Mishcon de Reya LLP and L Marks launched MDR LAB, a programme for lawtech startups to help them work within their target market to pilot and improve products and to gain a better understanding of how legal services are provided and where lawyers – and their clients – would benefit from new technologies. Successful applicants will have access to Mishcon de Reya’s lawyers and business experts throughout the firm for advice, mentorship and education.

MDR LAB is accepting applications from businesses with concepts or products and services that are at a revenue-generating stage until 12th March 2017. For more information visit the MDR LAB website.

Legal Geek members had a unique chance to speak about MDR LAB with Nick West, Chief Strategy Officer at Mishcon de Reya and Director of MDR LAB, at our first Lawyers of the Future event on 7th February at Google Campus.

Nick West explained that:

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.

Mishcon de Reya is not the first law firm to launch a dedicated programme for startups. The global law firm Dentos launched Nextlaw Labs in 2016 to “help reinvent the business of law”. Nextlaw Labs is led by Dan Janses as CEO, under whose leadership Nextlaw Labs partnered with Seedcamp and helped several lawtech startups acquire first round funding. Three startups featuring on the Legal Geek Startup Map joined Nextlaw Labs as portfolio companies: Apperio, Clause and Libryo. Nextlaw Labs accepts investment applications from lawtech startups via this link.