Top London law firm Clifford Chance has set up a research and development hub to develop client-focused digital products for the legal sector.

Clifford Chance Applied Solutions is a technology-focused subsidiary to the business of the ‘magic circle’ firm and the launch signifies the growing role of technology for law firm management.

Bas Boris Visser, global head of innovation, said the firm waned to boost the speed and scale to its digital product capabilities.

Technology centres are increasingly popular with London law firms, the Law Society Gazette of England and Wales has reported.

Innovation

A total of 11 lawtech and fintech companies are joining Fuse, the five-year-old Allen and Overy innovation hub.

Shruti Ajitsaria, head of Allen & Overy's Fuse project said: “Technology is no longer a ‘fringe consideration’ for lawyers.

“For firms to thrive and provide the best service to clients, they need to develop a deep understanding of different technologies, not only to enable deployment of more efficient tools, but also to identify emerging areas of law on which they should be focusing.”