AI charter

We believe our clients are best served by keeping people at the heart of our offering while harnessing the benefits of technology. This charter sets out the principles that guide our adoption and use of artificial intelligence across the firm.

We maintain a high degree of human oversight in all AI-assisted work. All AI-generated outputs are subject to mandatory review, validation and professional judgement by qualified lawyers. In all cases, an appropriately qualified and expert lawyer remains in control of delivering and creating legal advice and documentation.

Our AI Governance Committee, comprising representatives from senior leadership, legal technology, risk and compliance, and IT, meets monthly and oversees the evaluation, approval and implementation of all AI tools. Our governance framework includes robust evaluation and approval processes, security requirements, mandatory human oversight, and criteria for managing client-specific AI usage restrictions.

Client data is only used to deliver the services agreed with the client and is never used to train AI models for general or third-party purposes. All AI tools used for client work operate under enterprise-grade contractual terms which prohibit the use of client data for model training, retention or secondary purposes beyond the delivery of legal services. All processing occurs in secure, controlled environments with technical safeguards including encryption, access controls and monitoring.

Clients retain control over their data, including the ability to specify usage requirements or opt-outs, which we implement rigorously. We maintain an accessible record of clients whose Outside Counsel Guidelines contain AI restrictions, and our partners are always open to discussing queries on our use of AI.

Before deploying any AI tool, we conduct a thorough risk assessment evaluating its suitability for legal services, including accuracy, reliability, bias, transparency, and compliance with data protection and professional obligations. Tools are only adopted once we are satisfied that they meet our high standards for security, ethical use and performance.

Our use of AI is guided by legal, regulatory and ethical standards, reflecting our professional obligations under SRA Standards and Regulations and our commitment to responsible innovation. Our strategy and governance arrangements are reassessed periodically to ensure they remain aligned with regulatory developments, technological advances, and the changing needs and expectations of clients.

We are committed to being open with clients about how AI is integrated into our services, the safeguards in place, and the limitations of the technology. Our Terms of Business state by default that we may use AI, and we proactively communicate with clients where relevant restrictions or considerations apply.

We invest in training all our lawyers to use AI effectively whilst maintaining critical oversight. Our Learning & Development programme incorporates multiple components focused on digital skills, AI education and next generation legal practice, including regular sessions on responsible and compliant AI usage, cybersecurity and prompt engineering.

We are committed to ensuring that technology use translates into tangible client value. We do not charge clients for AI processing time; only the time spent by qualified professionals reviewing, refining and applying professional judgement. Efficiency benefits generated through AI-supported workflows are incorporated into our delivery models and pricing discussions.

We manage AI’s environmental impact through responsible adoption, reliance on vendor sustainability and emissions data for our reporting obligations and Scope 3 calculations, and by using AI to streamline labour-intensive processes to support more resource-efficient delivery of legal services. Wiggin offsets its Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

This charter reflects Wiggin’s ongoing commitment to responsible, ethical and client-centred AI adoption. Our approach is reassessed regularly as technology, regulation and client expectations evolve.