SuperTech WM Launches a UK-First, Industry-led Innovation Challenge for the Legal Sector to Improve Client Outcomes and Productivity: Call Out to Technology SMEs to Get Involved
Monday 17 March 2025, Birmingham, UK: SuperTech WM, a cluster organisation based in Birmingham and focused on advancing technology innovation in professional and financial services across the Midlands, today announces the launch of its first Legal Onboarding Innovation Challenge; the first collaborative open innovation programme of its kind in the UK. Technology companies able to tackle the biggest challenges in client onboarding in the legal sector are invited to apply to the programme by the deadline of 4th April 2025.
Law firms face ongoing challenges in client onboarding, compliance, and risk management, often relying on manual, time-consuming processes that create inefficiencies and potential compliance risks. At the same time, many tech companies struggle to develop solutions that truly address the day-to-day realities of legal practice. This challenge creates a practical collaboration between law firms and tech innovators, ensuring that solutions are built with direct industry input rather than in isolation.
SuperTech WM is partnering with international law firms with operations in the West Midlands, including Fieldfisher and Mills & Reeve as well as Birmingham-headquartered Gateley to deliver this challenge, providing a unique space to collaborate in a non-competitive environment for sector innovation. Brought together by a shared pain point, technology companies chosen for the programme will have an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate, experiment, and showcase how their technology can transform legal processes, drive efficiency, and ensure compliance to multiple legal firms, gaining critical intelligence and market insights. Some of the selected companies may already operate within the LawTech sector; applications are also encouraged from those with solutions that could pivot to this area. Through the programme there are many opportunities to engage with leading legal professionals for real-world feedback and to refine solutions for market.
Bringing LawTech innovators and legal industry leaders together to collaborate through this exciting programme of events, forums and discussions will support fostering of new partnerships and knowledge exchange.
Hilary Smyth Allen, Chief Executive, SuperTech, comments:
“Launching this innovation challenge is a pivotal moment for us to support technology adoption in the legal sector and drive forward Next Generation Services in the West Midlands and beyond. We’ve always believed that collaboration is key and through building the necessary trust with our partners and drawing on our experience of delivering these programmes within financial services and fintech, we’re excited to see where this can go.
Right now, we’re calling all LawTech pioneers, startups, and established companies with solutions that can tackle the challenges put forward by the legal industry. If your technology can make client onboarding faster, smarter, and more compliant, we want to hear from you—no matter what stage your company is at.”
The challenge focuses on how law firms can use technology for client onboarding across four different case study areas: streamlining the use of initial client data; leveraging AI or advanced search methods to efficiently identify, prioritise, and clear potential conflicts of interest; automating real-time PEP and sanctions screening across multiple jurisdictions; and providing a secure, centralised client portal for all onboarding communications and document sharing. All these will support a seamless client experience and remove process inefficiencies.
Adding an international perspective to this challenge, Sophie Martinetz from Future-Law, is working with SuperTech as Law Innovation Lead to support delivery of the programme. This relationship underscores the international impact of cluster leadership in the sector and provides SuperTech an expert, international perspective in assessing market fit for technology solutions.
Sophie Martinetz, Law Innovation Lead, SuperTech comments: “Future-Law’s global study into investment into LawTech has proven the future growth prospects for this sector are both significant and growing and that the focus areas for this innovation challenge will resonate far beyond the Midlands region.”
Law firm participants in the programme further note:
“At Gateley, we are committed to enhancing the client experience through innovative solutions and exceptional service. We are excited to collaborate with SuperTech and partner law firms to tackle industry challenges head-on. Together, we aim to drive progress and set new standards in the legal sector that makes client engagement a more efficient process for all.”
Nick Capell, IT Director, Gateley
"Fieldfisher has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, consistently seeking new technology-enabled solutions and efficiencies to uphold its premium client services. We are delighted to be partnering with SuperTech on this pioneering legal innovation challenge and look forward to working with our partner firms on reshaping the future for client onboarding and KYC processes."
Nigel Lang, CIO, Fieldfisher
“By joining this programme, we will support technology innovation in the legal sector, confirming our position as a future-focused legal firm; we do not just adapt to technology change, but lead on it.”
Emma Jackson, Head of Legal Technology & Data, Mills & Reeve
The programme will conclude with a showcase day in Birmingham on 8th July, where participants will present their solutions.
This programme is part-funded (£40,000) by the West Midlands Combined Authority and UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
For further information on this exciting programme, please visit our website page.
ENDS
Contact: hello@supertechwm.com
About SuperTech WM
SuperTech WM drive technology and innovation-led growth for the Professional and Financial Services sectors across Birmingham and the West Midlands. As leaders of a powerful ecosystem, we make sure that organisations can access the services and opportunities needed to achieve truly transformational impacts. Together, we can unlock the future of Next Generation Services for economic success – for our businesses, our region and throughout the UK.
About Gateley
Gateley is a professional services group. We bring together legal services through Gateley Legal with complementary professional service businesses that include building advisory services, leadership consultancy and IP advisory services.
Founded in Birmingham in 1808, Gateley has provided commercial legal services to individuals and businesses over the last 200 years, employing over 1,500 people across 28 offices in 26 locations.
In 2015 Gateley became the first commercial UK law firm to list on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Our strategy is to differentiate in a crowded market, incentivise our people to retain and attract the best talent in the industry and diversify by acquiring complementary business services to work alongside Gateley Legal.
About Mills & Reeve
Mills & Reeve is centred on achieving more for clients, their businesses and the wider communities we serve.
Our clients and their industries benefit from our knowledge and learning – on everything from wellbeing, diversity and inclusion to global trends. The wider community benefits from a focus on sustainability in client and business decisions.
Clients get a consistent experience with no surprises – we tell them what they need to know, when they need to know it. Our sector and market expertise helps us understand clients’ issues. And our technology and innovations help them achieve more with less effort.
We build personal relationships, with advice individually tailored to individual need. And if clients need things we don’t offer, we draw on our network to give recommendations.
Our 1,450 plus people and over 850 lawyers share one vision – achieving more for clients.
For further information please visit the website at www.mills-reeve.com
About Fieldfisher
Fieldfisher is a European law firm, with market-leading practices in corporate/M&A, finance, real estate, energy and natural resources, technology and life sciences.
Our lawyers advise some of the world’s largest corporations including major technology firms, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, energy suppliers, infrastructure companies, global banks and financial institutions. We take a collaborative approach with clients tailoring our services to their needs and integrating cutting-edge legal technologies into our advice where possible.
Our international network now spans over 1,700 people across 23 offices in 12 countries, enabling us to seamlessly advise clients across time zones and disciplines.
As a responsible and socially-conscious firm, we strive to lead from the front in our industry and make ourselves accountable for our actions. Our commitment to building a more sustainable and equitable future for our people, clients and communities is at the heart of our ESG strategy.
Notes to editor:
“The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus