Back to Articles
How Artificial Intelligence Could Help Litigants-in-Person Level the Playing Field Against Professional Lawyers

Australian Financial Review

ENRICHED

Details

Date Published
17 Aug 2026
Priority Score
2
Australian
Yes
Created
17 Aug 2026, 10:01 am

Description

Some lawyers have backed litigants using AI to run their cases after a landmark victory using the technology, but others argue the case is a rare exception.

Summary

This article examines a landmark victory in the Fair Work Commission where an academic successfully utilized AI agents to outperform senior legal counsel in a workplace tribunal. The case highlights how frontier AI capabilities are being democratized to bridge the gap between self-represented litigants and professional legal teams, challenging traditional barriers to justice. While the success demonstrates the transformative potential of AI in legal procedural efficiency, it also underscores the evolving risks of AI-generated legal arguments within the Australian justice system. The discussion contributes to the broader debate on domestic AI governance and the need for frameworks that balance judicial accessibility with the integrity of legal processes.

Body

Work & CareersWorkplaceAIPrint articleDavid Marin-Guzman and Janek DrevikovskyAug 17, 2026 – 5.14pmSenior lawyers, including a former Fair Work vice president, have backed self-represented litigants using artificial intelligence to run their cases after a landmark victory by the technology in the workplace tribunal, saying the justice system should not be there to protect lawyers.However, others in the legal profession have downplayed the win by Macquarie University computing lecturer Greg Baker, who marshalled AI agents against senior lawyers to win the first casual conversion order, by characterising him as a superstar unrepresentative of normal applicants.Loading...SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginLicense articleRead MoreAIWorkplace disputesIndustrial relationsFetching latest articles