Organisations ready to test lawtech ideas or products have been invited to test their innovations in the government-backed Lawtech Sandbox. The sandbox, one of the first projects to emerge from the LawtechUK initiative announced last May, begins its pilot phase next month. It aims to provide a safe environment in which innovations can be tested with real data but without needing regulatory permission. 

According to TechUK, 'a small, first cohort of organisations' will have access to the sandbox from next month until March 2021. 'The pilot will evaluate the benefit to lawtech innovators of accessing industry-led, government-backed support in this way.'

Participation is free. Organisations have until 12 on Monday 16 November to apply. 

Jenifer Swallow, LawtechUK director at industry body Tech Nation, said: 'Our purpose is to help transform the legal sector through technology. It is to this end that we have built the Lawtech Sandbox in pilot, and are now delighted to call lawtech pioneers to apply - to work with us and the community as part of the Lawtech Sandbox, in very practical ways, to learn all we can and benefit the businesses and wider society for whom legal services are so fundamental.'

The Lawtech Sandbox is one of four initial programmes announced by LawtechUK to help the legal sector harness technologies that improve or replace traditional methods of delivering legal and court services. It draws on the £2 million announced by the Ministry of Justice in 2019. It is inspired by the Financial Conduct Authority's Regulatory Sandbox, set up in 2016 and widely credited with playing a key role in the growth of the fintech sector.