AI usage by putting in ethical AI guidelines and providing training and upskilling for those who use AI. This article discussed how Ireland as a nation has tried to regulate the use of AI and demonstrated examples of times in legal proceedings where AI use was disruptive. As artificial intellgeince and technology gains more popularity there is always constant developments concerning the matter and Ireland is navigating a world where AI and the workforce can live codependently in an ethical manner.

References/ Bibliography

• William fry “irish in-house lawyers balance AI opportunities with regulatory challenges” (26 september 2024) <https://www.williamfry.com/knowledge/irish-in-house-lawyers-balance-ai-opportunities-with-regulatory-challenges/ > accessed 21 september 2025
• Gearoid Carey “ beware of use of AI in legal proceedings” (24 June 2025) <https://www.mhc.ie/latest/insights/beware-of-use-of-ai-in-legal-proceedings> accessed 23 september 2025
• law society of ireland “ai and the law” (5 march 2024) <https://www.lawsociety.ie/news/news/Stories/ai-and-the-law > accesed 21 september 2025
• Gazette, “EU’s new Ai office “milestone” in regulation” (gazette 23 February 2024) <https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2024/february/eus-new-ai-office-milestone-in-regulation/ > accessed 22 September 2025
• Brian O hOisin “implications of the EU AI act for Irish businesses” <https://www.businessnews.ie/the-power-of-data/implications-of-the-eu-ai-act-for-irish-businesses/ > accessed 22 September 2025
• Irish legal news “ legal regulation conference tackles challenges of AI” (26 October 2023) < https://www.irishlegal.com/articles/legal-regulation-conference-tackles-challenge-of-ai> accessed 22 September 2025
• Jack power “the ai shake-up of the legal profession: “do you want a computer to defend you?” (4 November 2023) <https://www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/2023/11/04/the-ai-shake-up-of-the-legal-profession-do-you-want-a-computer-to-defend-you?> accessed 23 September 2025
• Arthur cox “governing Ai powering innovation video series” (28 July 2025) < https://www.arthurcox.com/knowledge/governing-ai-powering-innovation-video-series/ > accessed 23 September 2025
• of Reddan v An Bord Pleanála 2025] IEHC 172
• Coulston & Others v Elliott & Elliott [2024] IEHC 697
• Kruse v Karlen692 SW3d (Mo Ct App 2004)
• The Eu AI act
• Department of enterprise, tourism and employment, national ai strategy refesh 2024 (6 november 2024)  accessed 20 september 2025
• The law society technology committee, “navigating the EU AI act: ensuring AI literacy in legal practices” ( law society of Ireland 10^th December 2024) <https://www.lawsociety.ie/news/news/Stories/navigating-the-eu-ai-act-ensuring-ai-literacy-in-legal-practices/ >