Legal Innovation Lab Wales

up map, are also viewed as important tools for sustaining knowledge exchange between academia and industry.

5.17 The logic model setting out the potential routes to impact for the operation also included two intermediate business/societal outcomes linked to the Law Clinic: improved access to enhanced environment for testing new technology applications in legal services for the legal profession in Wales, and improved access to legal support for participants in prototype/toolkit trials/tests. At the Mid-Term Evaluation stage evidence on these outcomes was limited, owing largely to the early-stage of projects and the impact of Covid-19 related restrictions on the ability to utilise the facilities as planned. However, at this Final Evaluation stage, use of the Clinic has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and it has been actively utilised to trial new technologies, such as an app to support an individual going to an employment tribunal and a chatbot offering specialist advice on the Renting Homes Wales Act 2016. In addition to the direct benefits associated with trialling the apps, these projects have also provided helpful insight how such apps/technologies can be combined with the existing support available through Law Clinics. 5.18 Linked to this agenda, there was strong qualitative evidence to suggest that many of the projects across the Lab’s portfolio have the potential to have a “real impact on society”. Whilst it was noted by consultees that evidencing the benefits of Cyber Threats projects in particular is often challenging due to their sensitive and confidential nature, projects such as the Include Journey (discussed above) and ‘hate visuals’ apps were identified for their potential to deliver societal benefits to communities/individuals in Wales and beyond. “These aren’t just academic projects – they have huge real-world application and impact. The Lab has given us this ability to innovate and move these ideas from concepts to actual products/projects. Whilst we are all impact aware in the way we work, there is only so far you can go without the technical expertise and support. The Lab has plugged this gap and extended our reach”. Internal stakeholder consultee 5.19 Consultations with a small number of project partners also provided examples of direct benefits emerging for their organisation/business resulting from collaborations with the LILW. Notable benefits included new knowledge/insights, networking and relationship benefits, and subsequent funding or business development opportunities. Several partners also cited examples of improvements to internal processes resulting from projects with the Lab, including improvements to data transfer processes and systems which will improve data accessibility/efficiency. 5.20 Further, qualitative evidence suggested th e Lab’s work has and will inform policy and decision making. For example, members of the CYTREC team are involved in Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) and these contributions will help Europol inform and shape policy. This Network runs an annual conference, and the team at Swansea have

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