Lucy Nixon and Richard Tapp, both well-known legal sector experts with a track record in managed services, have launched a new ALSP, NuCas, which will leverage AI – see AL In-depth Interview below. The business is backed by Crasner Ventures.
They both played key roles in developing and leading what at the time was the ground-breaking Carillion Advice Services, which Clifford Chance bought in 2018. Nixon will serve as Chief Executive and Tapp will be Chair.
They explained that ‘NuCAS combines deep legal expertise, proven processes and advanced technology, including AI, to help law firms and in-house teams streamline day-to-day work’.
And as they told AL (see interview below), they will focus on fixed fee billing, rather than a time-based approach.
They have already gained traction in the market, they said, including winning Numatics International, the maker of ‘Henry the hoover’, as a customer.
NuCas added that while they are an ALSP / managed legal service focused on process and efficiency in delivery, that ‘clients can expect a fully bespoke service….to address their specific needs and requirements’.
Tapp, Founder and Chair at NuCAS, commented: ‘It is an absolute privilege to be working with Lucy again to build upon our joint expertise bringing focused solutions to our clients using the best in advanced technology, business processes and people. We genuinely feel we have developed an offer which reflects our longstanding interest in bringing streamlined, cutting-edge legal solutions to business. I’m confident my experience as a purchaser, consumer and provider of legal services gives me unique insight into the challenges and opportunities each presents.’
Nick Crasner, owner and chief investment officer at Crasner Ventures, added: ‘I’ve always said the best investments unlock talent and I have been so impressed with Lucy and Richard, since the start of our discussions. They have already developed a winning formula in their previous partnership, but I believe that they’re now at the forefront of an evolving industry and have built something that really adds value in ways that many of its peers don’t.’
In-depth AL Interview With Lucy Nixon
First, congratulations on the launch. How will AI be used? And in what areas of work?
It’s a key part of our offering – we have seen first-hand how it can revolutionise legal services. We will use AI to help us run our operations, automating our workflows and processes– we are starting from a blank page, so are able to incorporate appropriate AI from the beginning. In terms of legal work, we have applied tech and AI to multiple work types and practice areas in the past and will continue to do so.
When we use AI to support legal work, it is always supervised by experienced professionals, as this ensures accuracy, quality and alignment with client expectations. Our approach is to be tech agnostic – we will use the right tool for the job and focus on helping our clients to drive adoption and ensure they get the maximum impact from deploying the tool.
Will this be focused on fixed fees?
Yes, our intention is to focus on a fixed fee per outcome.
Can you tell us more about the funding?
Yes, we have secured meaningful Seed capital from Crasner Ventures, a leading venture platform focussed on investment in the legal, technology and recruitment sectors and run by Nick Crasner – a highly respected legal head-hunter and strategic consultant trusted by many of the world’s largest law firms.
We aim to seek additional funding around Q1 2026 and anticipate bringing on board some additional investors.
For our initial backing, we couldn’t be happier to have Nick and Crasner Ventures on board. They not only bring capital to help us scale more quickly, they also provide far-reaching connections within the legal sector that will be a benefit to NuCAS and our clients.
How many people will you start with and what’s the growth goal?
We are starting with a strong senior team initially and aim to grow to a similar size to our other businesses. We see a lot of opportunity and unmet demand in the market – we are excited about where we can take NuCAS.
Lastly – do you think clients are changing how they handle legal services?
We have spoken to a wide range of clients in preparing our business plan, and in our previous CAS business were successful in helping significant clients (both law firm and in-house) to handle their work differently by working with us.
The advent of AI has greatly increased client interest in possible change, and from our research we are heartened that we can work individually with clients to develop and deliver the right solutions for them. In particular, we know clients want support to implement legal tech and AI in a sensible way, beyond just hype.
Many have told us that they are keen to adopt more technology as they know they know it will help with efficiency and profitability, but they want to do it sensibly. Our solution allows them to adopt the right tech at the right time.
Thanks and look forward to seeing NuCas grow – it looks like the right model at the right time!
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You can find more about NuCas here.
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Legal Innovators Conferences in London and New York – November ’25
If you’d like to stay ahead of the legal AI curve then come along to Legal Innovators New York, Nov 19 + 20 and also, Legal Innovators UK – Nov 4 + 5 + 6, where the brightest minds will be sharing their insights on where we are now and where we are heading.
Legal Innovators UK arrives first, with: Law Firm Day on Nov 4th, then Inhouse Day, on the 5th, and then our new Litigation Day on the 6th.
Both events, as always, are organised by the Cosmonauts team!
Please get in contact with them if you’d like to take part.
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