AI will change how we work; the law must be ready - Justice Vikram Nath
Speaking at the AK Sen Memorial Lecture in New Delhi, Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath set a clear expectation for the legal profession: prepare for artificial intelligence and new technologies without letting go of fairness, clarity, and compassion.
His message was simple and demanding. Technology will test the legal system. Our response must keep faith with first principles and daily discipline.
What AI asks of the legal system
Justice Nath framed the next decade of legal work around concrete questions. Data protection and dignity. Responsible speech on digital platforms. Markets that reward enterprise without losing fairness. Environmental choices that balance growth with duty to the planet. And above all, AI that changes how people work and live.
- Data and dignity: client data, citizen privacy, and proportional state access will define new lines of argument and enforcement.
- Speech online: moderation, misinformation, and liability will demand standards that protect both freedom and accountability.
- Markets and fairness: competition, pricing power, and algorithmic collusion will call for sharper antitrust analysis.
- Environment: tech scale meets energy use and externalities; compliance and disclosure will mature fast.
- AI in practice: evidence, explainability, and due process must keep pace with automated decision-making.
He reminded the audience that the law is more than text. "The law is a set of rules, yes, but it is also a way of treating people. It is a promise that power will answer to reason, and that reason will remain open to evidence."
If you want a compass for drafting, argument, or judgment-writing in these areas, that's it.
Habits that make good lawyers
Justice Nath spoke directly to young lawyers and students. Success is built on small acts done consistently, not big moments. Your reputation compounds through behavior your colleagues can predict.
- Read the papers carefully. Then read them again with the issue framed in one sentence.
- Be on time. Respect the court's clock and your client's risk.
- Treat everyone in the courtroom with respect - from the Bench to court staff to juniors.
- Keep your language straight. Write and speak so ordinary people can follow your point.
- When you lose, learn why. When you win, thank the people who helped you.
- Find mentors who will correct you - and listen when they do.
"These small habits, repeated over years, become character. And character is what persuades courts and clients to trust you with difficult work."
What the Bench owes the public
Justice Nath's standard for judging is clear: clarity and restraint are forms of respect. Hear every concern, but don't let debate become delay. Give reasons that stand on their own.
- Write reasons that a layperson can read and follow.
- Keep a steady tone - firmness without harshness.
- Address disagreement without raising the temperature.
- Move matters forward; speed should not leave fairness behind.
"The Constitution speaks to everyone, our judgments should do the same." That is both instruction and test for any court.
A readiness checklist for legal teams working with AI
Justice Nath's principles translate into practical steps for chambers, firms, and legal departments. Here is a concise checklist to start now:
- Adopt an AI-use policy: define acceptable tools, prohibited inputs (especially confidential or client-identifiable data), and review protocols.
- Require source disclosure: if AI assists drafting or research, note it internally and verify every citation, quote, and factual assertion.
- Set confidentiality rules: use enterprise accounts, disable data retention where possible, and strip sensitive details before prompts.
- Create audit trails: log prompts, versions, and human approvals for any AI-assisted work product.
- Bias and fairness reviews: build a simple rubric to test outputs that affect rights, employment, pricing, or access to services.
- Client consent and instructions: where AI may materially influence analysis, get informed consent or set clear limits in engagement letters.
- Contract playbooks: update IP, training data, indemnity, and compliance clauses for AI vendors and data processors.
- Discovery and evidence: define rules for model provenance, expert testimony on algorithms, and admissibility standards.
- Data protection compliance: map data flows and align with statutory duties under current privacy law.
- Incident response: plan for prompt correction, notice, and remediation if AI contributes to error or breach.
- Training plan: implement recurring briefings on AI risks, verification discipline, and courtroom ethics.
- Governance: name an AI point person or committee to update policies as the tech and case law develop.
For foundational texts, see the Constitution of India and the government's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Why this matters
AI will challenge evidence rules, discovery scope, due process, and competition norms. It will also change legal work itself - research, drafting, review - in ways that tempt shortcuts.
Justice Nath's answer is discipline: clear reasons, careful reading, punctuality, respect, and steady tone. Those habits keep the law human even as the tools change.
Further learning
If your team is building an upskilling plan for AI in legal workflows, explore AI courses by job for structured options.
The takeaway
Technology will test the legal system. If we hold on to steady habits - fairness, clarity, discipline - the path will be clearer. That is how the law serves people, and how trust in institutions grows, case by case.
Your membership also unlocks:
