Richard Susskind

Professor Richard Susskind is a leading authority on AI and the future of legal services, advising globally on the impact of technology on society and justice.

Professor Richard Susskind is a globally recognised expert on the impact of artificial intelligence and technology on society, with a particular focus on the future of legal services. A technologist and lawyer by training, he has spent over four decades exploring how innovation is reshaping the way we access justice, deliver legal advice, and structure professional services.

Richard is the world’s most cited author on the future of legal services and has written eleven influential books, with his work translated into 18 languages. He has also contributed over 150 columns to The Times, where he regularly shares insight on the intersection of law, technology, and ethics.

He served as Technology Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and was President of the Society for Computers and Law from 1998 to 2003. In the 1980s, Richard completed a doctorate on AI and the law at Balliol College, Oxford – well ahead of its time – laying the foundation for his lifelong focus on the potential and pitfalls of emerging technologies.

His contributions have been widely recognised. He was appointed OBE in 2000, made an Honorary King's Counsel in 2023, and was promoted to CBE in the 2025 New Year Honours. In 2024, he was also appointed Special Envoy for Justice and AI to the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Richard is a highly respected keynote speaker whose talks are known for being accessible, thought-provoking, and deeply informed – helping audiences understand not just where technology is going, but what it means for society, governance, and the professions.