LawtechUK, the Government-backed legal technology group, has appointed Alexandra Lennox as its new Director following the departure of Jenifer Swallow, who became its first boss when it formally launched in late 2019.
Lennox (pictured) is already part of the Tech Nation-run organisation and has worked closely with Swallow, who has not yet announced her next role.
Meanwhile, Aleksandra Wawrzyszczuk has been appointed as Head of LawtechUK – taking on Lennox’s previous role. Most recently Wawrzyszczuk has been Lead Change Agent – Legal, at the Mobile Broadband Network.
Lennox told Artificial Lawyer that there would not be a major change of direction under her management as they were ‘mid-programme’, and that the overall goals remain the same.
She added that the group would also be focusing on smaller law firms and consumer legal needs, as well as the large commercial firms which they have worked closely with.
Lennox said: ‘We have to strike a balance. There needs to be that basic support, a really good base layer, as well as more difficult challenges such as smart contracts.’
There would also be a project to promote the use of digital securities, and this follows efforts by the group to encourage the deployment of smart contracts.
She noted that one other area that may see more focus was ‘tech law’, i.e. how tech can be helped by changes and developments in the law.
To some extent we have already seen efforts there with LawtechUK’s support for clarity on the legal position for the use of smart contracts in England & Wales – and where the UK’s Law Commission has now affirmed new legislation may not be needed to make use of such digital agreements.
‘We want to focus on the power of the law. We can sometimes forget that the law is the framework that people operate under and just how much the law affects our lives,’ Lennox said.
Meanwhile, Swallow, who has now left LawtechUK, told Artificial Lawyer: ‘I am delighted to be handing over the reins to Alexandra for the next phase of LawtechUK. We have built an incredible foundation upon which the work can scale from here and the team is perfectly placed to deliver on the opportunity, in collaboration with the LawtechUK Panel and amazing cross-UK community.
‘With cohesive focus and targeted support, lawtech can change the landscape of both delivery and consumption of legal and court services, and become a growth engine for the economy. I look forward to watching the acceleration unfold over the coming years.’
Congrats to Lennox and Wawrzyszczuk on their new roles. Artificial Lawyer looks forward to LawtechUK continuing to support change across the legal sector through its multiple initiatives.