AI in the Library

Sally Mclaren, Reader Services Librarian

Generations of law students will be familiar with a tiny pocket-sized volume entitled Learning the Law by Glanville Williams. His guidance on research remains uncompromising:

“All your direct quotations must be verbatim; all your citations must follow accepted forms; all your statutes must be checked to make sure that they have not been amended or repealed; and if there be any doubt, the cases you cite as authorities must be checked to make sure they have not been reversed, overruled or questioned.”

This advice is fundamental. The rapid development of AI and its use as a research tool does not change this; if anything, it makes it all the more salient.

Artificial intelligence introduces many efficiencies, but also distinct risks. For many barristers, the question is no longer whether to use AI, but how to do so without compromising professional standards. General-purpose AI tools often produce fluent and persuasive summaries, but fluency should not be mistaken for reliability. These systems are not built on authoritative legal datasets; they may omit key authorities, oversimplify complex issues, or generate incorrect citations.

Platforms such as LexisNexis Protégé and Westlaw Advantage are designed around established legal databases. Their outputs are linked to identifiable and authoritative sources (including cases, legislation, and commentary) allowing researchers to verify and interrogate material more efficiently. With general AI tools, every output must be verified. With legal-specific AI tools, that burden remains but begins with a more reliable foundation. Used carefully, AI can complement established research methods, although the essential work of reading, analysing and applying the law remains a human responsibility.

Lexis+ Protégé

We are pleased to say that the Library has recently subscribed to LexisNexis Protégé and it is now available for use onsite. We have scheduled training sessions in July and October for users who would like a tour of how to use Protégé.

For more information see innertemplelibrary.org.uk