Future Law Bootcamp with Joe Borstein and Guest Nick West, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, Mishcon de Reya

In this episode of Future Law Boot Camp, host Joe Borstein, Baretz+Brunelle partner and LexFusion co-founder, leads the conversation with Nick West, partner and chief strategy officer at Mishcon de Reya, a prominent UK litigation firm deeply engaged in legal innovation and technology.

The conversation explores the tectonic shifts in the legal industry driven by globalization, automation, regulatory changes, and growing investment interest. Nick shares his journey from traditional law practice to becoming a leader in legal tech and innovation, emphasizing the critical challenges legal tech entrepreneurs face: building a product, financing growth, and marketing effectively.

The firm’s innovation program, MDR Lab, supports startups by providing hands-on collaboration with lawyers and firm resources, helping refine product-market fit and accelerating development. Finally, Nick expresses optimism about the accelerating adoption of legal technology catalyzed by deregulation, shifting lawyer mindsets, and post-COVID adaptations, describing this moment as an unprecedented opportunity for those involved in legal innovation.

Conversation insights include:

• Globalization and Automation are Reshaping Legal Services: Lawyers now collaborate across borders as tech automates repetitive legal tasks like e-discovery and proofreading. This boosts efficiency and opens the door to new business models—freeing lawyers to focus on complex, higher-value work.

• Bridging Legal Expertise and Technology is Essential: The most successful legal tech emerges from teams that combine legal and technical expertise. Nick’s own path—from practicing law to consulting at McKinsey, then focusing on legal innovation—illustrates the importance of interdisciplinary expertise.

• MDR Lab as an Innovation Ecosystem Model: MDR Lab connects startups with practicing lawyers for hands-on collaboration. This ensures real-time feedback, stronger product-market fit, and innovation that respects client confidentiality while delivering business value.

• Funding Legal Tech: Accessible Early-Stage Investment: Early legal tech funding (as little as $25k–$50k) is more attainable than many assume. MDR helps startups connect with angel investors and seed funds, supporting growth through the risky early stages of development. 

• Regulatory Flexibility Fuels Innovation: The UK’s allowance of non-lawyer ownership and profit-sharing fosters faster innovation. U.S. firms lag under tighter rules, but state-level sandboxes may start to unlock similar opportunities for new business models.

• Legal Tech Market Maturation and Capital Influx: The emergence of legal-centric Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) and multi-million-dollar investments signal that legal tech is moving beyond the startup phase. Investors now view the sector as capable of supporting large, sustainable businesses with enterprise potential.

• The Future of Legal Innovation is Bright and Inevitable: Legal innovation is accelerating due to shifting culture, increased tech adoption post-COVID, and generational momentum. Law firms and graduates alike increasingly view tech as essential to the profession’s future.

In sum, the episode offers a compelling roadmap of how legal innovation is unfolding, the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs, and the bright future ahead for those willing to engage with this dynamic and evolving sector.

Tune in to their conversation on YouTube.