Our Team

The Doughty Street Chambers AI Team is led by Associate Tenant Kay Firth-Butterfield, an internationally recognised expert in AI governance and ethics, and Graham Denholm, a civil and public law barrister with expertise in emerging technologies.

We provide advice and representation on AI-related issues across all our areas of expertise. Our team comprises specialists from across chambers’ practice areas who bring unique insights to the intersection of artificial intelligence and law. With our collaborative approach, we provide comprehensive legal support in this rapidly evolving field, combining strong technical understanding with Doughty Street's longstanding commitment to human rights and civil liberties. 

Media & Information Law

  • Deepfakes and synthetic media harms litigation
  • AI content moderation and free expression
  • Liability issues arising from AI-produced outputs
  • Data protection issues in AI regulation

Public Law (including housing, immigration, community care, education)

  • Regulatory frameworks for AI governance
  • Human rights impact of government AI deployment
  • Transparency and accountability in public sector AI
  • Judicial review of automated decision-making systems
  • Data protection and discrimination in public services

Criminal Law

  • Facial recognition and surveillance technologies
  • Algorithmic risk assessment tools in sentencing and bail decisions
  • Data privacy and procedural fairness in criminal proceedings
  • Digital evidence and AI-assisted investigations

Employment Law

  • AI-driven hiring, promotion and termination decisions
  • Algorithmic worker monitoring and performance assessment
  • Data protection and privacy for employees
  • Challenging discriminatory AI systems in recruitment
  • Policy development for fair and ethical AI use

Civil Actions Against Public Authorities; Inquests and Inquiries

  • Tort claims arising from the deployment of automated systems
  • Damages for privacy breaches through automated data processing
  • Compensation for harmful decisions made by automated systems
  • Damages for improper use of facial recognition and surveillance technologies
  • Accountability for algorithmic systems that fail to meet public law standards
  • Acting in inquests where AI systems have had a role in the death

Negligence, Personal Injury & Product Liability

  • Liability frameworks for harm caused by AI-assisted clinical decisions
  • Negligence in the deployment or non-deployment of AI
  • Product liability claims against manufacturers of defective AI systems
  • Compensation claims for injuries resulting from autonomous vehicle accidents
  • Group litigation for systemic failures in AI safety systems
  • Addressing novel duty of care issues in the context of AI 

Services We Offer

In addition to legal advice and representation, we can provide proactive consultation and guidance on responsible AI implementation, addressing human rights issues, compliance, risk management, and strategic decision-making.