AI law firm helps free lancer win small debt claim at trial

Garfield AI (Garfield), the world’s first AI-powered law firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, has helped a freelancer win a small debt claim at trial. This marks the first court trial won with the support of a regulated AI lawyer anywhere in the world.  The win is a landmark moment for legal AI and access to justice globally.

The case concerned unpaid fees owed to Tamires Camal Taquidir, a freelancer who had provided HR-related services to a hospitality business. 

Following attempts to resolve the dispute without court action, the claimant used Garfield AI to help pursue the fees owed. She used Garfield to generate the pre-action correspondence and then to prepare and issue Court proceedings.

The defendant instructed solicitors and brought a counterclaim, which the claimant disputed with the benefit of Garfield AI. With the support of Garfield, the claimant continued to trial, including dealing with document production, the preparation of four witness statements and the preparation of the trial bundles. Garfield then instructed Dominic Li, a junior barrister, shortly before the trial began.

Following a three-hour trial at Wandsworth County Court on Thursday, 14 May 2026, in which both sides were represented by barristers, the court found in favour of the claimant, awarding £7,000 and dismissing the counterclaim. 

Tamires Camal Taquidir, the successful claimant, suad “I was owed money for work I had done, but it felt like the process of recovering it could be too stressful, expensive and time-consuming. Garfield made it possible for me to pursue the claim and keep going. When the counterclaim was brought, it was intended to intimidate me, but I knew I had accessible, cost effective, and competent support. I’m delighted by the result.”

Dominic Li, barrister for the claimant, said “This was a hard-fought small claim that turned on the existence and terms of an oral agreement. Garfield AI’s preparation helped ensure the case was presented clearly and efficiently, while the advocacy at trial remained essential and a fundamentally human exercise.”

Philip Young, CEO and Co-Founder of Garfield AI, said “This is a landmark moment, not just for Garfield AI, but for access to justice. For too long, businesses have been forced to write off debts because the cost, time and stress of litigation made pursuing them uneconomic.

“Here, a freelancer who had done the work and not been paid was able to take her case all the way to trial, resist a counterclaim, and win. That is exactly why Garfield exists.

“AI did not replace the judge, the barrister or the legal system. What it did was make the process more accessible, more efficient and more affordable, so that a meritorious claimant could get to the point where her case could be heard and justice could be done.”

Daniel Long, CTO and Co-Founder of Garfield AI, added “This case shows what legal AI can do in the real world. It is not about gimmicks or replacing lawyers. It is about giving people and businesses the tools to enforce their rights when the traditional route would be too slow, too costly or too complex.

“We are still at the beginning of this journey, but the momentum is already clear.  This trial win is an important proof point: regulated AI-powered legal services can help real people recover real money through the courts.”