The first-ever fully artificial-intelligence (AI)-powered law firm has finally settled the long-running ‘can AI replace lawyers’ debate with a win in a case worth £7000, approximately ₹8.8 lakh, in the United Kingdom.
Garfield AI, a UK-based chatbot firm, helped a freelancer recover her unpaid debts in court against a human lawyer.
The AI law firm prepared the case for its client, hired a human barrister to advocate in court, and independently drafted four witness statements, case bundles, and all legal arguments to represent the client, according to The Print.
But the most important thing the AI firm did was defeat the defendant’s retaliatory claim and win the case against its human opponent, Barrister Dominic Li.
Li told The Guardian that while the case showed him that AI can help prepare a case at a fraction of the cost, he maintained that “advocacy that wins a contested trial is still done by a human on their feet in court”.
This case marks a historic first for AI in law. And for the legal sector, already losing sleep over automation and incoming regulations, the verdict serves as a massive wake-up call.
What was the case?
The dispute involved Tamires Camal Taquidir, who provided freelance human resources (HR) services to a hospitality business, according to media reports.
She turned to Garfield AI to draft her pre-action letters and issue proceedings in an attempt to resolve the fee issue with her employer. However, after the defendant responded with a counterclaim, the case went to trial.
The bulk of the trial’s work, from disclosure documents to witness statements and trial preparation, was handled by the AI law firm, which then instructed a human barrister, Dominic Li of One Essex Court, to present the case in court.
According to The Telegraph, Tamires relied entirely on a chatbot to draft her legal letters and build her case. The strategy paid off at Wandsworth County Court, where a three-hour trial involving seven witnesses concluded in May.
As reported by Irish Legal News, the court ruled completely in the freelancer’s favour, summarily dismissing the defendant’s counterclaim.
About Garfield AI — the AI-law firm that won
Garfield AI was co-founded by former City Litigator Philip Young and Quantum Physicist Daniel Long in 2023.
In April 2025, the UK-based platform became the first Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)-approved, AI-driven law firm in April 2025 that can handle civil claims from £30 up to £10,000.
‘First trial ever won by an AI lawyer’
In a LinkedIn post, Philip Young, CEO and co-founder of Garfield AI said it won its first trial against a firm of human solicitors who instructed Counsel.
“It wasn’t a simple small claim trial either – not a one-hour hearing followed by an ex tempore judgment, but rather a three-hour trial with numerous witnesses, extensive cross-examination and then a reserved judgment. Garfield’s user not only won her claim but defeated the defendant’s counterclaim,” he said. “This is the first trial ever won by an AI lawyer against human opposition, anywhere, ever. It’s the dawn of a new age of access to justice.”
Daniel Long, CTO and Co-Founder of Garfield AI, also posted on social media, and said, “This case shows what legal AI can do in the real world. It is not about gimmicks or replacing lawyers. It is about giving people and businesses the tools to enforce their rights when the traditional route would be too slow, too costly or too complex.”
“We are still at the beginning of this journey, but the momentum is already clear. This trial win is an important proof point: regulated AI-powered legal services can help real people recover real money through the courts,” Long added.
Garfield AI said it has now processed more than 600 claims and recovered around £500,000 for clients, with claim values ranging from £30 to £10,000.
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