How to use AI without annoying your Judge (or your solicitor); AI is a good assistant but a terrible lawyer!

It is a common sight in my practice: AI being used as a shortcut to "sound legal," usually with messy results. However, that is not to say AI doesn’t have value. It absolutely does. The trick isn't in avoiding it; it’s in knowing when to let it lead and when to keep your hands firmly on the wheel. In the world of employment law, AI can be a powerful assistant, but it is a terrible master. Here is how to use AI responsibly when preparing for your case.

1. Remember: AI is Not a Lawyer (And Neither are You)

The biggest mistake people make is asking AI to "write a legal argument."

The problem? AI is a "large language model," not a "large logic model." It is designed to sound convincing, not necessarily to be accurate. Since you aren't a lawyer, you won't be able to spot when the AI has made up a law or cited a case that doesn't exist.

The Golden Rule:

• Don't use AI for "fancy words tennis" or legal theory.

• Do use AI to organize your factual package.

The Employment Tribunal doesn't actually need a "legally framed" argument. The Judge’s job is to work out the law. Your job is to tell them exactly what happened, clearly, concisely, and in chronological order. AI is brilliant at taking a messy brain dump and turning it into a structured timeline.

2. Context is King: How to Prompt

Before you start feeding information into the tool, you need to set the stage. The more detailed your prompt, the better the result. Don't just say "write my story." Tell the AI exactly who you are.

Your prompt should include:

• Your Role: "I am the Claimant in an Employment Tribunal case."

• The Status: "I am still employed" OR "I resigned" OR "I was dismissed."

• The Claim: "This is a claim for [Unfair Dismissal / Disability Discrimination / Whistleblowing]."

• The Task: "I want you to create a detailed factual chronology that is concise, understandable, and accessible."

  
  

3. The "Brain Dump" Phase

Once the AI knows the context, give it the raw data. You don’t need to be professional or "fancy" here. Write in whatever format comes naturally to you.

Pro Tip: Talk, Don't Type You don't have to spend hours at a keyboard. Every smartphone and most AI tools have a microphone or talk-to-text function. You can simply "talk at" the AI. Tell it your story as if you’re explaining it to a friend, and let the AI do the heavy lifting of putting those thoughts into a logical order.

4. Get the AI to Check Its Own Work

This is the step most people miss. Once the AI has produced a draft, don't just copy and paste it. Ask it to find the holes in your story.

Try asking these questions:

"Based on this claim, are there any important details I’ve missed out?" "What information would be helpful for a Judge to know that isn't here yet?"

The AI might point out that you haven't mentioned a specific date or a key meeting. You can then provide that missing info and say: "Please redraft the document including facts X, Y, and Z."

5. Choose Your Tools Wisely

There are dozens of AI tools on the market, but for legal drafting and organizing thoughts, I have personally had the most success with:

• Microsoft 365 Copilot: Excellent if you are already working within Word.

• Gemini: Great for processing large amounts of information and providing clear, structured outputs.

The Bottom Line

Use AI to help you be clear, not to help you be clever. A Judge will appreciate a simple, honest, and well-ordered list of facts far more than a "pseudo-legal" document that sounds like it was written by a robot.