The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal proceedings and law firms in Singapore is increasingly prominent, driven by innovations in generative AI (GenAI) and supported by judicial and regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible adoption.

AI in Singapore Courts and Legal Proceedings

Singapore’s judiciary has taken a proactive stance in leveraging AI tools to improve access to justice and enhance efficiency in legal processes. Since August 2023, generative AI technology such as Harvey AI has been deployed in the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT), which handle approximately 10,000 cases annually. This AI assists litigants-in-person by providing information on case preparation, next procedural steps, and the materials required to support claims. It also offers AI-powered translation services for court documents in multiple official languages including Chinese, Malay, and Tamil, making the courts more accessible to a diverse populace.

In October 2024, the Singapore Courts issued a “Guide on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools by Court Users,” setting clear expectations for responsible AI use by lawyers and self-represented litigants. The guide allows the use of generative AI in preparing court documents but emphasizes that users must verify AI-generated content for accuracy and take full responsibility for its use, including compliance with data protection and intellectual property laws. Disclosure of AI use to the court is not mandatory unless specifically requested.

AI Use in Singapore Law Firms

Singapore law firms are embracing AI tools to streamline traditionally time-consuming legal tasks. Larger firms like Rajah & Tann and Allen & Gledhill have integrated AI platforms such as Harvey AI, Microsoft Copilot, and AI-enhanced e-discovery tools. These technologies assist with drafting legal documents, summarizing court judgments, preparing event chronologies, conducting due diligence, and extracting key issues from extensive data sets. AI also helps identify legal arguments, conduct legal research, and automate routine office tasks like meeting note-taking and action item preparation.

For example, Allen & Gledhill developed a custom generative AI platform called A&GEL, capable of summarizing lengthy documents and producing drafts quickly, thus enabling lawyers to focus more on client counselling and case strategy. This shift addresses growing client demands for faster and smarter legal services and reflects a broader industry consensus that law firms must adopt AI to stay competitive.

The Singapore Academy of Law has also released practical guidance on effective prompt engineering for generative AI use by lawyers, while the Ministry of Law is developing additional guidelines to ensure AI adoption aligns with professional ethics and manages risks such as inaccuracies, bias, and data security.

Guidance and Ethical Considerations

Singapore’s approach to AI in the legal sector balances innovation with responsibility. The Ministry of Law’s draft Guide for Using Generative AI in the Legal Sector (September 2025) sets out principles to encourage ethical, effective, and accountable AI use among legal professionals. It complements the judiciary’s guidelines and the National AI Strategy 2.0, aligning AI governance frameworks with sector-specific risks.

Lawyers are urged to verify AI outputs rigorously, maintain client confidentiality, and ensure compliance with existing laws. Although AI can significantly enhance productivity and access to justice, human oversight remains crucial to safeguard legal rigor and public trust. A lawyer was taken to task recently for submitting court papers with a fictitious case authority.

In summary, AI is reshaping legal proceedings and law firm operations in Singapore by enhancing efficiency, improving access to justice, and supporting legal professionals with powerful tools. Guided by comprehensive frameworks and ongoing regulatory development, Singapore’s legal sector is positioning itself as a global leader in responsible AI integration in law.