The chief registrar has warned Fiji’s legal profession is facing a crisis of credibility as lawyers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to draft court submissions, saying the trend has already triggered formal complaints and courtroom challenges. Tomasi Bainivalu made the comments on Friday while speaking at a panel during the BSP Life Fiji Human Resources Institute annual convention in Nadi.
Bainivalu, who oversees roughly 1,000 legal practitioners in Fiji, told the convention that judges and opposing counsel have begun to question submissions prepared with AI tools such as ChatGPT. “There are questions today in court, lawyers are coming with submissions, and they have been challenged because they use ChatGPT, AI, that’s been challenging,” he said, underlining that complaints about the practice are already being lodged with his office.
The chief registrar framed the issue as one that cuts to the heart of professional integrity. He warned that reliance on AI without proper oversight risks eroding lawyers’ credibility and could amount to professional misconduct. “So, it questions their integrity, credibility where professional misconduct comes in. I receive complaints as we speak because of AI, so it has to be used responsibly,” Bainivalu said.
Bainivalu also stressed the role of leadership in shaping institutional response to new technologies, urging those at the top to set a tone that values merit and shared humanity over demographic differences. “I think it goes back to the leader of the day. People, organisations, institutions. Open mind. All on the same subject that we are all human,” he told delegates.
While emphasising the risks, Bainivalu acknowledged that AI is not a passing fad and called for a measured approach to integration. “It’s coming to stay but how are we going to absorb this with integrity, with responsibility,” he asked, signalling the need for rules or guidance to govern how legal practitioners use AI-generated material.
The chief registrar’s remarks are the most direct public warning yet from a senior judiciary administrator in Fiji about the implications of generative AI for court practice. They add urgency to questions that regulators, the bar association and courts will increasingly have to address — from disclosure obligations and verification of legal research to the ethical boundaries of outsourcing drafting to automated systems. Bainivalu’s office, which plays a central role in overseeing professional conduct, will be watched for any follow-up guidance or disciplinary action as complaints continue to arrive.
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