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ARTICLE · 23 SEPTEMBER 2026

Ayinde v Haringey: AI Cannot Hold A Practising Certificate, Face A Regulator Or Answer A Contempt Allegation

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The Divisional Court's decision in R (Ayinde) v London Borough of Haringey establishes that lawyers remain fully accountable for AI-generated legal work, with failures potentially exposing deficiencies in competence, supervision and governance. This landmark judgment clarifies that while AI can enhance efficiency, it functions like an unsupervised paralegal requiring rigorous verification, and regulators will increasingly scrutinize firm-wide training, oversight systems and managerial accountability when AI

United KingdomTechnology
Evan Wright
Evan Wright

In summary

AI can support litigation, but lawyers are responsible for accuracy and professional judgement. For the SRA, an AI error may expose failures of competence, supervision and governance. Managers, COLPs and supervisors must be able to evidence approved training, tools and oversight to verify information.

Properly deployed, AI has the potential to improve efficiency and enhance client service. However, the Divisional Court’s decision in R (Ayinde) v London Borough of Haringey; Al-Haroun v Qatar National Bank QPSC [2025] EWHC 1383 (Admin) is a strong reminder that technological innovation does not change a lawyer’s fundamental professional obligations.

For solicitors, law firms and managers, this is not just another case about fabricated authorities. It is a significant decision about governance and accountability. It is likely to become an important point of reference when regulators examine misconduct arising from the misuse of AI.

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