The Ministry of Justice has announced this week the allocation of £2 million in government funding to the tech firm, Tech Nation, to support the digital transformation of the UK’s legal sector. According to Justice Secretary, Robert Buckland QC MP the funding will "help support the development and use of UK lawtech, boost wider economic growth and pave the way for a technological revolution in the UK legal sector".
The legal industry has previously appeared slow to embrace technology, favouring to maintain a more traditional approach. Perhaps lawyers are by their nature inherently cautious and we all probably have a colleague who still doesn't really trust email or is lost without their hard copy files. While there will be those that remain reluctant to change and risk the loss of the culture and traditions characteristic of the industry, the penny does seem to be dropping that in order to remain relevant and competitive law firms need technologically advanced business solutions.
The government too is recognising the potential economic benefit to be derived from driving forward lawtech advancement. And understandably so when English and Welsh law is the most commonly used in international business and dispute resolution, and the legal services sector’s contribution to the UK economy is over £25bn, with more than 300,000 people employed. In 2018 the lawtech sector was valued at $15.9 billion globally.
The government's press release confirms that Tech Nation will be responsible for building on the work of the Lawtech Delivery Panel, which is an industry-led body designed to promote the use of technology in the UK’s legal sector. The aim of the panel, formed in 2018, is to help the UK legal sector grow by fostering an environment in which new technology can thrive.
The potential areas for innovation and development in the sector are far reaching. From AI and machine learning for carrying out routine tasks, to the flexibility and cost effectiveness of cloud solutions, to legal analytics platforms that can help lawyers decide on the best litigation strategies based upon outcomes of previous relevant cases.
However, despite the strides being made in lawtech, it is going to take more than a £2m government investment to revolutionise the way in which lawyers work. Those within the legal industry itself are going to need to recognise the potential benefits and fully embrace the changes necessary to make it happen. If they don't they risk being left behind.
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