New home for LawtechUk announced to build on existing success
LawtechUK, a government-backed initiative incubated by Tech Nation to support the transformation of the UK legal sector through technology, is to enter a new chapter as a consortium comprising CodeBase and Legal Geek take over operations from Tech Nation on 1 April 2023. The consortium was awarded funding of £3 million from the Ministry of Justice following a competitive tender.
The LawtechUK initiative was launched in 2019, when Tech Nation, a leading scale-up network and growth platform for technology companies, was tasked with incubating LawtechUK and driving its goals forward with an initial investment of £2 million. Since its launch, LawtechUK, incubated by Tech Nation, has made significant progress in its mission to create a thriving, globally leading lawtech ecosystem, supporting over 100 lawtech startups through its world-first Lawtech Sandbox.
LawtechUK has improved cohesion and collaboration across the sector, including by bringing together the legal services regulators and the Financial Conduct Authority in one fast-track forum, known as the Regulatory Response Unit, to give innovators certainty at pace.
It has shaped key policies and developments in the technology space, publishing over 20 ground-breaking research papers, legal opinions and guidance, including the recent UK Jurisdiction Taskforce Legal Statement on Digital Securities.
LawtechUK director of Tech Nation, Alexandra Lennox said “Since its inception, LawtechUK has cemented the UK as a global hub for lawtech, admired by many countries. The support of the sector has been essential in achieving this, as has the dynamism and dedication of the LawtechUK team past and present who have driven this work forward .
The announcement today of a new home for LawtechUK begins an exciting new chapter to build on this foundation. With a new focus on supporting the development of technology that addresses unmet legal needs, there is still work to be done to harness Lawtech’s full potential to benefit society and the economy.”
The consortium plans to continue the LawtechUK brand and build on the existing initiatives. Stephen Coleman, OBE, CEO of CodeBase: “We are over the moon to have secured the contract with the Ministry of Justice to bring the LawtechUK program to life. Together with our delivery partners Legal Geek, who are renowned for delivering world-class legal events, we are keen to push the boundaries of innovation and transformation in the legal industry. We truly believe that LawtechUK will have a significant impact on the future of the legal sector and we feel privileged to be leading the way in this endeavour.”
Beth Fellner, Director of Legal Geek: “LawtechUK has been fundamental in transforming the legal tech landscape and we are incredibly proud to develop their work. Legal Geek, together with CodeBase, are excited to scale and connect the UK legal tech ecosystem, driving growth for the UK.”
Mike Freer, Attorney General: “The UK is a world leader in delivering legal services and expertise and our ongoing investment in new technologies will ensure we continue to lead the way in advances and new ways of working. CodeBase and Legal Geek bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of LawtechUK that will drive new, cutting-edge innovation in the UK.”
