Collaborate FAQs

Slaughter and May Collaborate is our legal tech programme. It has been designed to enhance the firm’s engagement with the best new legal tech developers, and to involve clients and industry experts (through our networks) in the way we help shape the development of new technology for the legal sector.

If you are successful in your application, we will work with you to pilot your business proposition, product or technology within our firm and on our client matters. In addition, you will be supported by dedicated mentors from our Legal Tech and Innovation team, who will work with you to build a bespoke programme for you and your team, and continue to support you throughout. This will involve access to the right people, data and resources to help your product grow. We will also offer you the opportunity to pitch to our partners for equity investment via our newly established venture investment platform, Slaughter and May Ventures (see below for more information).

Further information on all of the programme benefits is available via our benefits section.

Whilst Fast Forward offers free legal advice and other benefits to a range of emerging technology businesses, Collaborate is different in that it provides legal tech developers with assistance in developing exciting new products for the legal sector. Please note that legal advice is not included as part of our Collaborate programme.

Our third cohort will run from February – June 2022. Please note that timings are subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions. Where timings (or plans for the programme) change, we will notify you accordingly with as much notice as possible.

We want to support exciting innovators and entrepreneurs in the area of legal tech who need help developing their products. There is no minimum size/shape/age/financial position for acceptance into our Collaborate programme, and applications are open to legal tech businesses at varying stages of maturity. We are particularly interested in those who are able to address one of the problem statements set by our practice.

Diversity and inclusion is an important priority for us in all areas of our work, both in and outside of our firm. We are keen to support diversity in legal tech, and are especially interested in hearing from diverse voices. If you think that you could benefit from the programme then we would love to hear from you!

There are no restrictions on where you are based, but if you are accepted into the programme you may be required to visit our London office (Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY) on a number of occasions throughout the programme.

No. Unlike some other programmes, we do not require those participating in Collaborate to agree an investment opportunity. Whilst we offer you the opportunity to pitch to our partners via Slaughter and May Ventures, this is entirely optional and not a requirement of participation.

Applications to form part of our third Collaborate cohort are now closed.

We have a very comprehensive application form to enable us to know all there is about your product or service, your team and why you’d like to join our programme. We have also included space for you upload a short video introducing yourself and your product, as well as upload pitch decks and other supporting materials. The more we know the better!

Applications to form part of our third Collaborate cohort are now closed. We anticipate accepting successful applicants onto the programme in January 2022 and the programme is expected to run from February – June 2022. Please note that timings are subject to change due to Covid restrictions. Where timings (or plans for the programme) change, we will notify you accordingly with as much notice as possible.

There is a five step process after you have submitted your application:

1. Initial review of your application, we may revert with follow up questions via email if we have any!
2. First round interview/chat to get to know you a little better and see if we are the right fit.
3. If necessary - second round interviews (with relevant people from across our business).
4. Decision made, and offer to join our cohort and start our onboarding processes if successful.

We will review applications on a rolling basis and hope to get back to you within a few weeks to follow up with a first round interview/chat, or to let you know if we think you aren’t the right fit for the programme this time. We expect to respond to all applicants by 16 February 2022 with a final decision.

Unfortunately, due to the large volume of applications we can’t provide detailed feedback on application outcomes.

Slaughter and May Ventures is our new venture investment platform through which we offer the opportunity for legal tech businesses to pitch for equity investment from the firm’s partners. These investments are made by partners acting as individuals, rather than by the firm.

No, you do not. Whilst we offer you the opportunity to pitch to our partners for equity investment via Slaughter and May Ventures, this is entirely optional and not a requirement of participation.

No, investment decisions will be made at the discretion of individual partners and is not guaranteed.

We understand that every organisation’s funding cycle will differ. Successful applicants for the programme will be offered the opportunity to pitch for investment when it is the right time in their fundraising cycle, whether or not this falls within the programme window.

No, Collaborate is open to companies at all stages of maturity. However, information security and data privacy are of the utmost importance to the firm.  The expectation is that all applicants should understand the nature of the information that their products/systems will process and that they will incorporate appropriate controls to secure that information. All successful candidates can expect to have their information security and data privacy arrangements scrutinised to determine if they meet the firm’s requirements.

Yes, to take part in the programme you will need to agree to our standard terms and conditions.