LawtechUK Panel Meeting
Date: 04/12/2023
Time: 15.30-17.00
Location: 102 Petty France / via MS Teams
Attendees:
Christina Blacklaws (CB) – Chair
Professor Richard Susskind (RS), President, Society for Computers and Law
Sophia Adams Bhatti (SAB), Head of Purpose and Impact, Simmons and Simmons
Stephen Browning (SB), Challenge Director for Next Generation Services at UK research and Innovation.
Katie Atkinson (KA), Dean of Electrical Engineering, Electronics, and Computer Science, University of Liverpool
Mimi Zou (MZ), Founder of Deriskly and Professor of Commercial Law at the University of Exeter
Chris Grant (CG), Head of Legal Market Engagement, HSBC
Michael Padfield (MP), Deputy Private Secretary to the Master of the Rolls
Jimmy Vestbirk (JV), Founder, Legal Geek
Beth Fellner (BF), Director, Legal Geek
Sarah Chidlow (SC), Project Manager, Legal Geek
Jon Hope (JH), SVP Ecosystems, CodeBase
Martin Boyle (MB), VP Transformation, CodeBase
Kath Warren (KW), Head of Lawtech Programme, Codebase
Rachel Tocknell (RT), Head of Legal Services Innovation, MoJ
John Heavens (JHe), Deputy Director, Legal Services Policy, MoJ
Natalya Sharp (NS), Policy Advisor, Legal Services Innovation, MoJ
Alicia Love (AL), Senior Policy Advisor, Legal Services Innovation
Katie Donnellan (KD), Policy Advisor, Legal Services Innovation
Apologies:
Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls
Brian Liu (BL), CEO, Overture Law
Maya Markovich (MM), Founder of the Justice Technology Association
Isabel Parker (IP), Partner at Deloitte Legal
Professor Sarah Green (SG), Law Commissioner for Commerical and Common Law
Aleksandra Wawrzyszczuk (AW), LawtechUK, Codebase
Daniel Simpson (DS), Senior Policy Advisor, Legal Services Innovation, MoJ
Chair introduction
- CB welcomed attendees and opened the meeting.
- Attendees agreed the minutes from the previous panel meeting with no amendments.
End of Calendar Year – Summary of Progress - JH gave an overview of what LawtechUK has delivered so far and how they see it evolving in Year 2 (2024-25). JH noted that LawtechUK had successfully mobilised and launched all the workstreams. JH noted that compressed timescales due to mobilisation at the beginning of the grant period had presented some challenges for promoting programmes during Year 1 (2023-24), but that this would be avoided during Year 2 due to the planning already underway.
Generative AI - JH noted the success of the first GenAI event and thanked the Panel for their support and in particular the MR for opening it.
- BF provided an update on marketing and venue for 4 March GenAI event.
- The Panel discussed the impact of Generative AI on startups and what LawtechUK could do in this space. JH noted that CodeBase update the ‘playbooks’ and training materials regularly for start-ups to reflect technological developments such as GenAI.
Education Courses - KW noted around half of LawtechUK Builder Programme participants are using Generative AI to build their products. KW highlighted the importance of founders focusing on the problem, before seeing GenAI as a solution.
- KW noted that Lawtech Fundamentals is focused on capturing students who have not engaged with lawtech innovation yet.
- Panel members discussed interest at universities amongst students and lecturers, the need to consider upskilling and the emergence of blended courses combining computer science and law.
Ecosystem - BF provided an update on the LawtechUK Ecosystem Tracker.
- JHe asked if the tracker could show whether lawtechs have an authorised person as the founder to inform understanding of the regulated vs unregulated sector. Action- LawtechUK to arrange meeting with MoJ to discuss possible future additions to tracker.
- BF noted that the tracker will enable tailored targeting for LawtechUK events.
- The Panel discussed how to make best use of recordings of events. Action- LawtechUK to look at the possibility of creating scalable assets out of the programme activity.
Year 2 - JH asked attendees for their views on how Year 2 should evolve from Year 1.
- JHe discussed a focus on adoption of technology in high-street / small law firms. BF noted that the regional tour, Legal Geek Growth, and March GenAI have this focus.
- MB said it would be helpful to understand what the UKJT want to focus on. Action- MP to seek further info from the MR on potential areas of focus for the UKJT.
- JHe noted the need to think about how do to an overall evaluation of the programme in Year 2, in order to understand its legacy.
AOB - The next Panel meeting is scheduled for 7 March. CB requested a meeting in June to discuss evaluation and future of the programme. Action- MoJ to liaise with CB on dates.
- MP provided an update on the UKJT. They meet monthly and are open to suggested agenda items. It was great to see the numbers at the UKJT consultation event last week. It would be helpful to see further detail from the attendee data, for example who participated, how they engaged and who downloaded the statement. Action- LawtechUK to provide more information on this to MP.
Chair Conclusions - CB summed up that the programme had delivered a lot in the condensed year. CB expressed her thanks to the MR for the work of the UKJT.
- CB noted that the working group on addressing legal need is aiming to meet three times before the next full Panel meeting in March. The invites will be circulated to everyone.