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Lawpath, Victorian government team up to help businesses shift online
Newlaw firm Lawpath has partnered with the Victorian state government to assist small businesses to adapt to online legal services.
Jerome Doraisamy
Last week, Lawpath announced that, until the end of March, eligible businesses in the Garden State will be able to claim back the cost of a Lawpath legal plan. The partnership between the NewLaw practice and the government forms part of the latter’s $20 million Small Business Digital Adaptation Program.
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The program, Lawpath said in a statement, will provide eligible businesses with a $1,200 rebate for purchasing digital products and services from program partners, which follows the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which “left many businesses struggling to stay afloat”.
“The program focuses not only on the recovery of businesses, but also their long-term efficacy in a rapidly changing world. This comes after online methods of doing business rose rapidly in 2020, with COVID-19 accelerating the shift to digital by as much as 10 years,” the firm said.
Speaking about the program, Victorian Minister for Small Business Jaala Pulford said: “Digital capability is vital for many businesses and we know that not every operator can afford those initial outlays that might produce a significant return.”
“I urge businesses to investigate if there is a product that can help them to do things better and reach more people,” she added.
Lawpath chief executive Dominic Woolrych (pictured) added that the firm is “really excited to be working with the Victorian Government to help businesses get back on their feet, but more so, we want to help businesses set up systems now that will assist them long into the future”.
“Like many online service providers, 2020 was a big year for us in that we saw a major increase in the number of businesses who used our platform. We’ve always felt that the future for business administration will live primarily online. Whether it’s accounting, employment, or legal, whichever area – you name it, you’ll be able to take care of these things from the comfort of your own home, and save time and money in the process,” he posited.
The partnership follows the firm’s $4.4 million capital raise in late 2019. In April of last year, Mr Woolrych spoke to Lawyers Weekly about how his firm, like other NewLaw practices, was bucking the trend on firm cuts in the wake of the pandemic and its economic impact.
