service offers technology and process optimisation, data transformation and a technology portfolio of products and solutions to help clients. 172 All major law firms generally provide specialised portals, or hubs, through which clients can access relevant updates, guidance and information. These include HCR Law, Capital Law, Acuity Law and many others. Notably, some law firms are also providing services aimed at startups, some specifically targeted at technology startups. Darwin Gray, in partnership with NatWest and WebBox created UpStart Wales, “a business club for start-up and scale-up businesses … provid[ing] entrepreneurs and small businesses with an opportunity to meet and get to know others who are working in a similar environment.” 173 Geldards LLP is a partner in the Scinapse Programme, alongside Withers & Rogers and GX. The Scinapse Programme offers “a range of fixed price professional services for entrepreneurs starting on the journey of a medical product design”, 174 Geldards in particular offers IP solutions to these businesses. 175 Capital Law are a challenge partner for the Alacrity foundation, a technology incubator in Newport. 176 “Alacrity selected Capital as their first law tech strategic partner”, 177 and members of Capital’s team, including their IT director and a Commercial Partner are working closely with an Alacrity team that is developing the first Law Tech business to graduate from the incubator. 178 (iv) Low-tech tools Examples of low-tech tools are difficult to locate, as these are normally developed merely for internal use. However, two examples from Acuity Law show the potential for such tools to develop into commercial opportunities. The first example is a redundancy costs calculator developed within Acuity to “help clients make informed and efficient decisions” during the Covid-19 furlough scheme. 179 The second example is IR35 Assist, a tool developed within Acuity to deal with new tax legislation and to “help End-Clients comply with their obligations with simple and reliable status determination tests.” 180 Both products are “used in-house across Acuity’s employment team and by the firm’s clients”. 181
172 Konexo, “Digital Transformation”, available at https://www.konexoglobal.com/services/digital-transformation. 173 Darwin Gray, “UpStart Wales”, available at https://www.darwingray.com/about/upstart-wales/. 174 GX Group, “Scinapse”, available at https://www.gxgroup.com/about-gx-design-engineers/scinapse. 175 Geldards LLP, “About” (Chambers and Partners), available at https://chambers.com/department/geldards-llp-intellectual- property-uk-1:34:11837:1:123. 176 Alacrity Foundation, “Corporates”, available at https://alacrityfoundation.co.uk/corporates/. 177 Capital Law, “Chris Coughlan”, available at https://www.capitallaw.co.uk/people/chris-coughlan/. 178 Ibid. 179 Mark Alaszewski, “Cost Savings Following Furlough – The Importance of Planning Ahead” (Acuity Law, 28 April 2020), available at https://acuitylaw.com/cost-savings-following-furlough-the-importance-of-planning-ahead/. 180 Rebecca Mahon, “Be Prepared for IR35” (Acuity Law, 5 October 2020), available at https://acuitylaw.com/be-prepared-for- ir35/. 181 Acuity Law, “Acuity Law Solicitor Named Rising Star At Wales Legal Awards 2022” (1 June 2022), available at https://acuitylaw.com/rising-star-award-adam-mcglynn/.
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