Artificial intelligence has become one of the defining topics of our time, transforming industries and reshaping how businesses operate. As your trusted legal advisors, we want to share how McCarthy Durie Lawyers is navigating this evolving landscape — with your interests, and the security of your information, at the forefront of every decision we make.
Our Starting Point: Security First
When AI tools like ChatGPT first emerged, we immediately recognised both their potential and their risks. While the promise of improved efficiency was clear, our primary concern was the security of your information and the possibility of uncontrolled usage that could compromise confidentiality or quality.
Our initial position was unequivocal: AI was not to be used in the production of legal work until we could implement it safely. We conducted comprehensive internal training to ensure our team understood both the limitations and the risks associated with these emerging technologies.
A Considered Path Forward
Rather than resisting technological change, we committed to finding secure, controlled ways to adopt AI that would genuinely benefit our clients. We knew that AI would become part of the modern legal landscape — our responsibility was to ensure we implemented it the right way.
Our early steps focused on highly secure, embedded tools within our existing systems. For example, we deployed a protected AI assistant within our document management system, capable of safely querying documents and assisting with drafting tasks — all without exposing your information to external systems.
Where We Are Today
As client expectations have evolved, so has our investment in secure AI infrastructure. We now maintain a dedicated AI platform specifically designed with your security in mind:
- No training on your data — Client information is never used to train AI models
- Australian-based security — All data remains stored securely on Australian servers
- Complete isolation — Information is protected within our controlled environment and never shared externally
Through this platform, our lawyers can leverage AI-powered tools for document analysis, drafting support, and document summaries — all within a secure ecosystem that meets our exacting standards.
Innovation in Progress
We're also developing and testing specialist AI tools in-house, including applications for document comparison, data extraction, information compilation, and compliance monitoring. These remain in careful trial phases and won't be deployed more broadly until we're fully satisfied with their accuracy, reliability, and security.
The Human Element Remains Central
Throughout our AI journey, one principle has remained constant: human expertise is irreplaceable. AI does not replace the legal skill, judgment, and oversight of our practitioners. Instead, it serves as a supplementary tool — one that enhances our processes while ensuring quality and client outcomes remain paramount.
Every AI-assisted task is supervised by experienced legal professionals who apply their expertise, contextual understanding, and professional judgment to ensure the highest standards of work.
Our Commitment to You
As we continue to explore the opportunities AI presents, our commitment remains unchanged:
- Safeguarding your information above all else
- Protecting the integrity and quality of our legal work
- Adopting technology only where it meaningfully improves the service we deliver
You can be confident that any AI-assisted processes at McCarthy Durie Lawyers are implemented responsibly, securely, and with a clear focus on delivering better outcomes for you.
We're on this journey thoughtfully and deliberately — because your trust, and the security of your information, are paramount.