LawtechUK Panel Meeting
Date: 18/09/2023
Time: 16.00-17.30
Location: 102 Petty France / via MS Teams
Attendees:
Christina Blacklaws (CB) – Chair
Jimmy Vestbirk (JV), Founder, Legal Geek
Beth Fellner (BF), Director, Legal Geek
Rachel Tocknell (RT), Head of Legal Services Innovation, MoJ
Michael Padfield (MF), Deputy Private Secretary to the Master of the Rolls
Daniel Simpson (DS), Senior Policy Advisor, MoJ UK Legal Services
Jon Hope (JH), SVP Ecosystems, CodeBase
John Heavens (JHe), Deputy Director, Legal Services Policy, MoJ
Katie Atkinson (KA), Dean of Electrical Engineering, Electronics, and Computer Science, University of Liverpool
Professor Richard Susskind (RS), President, Society for Computers and Law
Chris Grant (CG), Head of Legal Market Engagement, HSBC
Isabel Parker (IP), Partner at Deloitte Legal
Stephen Browning (SB), Challenge Director for Next Generation Services at UK Research and Innovation
Brian Liu (BL), CEO, Overture Law
Sophia Adams Bhatti (SAB) – Head of Purpose and Impact, Simmons and Simmons
Michel Nkansah (MN) – Mentor Co-Ordinator, CodeBase
Maya Markovich (MM), Founder of the Justice Technology Association
Apologies:
Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls
Martin Boyle, VP Transformation, CodeBase
Mimi Zou (MZ), Founder of Deriskly and Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Exeter
Chair introduction and update
- CB welcomed the panel members to the meeting and asked for any declarations of interest.
Executive Summary of Workstreams - JH provided the panel with an update on the Education workstream. The first component of this workstream is the Lawtech Fundamentals programme which has released two modules so far, with the final three modules to be released by the end of the year. JH confirmed there have been 90 sign ups so far for the programme and asked the panel to promote these in communications across the ecosystem to drive further engagement. JH confirmed CodeBase are aiming for 250 sign ups by the end of the first year of phase II.
- The second component of the workstream is the Lawtech Builder Programme, which is now live. CG was a speaker at a previous session and provided the panel with an update noting that the session was very positive with a lot of engagement from participants.
- The third component of the programme is the Lawtech Scaler Programme, which is still in development with plans to launch in the new year.
- The final component is the Mentoring Programme. JH confirmed they have 25 startups engaged with the programme and matched with mentors already. JH thanked panel members for contributing as mentors in the programme, and encouraged the panel to consider if they have the time to support with mentoring for those applicants that have registered and not yet been matched with a mentor. MN confirmed that the time commitment for mentors on this programme is 4 hours, across 8 weeks.
- JH gave an update on the Lawtech Bridge Programme, which brings together startups alongside industry incumbents. The programme launches in October, with great engagement so far from startups, however, the programme is still trying to recruit the required number of incumbents. JH asked panel to help promote the opportunity to established providers and panel members discussed how best to do this.
- ACTION: Panel members to consider and identify incumbents to join in the Lawtech Bridge Programme.
- BF provided the panel with a brief update on the UKJT work, noting that the first Generative AI event will be held on the 10th October, hosted by Clifford Chance. BF also thanked panel members for their involvement in upcoming LawtechUK events.
- JV and BF also provided an update on the website refresh,. BF asked the panel to consider their involvement in providing quotes for press releases, which can be provided on the post meeting feedback form.
- ACTION: Panel members to state whether they are happy to provide quotes for LawtechUK press releases in the panel meeting feedback form.
Access to Legal Services Discussion - A key objective of LawtechUK is to support the development of technology which will increase access to legal services and aim to reduce unmet legal need. CB facilitated a discussion about how the programme can best achieve this objective. The panel also considered if there are activities which could be included in the delivery plan for LawtechUK 2024/25, and the establishment of a working group for further investigation and reporting.
- The panel discussed if ‘access to legal services’ is the correct term to be using, and whether a wider definition is required.
- JHe raised concerns that as technologies start to emerge there may be ‘push back’ across the system from incumbents and those who provide these services, who will have strong and convincing arguments relating to risk, and what should be tolerated. JHe suggested there is a role for panel members to explore this area and lead thinking on what tolerable risks and innovation should look like.
- CB suggested forming a panel working group for those panel members interested in continuing the discussion with the idea to think through these issues and feed through to year 2 of the programme.
- ACTION: MoJ to organise a panel working group to further discuss issues relating to LawtechUK’s access to legal services objectives.
Upcoming Calendar of Events - BF noted the upcoming showcase events in Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast and Bristol, thanking panel members who have agreed to speak at these events. JV informed the panel that the Northern Ireland Law Society are collaborating with LawtechUK on the Belfast event, noting that this has been a productive collaboration.
Close - CB thanked Panel members for attending and closed the meeting.