The tech hype continues
Mishcon de Reya is embracing the weird and wonderful world of law-based technology with the launch of its very own start-up “incubator”.
Punting for the rather catchy name ‘MDR LAB’, the firm — which has teamed up with London-based innovation investor L Marks — will welcome a number of small businesses through its doors for ten weeks over the summer.
Keen to tap into some of the United Kingdom’s finest tech minds, applications to land a place within Mishcon de Reya’s incubator are “open to early stage and growth technology start-ups”. The only prerequisite is that the product or service is applicable to the legal industry.
Mishcon de Reya hopes that successful applicants — who will have access to some of firm’s top lawyers and business experts — will be able to test and improve their products while gaining “a better understanding of how legal services are provided”.
Commenting on the move — which could help bridge the gap between the forward-thinking technology market and the more traditional legal sector — the firm’s chief strategy officer, Nick West, said:
MDR LAB is part of Mishcon de Reya’s broader technology strategy and is one of a number of R&D projects designed to help us better understand and embrace new technologies. Innovation is happening across our industry and we want to be at the forefront of it. We are looking forward to hearing from the disruptors.
But Mishcon de Reya isn’t the first law firm to try and lure entrepreneurs through its doors with the promise of support and investment.
Back in 2015 global law firm Dentons — the largest outfit in the world by lawyer headcount — launched a similar initiation. Called NextLaw Labs, this had the bold aim of “transforming the practice of law around the world”. The firm has gone on to invest cash in a number of legal-tech start ups. One of those, ROSS Intelligence, designed and produced a legal advice app for lawyers.
Applications for MDR LAB are open until 12 March. Further information can be found here.
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