Top Spanish law firms have teamed up with legal tech start ups and universities to set up a legal technology hub in Barcelona.

Legal practices Cuatrecasas, Deloitte Legal, Roca Junyent and Jané are founder members of the networking group the Global LegalTech Hub, which holds its first public meeting tomorrow evening.

The initiative has 18 founder members, which also include Barcelona University, PIMEC, an industry body for SMEs, and a grouping of legal tech firms, including Red Points, which specialises in brand protection software.

It represents a bid by the Barcelona’s legal tech community to become a leading international hub for the $16bn legal tech market, alongside the likes of London, Madrid and Singapore, which were identified by a recent Law Society of England and Wales study as being among 10 cities vying to be global leaders.

Funding for the initiative will be provided by the founder members as well as sponsors and it is anticipated membership will reach 100 in the coming weeks. 

Red Points chief executive Laura Urquizu, who is the grouping’s inaugural president, said the project united the key stakeholders in the legal tech sector.

 “We’re creating an association that represents the legal sector transversally as well as the industry that provides technology and services,” he said. 

“We have a clear vision of how it impacts the digital transformation within this industry and it’s for the same reason that we want to lead it and help with the transition into the new model.” 

Francesc Muñoz, chief information officer of Cuatrecasas, said the grouping was looking to set up a physical space in Barcelona where members can collaborate.

“The LegalTech Hub will be an essential place of union between companies, law firms and startups to innovate in the streamlining of their legal processes,” he said.

“The work starts now. We’re facing a white canvas that we need to start painting.”