Morning, Thursday, 26th February 2026
Online
This conference will examine next steps for the use of ] and for courts modernisation in England and Wales.
Policy & considerations for implementation
Bringing together stakeholders and policymakers, the agenda will examine the impact of the Government’s AI Action Plan for Justice on efficiency, accessibility, and fairness.
Sessions will assess the remit and priorities for the new Justice AI Unit in delivering changes.
Attendees will consider implications of proposals such as the AI for All campaign, citizen-facing services, and predictive models for offender management and rehabilitation, alongside the AI and Data Science Ethics Framework. We expect discussion on priorities for workforce adaptation, professional standards, and safeguards needed to maintain transparency and accountability.
Case progression, backlogs & judicial practice
Sessions examine outcomes of HMCTS’s modernisation programme and recommendations of the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, with discussion on where Spending Review investment might be best channelled to address issues such as delays, the condition of the court estate, judicial and legal workforce pressures, and the introduction of new technologies.
There will also be discussion on next steps for responsible AI deployment as HMCTS develop their AI Adoption Plan, including implications of AI transcription and digital case management for judicial decision-making alongside protecting the rights of victims and defendants.
Access to justice & workforce skills
Further planned sessions will draw on both the Justice Committee’s Access to Justice inquiry and the Online Procedure Rules Committee’s consultation on the Digital justice system: inclusion framework and pre-action model, considering the impact of increased use of technology for unrepresented litigants.
We also expect discussion on risks of digital exclusion, the effectiveness of user-centred design principles for online justice services, and support needed in training, skills, and regulation to equip the workforce for the demands of emerging technologies.
Overview of areas for discussion
- AI Action Plan:
- delivery timeline and funding dependencies - remit of the Justice AI Unit and Steering Group - implementing enterprise AI tools for staff by December 2025 - AI and Data Ethics Framework
- ethics and regulation:
- MoJ-Turing framework and LSB, SRA, BSB guidance - proportionality, transparency, and accountability in high-stakes uses - governance for data quality, bias, and auditability
- misuse safeguards:
- implications of High Court ruling on fabricated citations - competence standards, training, and supervision - traceability, audit trails, and professional liability
- workforce and skills:
- impact on probation officers, magistrates, and legal advisers - Justice AI Fellowship, Academy, and Talent Accelerator - peer champions supporting adoption and cultural change
- courts modernisation:
- lessons from HMCTS’ reform programme 2016-2025 - addressing legacy systems and interoperability gaps - Spending Review allocations - balancing efficiency savings with quality of justice
- criminal courts:
- Leveson Review Phase 1 reforms - anticipating Phase 2 on technology and AI - diversion and rehabilitation alongside rights protections - implementation and legislative requirements
- judicial practice:
- AI transcription and digital case management - implications for judicial independence and workload
- evidential standards, explainability, and human oversight - safeguarding victims’ and defendants’ rights
- access to justice:
- the Justice Committee inquiry - funding models for legal aid and early advice - impacts of technology on unrepresented litigants - service adaptation across civil, criminal, and family law
- digital inclusion:
- OPRC inclusion framework design principles - plain language, usability, and assisted digital routes
- measuring outcomes for vulnerable and digitally excluded groups - safe, accountable generative AI use
- governance:
- regulator and technology partners collaboration - sandboxing and staged pilots, SRA Innovate
- cross-department coordination and oversight arrangements - learning from international comparators where appropriate
