Australian subscription law firm opens to UK

An Australian firm operating on a fixed cost membership model for business clients has opened operations in the UK.

LegalVision began trading from its Manchester office last week claiming to be an industry-first provider offering access to unlimited, on-demand legal services.

The firm has a team of around 20 in the UK but aims to quadruple that in the first year, to mirror similar growth back home.

Lachlan McKnight, who co-founded the business in Sydney in 2012, said the subscription-based service gives clients regular access to a team of specialist lawyers whilst guaranteeing costs for business owner clients.

The member platform allows consumers to book consultation, request legal assistance and download documents and templates. Services include commercial contracts, intellectual property, employment, business sales, data and privacy law, franchising and leasing.

McKnight said the business has grown 40% year-on-year and was ripe for exporting to this country. ‘The British market is three times larger than Australia and there are very few tech-driven, client-centric legal service providers,’ he said. ‘Being the only firm operating on a membership model, we can provide an exclusive and valuable service to companies.’

He said that growth existing markets has exceeded expectations 'and with the way the world has changed post-Covid, we feel this is the perfect time to launch in the UK’.

McKnight was previously a banking and finance lawyer at Norton Rose and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and an investment banker at Barclays Capital.

Subscription costs range from £49 to £329 a week, depending on the size of business and the length of contract. The firm’s website compares the price with some traditional firms charging more than £500 an hour for a consultation

LegalVision’s Manchester office is in the Express Building on Great Ancoats Street, with a London office available by appointment. It also has offices in Sydney and Auckland.