Client: Bar Standards Board

Online dispute resolution: disrupting the existing legal industry

Opportunity

Thomson Reuters have identified a commercial opportunity to provide an online solution to manage disputes and administer justice (online dispute resolution). ODR has huge potential to reduce costs for the courts service, regulators and ombudsmen as well as private mediators and consumer businesses, as well as to improve access to justice and opportunity for redress for consumers.

Spinnaker was asked to research this market further within the UK to gauge the level of demand focusing on the courts service, regulators, ombudsmen, private mediators and corporate businesses.

Project

Spinnaker recruited and conducted 40 semi-structured telephone interviews with ombudsmen, lawyers, mediators, ODR practitioners, members of the judiciary and academics from the UK and Europe. This was supported by desk research and analysis across journals, articles, and interview transcripts including current operators such as Resolver, Modria and Rechtwijzer.

“Jemma helped us overcome the significant challenge of engaging with a new and very emergent market. She provided excellent insight, gave us a greater understanding of needs, value & tech requirements. I would fully recommend Spinnaker for delivering in-depth and high quality market research with a commercial edge”

Joel Black
Strategy, Thomson Reuters UK

Results

Spinnaker delivered a detailed and considered overview including market sizing, the identification of key product components and requirements, potential barriers to success, opportunities and top-level pricing proposals. Part of the final report has been published by Thomson Reuters: ‘The Impact of ODR technology on dispute resolution in the UK’ (Oct 2016), available to download.