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 set to enter a new chapter as a consortium made up of CodeBase and Legal Geek, takes over its operation from Tech Nation on 1st April 2023. The consortium was awarded £3 million funding from the Ministry of Justice after a competitive bidding process.

The LawtechUK initiative was launched in 2019, when Tech Nation, a leading scale-up network and growth platform for tech companies, was tasked with incubating LawtechUK and driving its objectives forward with an initial £2 million investment. Since its launch, LawtechUK, incubated by Tech Nation, has made significant strides in its mission to create a thriving, global-leading lawtech ecosystem, supporting over 100 lawtech startups through its world-first Lawtech Sandbox.

LawtechUK has enhanced cohesion and collaboration across the sector, including through bringing together the legal service regulators and Financial Conduct Authority into one fast forum, known as the Regulatory Response Unit, to provide assurance at pace to innovators.

It has shaped key policies and developments in the tech space, publishing over 20 cutting-edge research papers, legal statements and guidance, including the recent UK Jurisdiction Taskforce legal statement on digital securities.

LawtechUK Director at Tech Nation, Alexandra Lennox said “Since its inception, LawtechUK has solidified the UK as a global hub for lawtech, admired by many countries. The support of the sector has been critical in achieving that, 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 ushers in an exciting new chapter to build on those foundations. 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 for the benefit of 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 programme to life. Together with our delivery partners Legal Geek, who are renowned for delivering top-tier legal events, we are eager 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 charge in this endeavour.”

Beth Fellner, Director of Legal Geek: “LawtechUK has been foundational in transforming the legal technology landscape, and we are immensely proud to develop their work. Legal Geek, alongside CodeBase, is excited to scale and interconnect the UK lawtech ecosystem, driving growth for the UK.”

Mike Freer, Justice Minister: “The UK is a world leader in delivering legal services and expertise, and our ongoing investment in new technologies will make sure we are continuing 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 nurture new, cutting-edge innovation in the UK.”