A surge in employment tribunal filings assisted by artificial intelligence is altering how workplace disputes are presented and is compounding delays in an already overstretched system, according to a senior south-west employment lawyer and recent industry figures. Government and tribunal statistics point to a sharp rise in open cases through 2025, and practitioners warn that AI-enabled preparation, while widening access, is lengthening resolution times and increasing pressure on judicial resources.

Improved access

Roy Magara, Solicitor Advocate and founder of Magara Law, said his practice is seeing more litigants in person arrive with claims drafted or significantly shaped by AI tools. He said: "AI is undeniably changing access to justice in the employment tribunal system." Magara added that people who would once have felt unable to pursue a claim are now more likely to bring proceedings and to challenge early decisions.

Rising backlogs, longer waits

That greater accessibility has not translated into speedier hearings. Ministry of Justice and tribunal data show average waits for a standard unfair dismissal claim have stretched beyond a year, compared with roughly 30 weeks a decade earlier, and open caseloads have climbed markedly over recent reporting periods. Industry trackers report single-claim filings jumped sharply in 2025 and the backlog rose by between 23% and 26% year-on-year in the latest counts.

Strains on resources

Tribunal judges and case officers are spending more time delimiting the real issues in disputes, practitioners say, which pushes hearings out and increases the time judges must devote to case management. Magara warned that the system’s structural weaknesses, notably under-resourcing and shortages of judicial capacity, are being exposed by the influx of claims and the changing nature of pleadings. "A process can be legally fair on paper, but if it is consistently slow, justice becomes less effective in practice," he said.

Commercial costs of delay

Delays carry real costs for both employers and employees. Employers face extended management commitments, disclosure burdens and reputational exposure, while claimants endure prolonged uncertainty, financial strain and the risk that evidence or witness availability will deteriorate over time. Legal commentators have highlighted similar concerns about longer time limits for bringing claims, noting that extending filing windows could increase filings and aggravate witness attrition unless tribunal capacity is expanded.

Over-reliance on AI

There are emerging risks around over-reliance on AI in case preparation, firms say. Magara cautioned that automated drafting can be helpful but is not a substitute for professional legal judgment and that unchecked dependence on AI may harm a claim’s prospects. He added that as AI becomes a routine feature of preparation, its outputs are likely to face more scrutiny with questions raised over accuracy, confidentiality and evidential reliability.

Legislative reforms: Will they intensify the pressure?

Pressure on the system looks set to intensify should legislative reforms proceed. Government economic analysis tied to the Employment Rights Bill estimates the proposed changes could boost tribunal activity further, with projections varying but indicating several thousand additional claims and a notable uplift in cases requiring full judicial time. Lawyers and industry groups have urged a combination of assertive case management, proportionality in pleadings and substantial investment in tribunal capacity to prevent further erosion of timely access to justice.

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