AI-Assisted Legal Research in Government Legal Departments

Authors

  • Timnah Baker Faculty of Law, Monash University (current affiliation) Author
  • Pablo José Ruiz-Tagle Vial Department of Public Law, University of Chile (current affiliation) Author

Keywords:

AI legal research, government lawyers, legal technology, public sector, professional practice

Abstract

Background: Policy attention to AI legal research has increased, yet there is limited empirical clarity on how institutional arrangements influence government lawyers and implementation quality.

Objective: The study evaluated institutional variation in approaches to AI legal research, with particular attention to accountability, administrative capacity, and government lawyers.

Methods: Survey data were collected from 734 relevant officials, professionals, service users, or regulated actors using measures of implementation quality, capacity, procedural clarity, transparency, and perceived effectiveness. Descriptive and adjusted regression analyses identified correlates of stronger implementation.

Results: Analysis of 721 complete questionnaires on AI legal research showed that 59% of respondents experienced consistent implementation, while 11% encountered substantial procedural or capacity constraints. Adjusted models linked better implementation to role clarity, staff capability, and availability of formal guidance.

Conclusion: For AI legal research, the main practical lesson is that formal requirements do not by themselves produce consistent implementation. This means that justice-sector innovation should be matched by explicit safeguards and practical routes for human review.

Study design: professional survey study.

Publication history: Originally published in print on 15 June 2023, Volume 3, Article 9. Online abstract record added on 16 September 2026. Full-text PDF will be added when the digital galley is ready.

Author Biographies

  • Timnah Baker, Faculty of Law, Monash University (current affiliation)

    Current designation: Lecturer.

    Current affiliation: Faculty of Law, Monash University, Australia.

    Current author information supplied for the 2026 digital archive.

  • Pablo José Ruiz-Tagle Vial, Department of Public Law, University of Chile (current affiliation)

    Current designation: Full Professor.

    Current affiliation: Department of Public Law, University of Chile, Chile.

    Current author information supplied for the 2026 digital archive.

Published

2023-06-15

Issue

Vol. 3 (2023)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Timnah Baker, Pablo José Ruiz-Tagle Vial

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright. Unless a different rights statement appears on an individual item, new articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC BY 4.0). Reuse, sharing and adaptation, including for commercial purposes, are permitted with appropriate attribution, a link to the licence and an indication of changes. No additional restrictions may be imposed. Third-party material and historical archive items may have different rights; consult the item-specific notice.