The Open Data Institute (ODI) has supported LawtechUK to develop a collective vision to encourage the responsible use of and access to legal data to drive innovation, uphold trust and deliver outcomes for those the legal sector serves.
LawtechUK is a goverment-funded initiative within Tech Nation to support the transformation of the legal sector through technology.
The brief
LawtechUK identified that a significant barrier to innovation in the legal sector is a lack of usable legal data (data used or generated in legal activities within organisations) and data literacy. A strong, trustworthy legal data ecosystem has the potential to support better decision-making, fuel growth and productivity, and ultimately benefit society.
While there are a number of existing initiatives and tools to support the use of and access to legal data, LawtechUK wanted to work with the legal industry and public bodies to establish a common vision and agree on a shared framework to improve the responsible sharing and use of legal data.
Our approach
The ODI supported in providing insight and expertise based on learnings from similar initiatives in other sectors, such as the development of a manifesto for sharing engineering data. We worked with LawtechUK, the legal community and beyond to carry out desk research and facilitate stakeholder engagement to:
- identify the common barriers to increasing access to and use of legal data;
- understand how a common vision for the legal sector could help overcome these barriers; and
- build a library of relevant resources, including developing a prototype Data Maturity Model for the Legal Sector that anyone can use, adapt and share.
As part of this work, we engaged a wide range of organisations, including regulators, law firms, in-house legal teams and lawtech startups.
Improving access to data has the potential to transform the legal sector, from supporting the development of exciting innovation, to increasing trust and transparency. Building strong and trustworthy data ecosystems that can deliver value to businesses and society requires collaboration from a wide range of stakeholders, and we welcome LawtechUK’s leadership in this area.
– Diana Szasz, Data Ecosystems and Innovation programme lead, ODI
Embracing and responsibly using data is critical to the future success of the legal sector and the people it serves. Without data we cannot innovate, hold ourselves to account or provide the clear counsel and service people need. All within the sector need to work to improve how data is collected and made accessible, including realising the shared opportunities of open data in law.
– Jenifer Swallow, LawtechUK Director, Tech Nation
Get involved
LawtechUK are keen to continue to work with the sector to develop and build on The Legal Data Vision. To find out more about The Legal Data Vision, and how you can support their work to unlock the value of legal data, visit LawtechUK's website.