Justice Tech

West Midlands lawtech firms to benefit from £4.5m government programme extension

Scales of justice – image from Minister of Justice website

LawtechUK funding boost backs regional growth ambitions

West Midlands businesses operating in the legal technology sector are set to benefit from a £4.5 million government investment.

This comes in the form of the LawtechUK programme, which has been extended for a further three years.

The Ministry of Justice-backed initiative supports startups developing cutting-edge legal technology with the aim of speeding up services, reducing costs and making justice more accessible. 

UK home to 44% of Europe’s lawtech start-ups

Delivered by CodeBase and Legal Geek, the programme runs until October 31, 2026.

The extension comes as UK-founded lawtech companies secured nearly £189 million in investment last year, a 35% year-on-year increase, with the UK now home to 44% of all European lawtech startups.

The programme has already demonstrated a regional reach, with community events held across nine UK cities. 

Legal Geek director Beth Fellner said the initiative had made a positive impact on “progressing diversity and regional growth across the UK” with a notable rise in female-founded lawtech companies successfully raising funds in the second half of 2025.

£43bn-a-year sector

Ministers say the UK’s legal services sector generates more than £43 billion annually and employs over 317,000 people nationwide, with new technology expected to unlock further growth and jobs.

Courts minister Sarah Sackman KC said the investment would keep the UK “at the frontier of legal technology” and directly support the government’s Industrial Strategy.

West Midlands-based legal and tech entrepreneurs are encouraged to engage with the programme ahead of its October 2026 deadline.

Dave Pettifer

Columnist
Dave is a former Royal Marines Commando who served on three tours in Afghanistan. He now works as a telecoms and security specialist.

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