Head of Data Science and Analytics Dan Hoadley and Partner and Chief Strategy Officer Nick West have been recognised as vLex Fastcase 50 Honorees for 2023.
The vLex’s annual Fastcase 50 Award highlights the exceptional contributions of individuals as one of the top 50 most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders in the legal industry. The description of both individuals is as follows:
Dan Hoadley
"As the Head of Data Science & Analytics in the strategy team at Mishcon de Reya, a Silver Circle law firm, Dan Hoadley plays a pivotal role in leveraging data and machine learning techniques to enhance the firm's work. Dan developed the Blackstone natural language processing system, a pioneering free and open source model specifically trained for use on long-form texts containing common law entities and concepts. He is experienced in research and development in the legal space, with a particular focus on case law and data generated during litigation. In addition to working closely with MDR Lab and Practice Transformation teams, Dan supports the firm’s use of data for public advocacy and purpose-driven insights. He recently co-authored “Free Access to Case Law and the National Archives”, which proposes that access to the law be both guaranteed and publicly funded."
Nick West
"With a career built at the intersection of law and technology, Nick West is a prominent figure in the UK legal technology sector. Nick is a Partner and the Chief Strategy Officer at Mishcon de Reya, a prestigious London law firm, leading technological transformation efforts across the firm and the wider Mishcon group. During his time at Mishcon, Nick established one of the industry's first in-house data science and machine learning teams. He also co-founded Mishcon's tech-consultancy arm, MDRxTECH, and played a crucial role in launching the legal tech accelerator, MDR LAB. These initiatives highlight his commitment to innovation and leveraging technology to enhance legal services."
Read more about this year's awards.