The Government today announced the establishment of a LawTech Fund to help law firms and barristers' chambers procure and upgrade information technology (IT) systems and arrange lawtech training courses for their staff.

In a statement, the Department of Justice said the LawTech Fund, established under the Anti-epidemic Fund, will be open for applications from April 28 and cater to small and medium-size law firms as well as barristers’ chambers.

Applications will be accepted for two months and those eligible can receive a reimbursement of up to $50,000.

The Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association will establish a joint committee to assess the applications and arrange funding disbursement.

More than 60% of law firms and 50% of barristers' chambers in Hong Kong are expected to benefit from the funding.

As for funding eligibility, law firms or chambers must have five or fewer practising lawyers as at April 8 and at the time of granting the subsidy.

The subsidies must be used for procuring and upgrading IT systems, including but not confined to video-conferencing facilities. The lawtech training that is to receive the subsidy must be recognised and approved by the joint committee.

The application form and guidance notes are available at the homepages of the Law Society and the Bar Association.

The Secretary for Justice has given an outline of the fund and discussed lawtech in her blog.