Guidance

Legal services advisory AI Growth Lab: application eligibility and support

Updated 23 October 2026

Eligibility criteria 1: potential for significant benefits

Applicants were expected to demonstrate the potential for significant benefits to legal services or consumers’ access to justice from their service or product, either directly or indirectly.

The programme sought proposals with the potential to make a meaningful impact, either for organisations, consumers or the wider legal services market. This might include:

• increased productivity

• improved consumer access to legal services or justice

• growth of LawTech or the legal sector in the UK

• greater competition and innovation

• wider adoption of AI across legal services

Eligibility criteria 2: innovation

The AI product or service was expected to be innovative. This did not necessarily mean inventing something completely new. The programme sought genuinely novel applications of AI.

This could include:

• a completely new product

• a significant enhancement to an existing product

• bringing an existing solution into a new market where regulatory uncertainty has prevented deployment

• introducing new ways of working or practices within the legal services sector through the use of AI

Applicants were expected to explain what differentiated their proposal from existing solutions and services, and why participation in the advisory AI Growth Lab would help unlock innovation.

Eligibility criteria 3: readiness to participate at pace

The programme recognised that innovation is iterative. However, applicants were expected to demonstrate that, aside from the regulatory questions identified in their application, they were ready to participate in the lab and engage with regulators at pace.

This meant:

• the product or service was sufficiently developed

• partnerships were in place where needed

• the organisation had the capacity and commitment to engage with regulators throughout the lab

Products were not expected to be market-ready. However, proposals needed to be sufficiently developed so that, if accepted into the lab, participants would be ready to engage meaningfully with the programme.

Eligibility criteria 4: potential to be resolved within existing regulatory frameworks

The programme sought proposals where engagement with regulators could help organisations better understand how existing legal and regulatory frameworks apply to their product or service, enabling responsible innovation.

The advisory AI Growth Lab cannot change legislation or create exemptions from the law.

The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), Legal Services Board (LSB) and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) only oversee legal services in England and Wales, and cannot support those based in Northern Ireland or Scotland.

Eligibility criteria 5: who could apply

The programme accepted applications from organisations and individuals with a UK-established legal entity or UK-registered branch, including but not limited to:

• LawTech companies

• law firms, legal professionals and alternative business structures (ABSs)

• conveyancing firms

• AI developers

• public sector organisations

• small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

• other innovators exploring AI-enabled legal services

Regulatory scope

Types of applications sought

Applications were required to relate to the development, testing or deployment of an AI-enabled product or service operating within the legal sector.

The programme sought projects where the use of AI within a legal service context was a focus, requiring additional regulatory support. The use of AI needed to form a core part of the regulatory challenge, rather than merely being present in the product or service.

There are examples of the types of real-world AI applications sought in the ‘who was eligible to apply’ section of the overview document.

Types of regulatory challenges the lab supports

The lab is designed to support organisations facing regulatory questions or barriers when developing or deploying AI in legal services. The programme sought proposals where engagement with regulators could help organisations better understand how existing legal and regulatory frameworks apply to their product or service, enabling responsible innovation.

The issues raised vary depending on the proposal. They could include, but are not limited to:

• questions relating to client confidentiality

• legal privilege

• data protection

• explainability

• professional obligations

• use of client data

Regulation of organisations

An organisation or product may be subject to other regulatory regimes. However, the advisory AI Growth Lab can only provide support on matters within the remit of the participating regulators.

Products relating to legal services in Scotland or Northern Ireland

Applications were welcomed from across the UK. However, the CLC, LSB and SRA regulate legal services only in England and Wales. Regulatory questions therefore needed to relate to the legal services regulatory framework in England and Wales. Legal services in Scotland and Northern Ireland are subject to separate regulators and regulatory frameworks.

Challenges requiring a change in legislation

The advisory AI Growth Lab cannot change legislation or create exemptions from the law.

What joining the lab means for a product’s regulatory approval

Participation does not constitute regulatory approval, authorisation or endorsement of a product or service.

Applications

Number of organisations to be selected

The first cohort is expected to include around 10 to 12 participants, though this may vary depending on the quality and suitability of applications.

Feedback on unsuccessful applications

Applicants will receive information on the outcome of their applications and, where appropriate, may be signposted to other relevant programmes or regulatory routes.

Participation

Cost of participation

Participation in the advisory AI Growth Lab is free. Participants are responsible for their own staff time and any costs associated with developing, testing or deploying their product or service.

What selected participants will receive

Participants will receive coordinated engagement with relevant regulators and delivery partners. Support may include:

• discussions on regulatory issues

• clarification of existing requirements

• opportunities to explore how regulation applies to their proposed use case

The exact support will depend on the nature of the challenges being considered.

Participants will not receive funding. Participation in the lab does not amount to regulatory endorsement or approval, and does not provide a safe harbour or letters of comfort.

Time commitment

Participants should be prepared to engage regularly throughout the programme (which will last up to 9 months), including:

• meetings with delivery partners

• sharing relevant information about their proposal

• participating in evaluation activities

More detailed expectations will be provided before the programme begins.

Confidentiality of information

Applications may contain confidential or commercially sensitive information. Applicants were asked to identify any information they considered confidential or commercially sensitive, so that it could be handled appropriately by the regulators involved in delivering the lab.

Information may need to be shared between participating organisations to assess applications and support participation in the lab. Participation does not remove any legal, regulatory or statutory obligations relating to information sharing, disclosure or transparency.

What happens after the lab finishes

Lessons learned will help improve regulatory understanding across the legal services ecosystem and inform future development of the wider AI Growth Lab programme. Insights will be shared in an aggregated and anonymised way where appropriate.

Participation does not equal regulatory approval and anyone wishing to apply for this at the conclusion of the lab will still need to use the appropriate channels for the relevant regulator.

Myth busting

Participating guarantees regulatory approval

False. Participation does not replace existing regulatory requirements or constitute regulatory approval. Where a participant requires regulatory authorisation or another formal regulatory decision, they will need to follow the relevant regulator’s existing processes and requirements.

The AI Growth Lab changes the law

False. The advisory AI Growth Lab provides regulatory engagement and clarification under the existing legal framework. It does not change legislation or remove legal or regulatory obligations.

The AI Growth Lab will only benefit those who participate

False. One of the objectives of the advisory AI Growth Lab is to generate learning that can improve regulatory clarity more broadly across the legal services ecosystem. Insights and lessons from the programme are expected to help inform future guidance, practice and policy discussions beyond the organisations selected to participate.

The AI Growth Lab provides intellectual property (IP) protection

False. Participants will retain ownership of their existing IP and remain responsible for taking appropriate steps to protect it, including obtaining specialist advice where appropriate. The lab will only request information needed to assess and support the pilot, and confidential or commercially sensitive information will be handled accordingly, subject to legal disclosure requirements.

Participation gives me legally binding assurances from regulators

False. The advisory AI Growth Lab operates within existing legal and regulatory frameworks and is designed to provide information, clarification and coordinated engagement with regulators. Participation does not constitute regulatory approval, authorisation or endorsement, and organisations remain responsible for complying with applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Advice or views shared through the lab should not be treated as legally binding commitments from regulators.

Successful participants will remain anonymous

False. The names of successful participants are expected to be published. Sharing information about participating organisations will allow the programme to showcase innovative use cases and enable learning across the wider legal services ecosystem.