How AI Could Improve Access to Justice
Artificial intelligence is beginning to change how people find legal information, prepare documents and engage with the justice system. For Donna Cooper, this creates an important opportunity to improve access to justice for people who cannot afford legal services or do not know where to seek help.
In this conversation, host Dev Singh asks Donna Cooper how the legal profession can use AI to address unmet legal needs while protecting the accuracy and integrity of the justice system. Their discussion explores the gap between people experiencing everyday legal problems and the services available to support them. It also considers the growing pressure on courts, tribunals and government agencies as more self-represented litigants use AI to prepare their own material.
The opportunity is significant, but so is the responsibility.
A conversation between Dev Singh and Donna Cooper on artificial intelligence, legal services and access to justice.
How Can AI Improve Access to Justice?
Dev Singh: How can AI support and expand access to justice, which has traditionally depended on legal aid and other established services?
Donna Cooper: The legal profession is at an inflection point. AI presents an opportunity to help address the large amount of unmet legal need in the community, provided that suitable safeguards are in place.
Many people experience legal problems involving consumer goods, insurance, personal injury, fines, government debts, housing or tenancy. However, they may be unable to afford legal services or may not understand where to go for assistance.
AI could help people identify relevant information, understand possible pathways and take the first steps towards addressing a legal issue. Consumers are already beginning to use these tools, so the question is no longer whether the shift will happen. The legal profession must now consider how AI can be adopted responsibly, with human judgement and reliable safeguards remaining central to the process.
How Widespread Are Everyday Legal Problems?
The Victoria Law Foundation’s Public Understanding of Law Survey involved approximately 6,000 face-to-face interviews across Victoria. Its first report found that 42 per cent of respondents had experienced one or more everyday legal problems. These included issues involving goods and services, housing, fines, employment, family matters, government, debt and injury.
Donna’s broader point is that legal need extends far beyond the people who appear in court or qualify for legal aid. A person may recognise that something is wrong but still lack the knowledge, confidence or financial means to respond.
This creates a substantial gap between having a legal problem and being able to resolve it. AI may help close part of that gap by making basic legal information and pathways easier to understand. However, technology cannot remove the need for trustworthy services, professional support and clear routes into the justice system.
Why Can Legal Aid Not Meet Every Legal Need?
Donna Cooper: Legal aid remains important, but its financial eligibility requirements mean that many people experiencing legal problems do not qualify for assistance.
This leaves a group of people who may earn too much to meet the means test but still cannot afford private legal representation. They may also be unsure whether their problem is legal in nature, which organisation can help or what action they should take.
Donna sees an opportunity for the legal profession to use AI to support people within this gap. Technology may make initial guidance and legal information more accessible, helping individuals understand their circumstances before deciding what to do next.
The discussion does not suggest that AI should replace lawyers or legal aid. Instead, it presents AI as one possible way to improve access, guide people towards appropriate services and reduce some of the confusion surrounding legal processes. The challenge is ensuring that any information provided is accurate, suitable and supported by proper safeguards.
What Challenges Does AI Create for Courts and Tribunals?
Donna Cooper: Courts, tribunals and government agencies are receiving growing volumes of material from self-represented litigants who are using AI to help prepare applications and documents.
This can make legal processes more accessible, but it can also create a substantial verification burden. AI-generated material may appear confident and well structured even when it contains inaccurate, irrelevant or unsupported information.
Courts and tribunals must examine what is submitted and confirm that the material is legally and factually sound. That responsibility cannot be delegated to technology because judicial institutions must make careful and reliable decisions.
As AI makes it easier to produce large quantities of written material, courts may need more resources and stronger systems to manage the volume. Donna argues that courts and tribunals must be properly funded and able to scale their operations. Without sufficient capacity, increased access at the beginning of the process could create new delays and pressures elsewhere in the justice system.
What Happens If the Legal Profession Does Nothing About AI?
Donna Cooper: The legal profession is moving beyond simply asking which tools it should adopt. The deeper question is what happens to the justice system if it embraces AI, and what happens if it does nothing.
Consumers are already changing their behaviour and using AI to navigate legal problems. Ignoring that shift will not prevent it. It could instead leave people relying on tools without adequate guidance, safeguards or professional oversight.
Responsible adoption offers a different path. The legal sector can consider how AI may help people find information, understand available options and connect with suitable services. At the same time, it must recognise the risks created by inaccurate content and rapidly increasing document volumes.
For Donna, the opportunity and the challenge are closely connected. AI could expand access to justice, but meaningful progress will depend on thoughtful implementation, properly supported institutions and a continuing commitment to accuracy.
Can AI Make Legal Services More Equal?
AI has the potential to make legal information easier to reach, particularly for people who cannot afford traditional legal services or do not know where to begin. However, access alone does not guarantee justice.
People still need clear pathways, dependable information and support that reflects the seriousness of their circumstances. Courts and tribunals also need the resources to assess AI-generated material without compromising accuracy or fairness.
The central message from Donna Cooper’s conversation with Dev Singh is that the justice system cannot afford to ignore AI. It must shape how the technology is used while protecting the human judgement and institutional trust on which justice depends.
Share Your Insights
How do you think AI should be used to improve access to justice? Where should the legal profession draw the line between automated assistance and human legal support?
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Dev Singh