Designing legal services for all

A legal services market in which only one in three individuals – and one in ten small businesses – with a legal problem get expert advice isn’t working as well as it should be.

In sector after sector digital technology has made life easier for customers, giving them more choice and control. In legal services though, technology has made less of an impact.

The £500,000 Legal Access Challenge is looking for innovative digital technology solutions that will help individuals and SMEs to better understand and resolve their legal problems.

Delivered by Nesta Challenges in partnership with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Challenge called for legal tech startups, law firms, alternative legal providers, advice organisations and law schools to develop ambitious direct-to-user products, services and platforms.

The technologies used could include guided pathways, expert systems, chatbots, automated document assembly, natural language processing, machine learning and online dispute resolution platforms. This is an open call though, and we welcome new ideas beyond what is currently available in the market.

We are not expecting any quick fixes. Bringing user-facing solutions to the legal services market will take time. As well as helping Challenge participants accelerate their progress in 2019/20, we want to work with a wider coalition of experts and organisations to create longer term change in the market.

The successful Finalists have now been announced – find out more about them on the Finalists page.

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Following the Challenge

  • Sign up to the mailing list to receive updates on the Challenge, including opportunities to participate in information sessions and to receive guidance developed during the Challenge.

Get involved

  • Join our Slack group to meet others with an interest in using technology to improve access to legal support.
Register Interest