The cash-strapped Ministry of Justice has found £4m to support the next phase of a joint initiative to encourage developments in legal technology, the government announced today. The investment is double that provided for the first phase of the Lawtech UK programme, which was launched in 2019 and completed in spring this year. 

Among other things, the new funding will pay for the continued running of the Lawtech Sandbox, which allows innovators to test developments safely with real data. The initiative has also coordinated work on smart legal contracts. According to an evaluation the initiative generated £2.30 - £2.60 in private sector investment for every £1 it received from the government.  

The next phase will run to 2025. Details of a competitive process to award the next stage of funding will be announced in the autumn. Announcing the new money, Lord Bellamy QC, justice minister, said: 'A thriving lawtech sector will help ensure the UK continues as a world-leading legal services centre and attracts the very best talent. This investment will support the market to develop the technology it needs to drive modernisation and deliver first-class legal services.'

LawtechUK director Alexandra Lennox said: 'Technology has the potential to transform business’ and peoples’ experience of law, meet unmet legal needs and support professionals to deliver the next generation of legal services.

'We have seen great progress towards this future since LawtechUK’s inception and this next phase of funding will build on those important foundations, helping cement the UK’s position as a global hub for technology and law.'

The government also announced that TechNation, which describes itself as 'a national network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs' will continue to run the LawtechUK programme until December 2023.

 

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