Legal industry veterans reunite to launch NuCAS, a new managed legal services provider
Newcastle, 9 October 2025 – Legal sector experts and former Clifford Chance and Carillion Advice Services (“CAS”) leaders Lucy Nixon and Richard Tapp have reunited to launch NuCAS Managed Legal Services Limited (“NuCAS” or “the company”). The two veterans of the industry are being backed by Crasner Ventures.
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. Its platform provides services that reduce costs while alleviating workload, simplifying operations and unlocking new opportunities to add value.
The company is already seeing tremendous momentum in the market, recently securing an engagement from the corporate legal department of Numatic International Ltd., the well-known UK manufacturer of vacuum cleaners and cleaning solutions including the iconic “Henry” vacuum range.
NuCAS’ solutions can be tailored to fit specific requirements of clients, such as enhancing operational efficiency; solving resource challenges; and helping them improve their services, making them seamless and more efficient. NuCAS’s approach is holistic, working as an extension of client teams rather than simply offering staffing or tech solutions. Ultimately, NuCAS enables law firms to balance cost efficiency with excellence, increasing profitability and competitiveness; and it empowers in-house teams to better prioritise strategic initiatives to drive their businesses forward.
NuCAS adheres to a “listen, innovate, deliver” mantra that sets a path forward for each individual client. This means that, unlike most other providers in the marketplace, the company is never limited by pre-packaged solutions or pre-designed technology. Clients can expect a fully bespoke service which can implement the appropriate resources – including people and advanced technology – at the right time and in the right way, to address their specific needs and requirements.
The launch sees Nixon, who will serve as Chief Executive, and Tapp, who will serve as Chair, team up again after their pioneering work in managed legal services with CAS. Together, they oversaw tremendous growth of the division over five years before being acquired by Clifford Chance, where Nixon continued to grow and evolve the offer within the Magic Circle firm until reuniting with Tapp to start NuCAS.
“Throughout my career, I’ve kept one principle at the heart of everything: the client comes first. From my early days in legal aid to leading teams that solve complex challenges, I’ve always believed in doing things better, faster, and with purpose,” said Lucy Nixon, Founder and Chief Executive at NuCAS. “Our new offering is built to help clients navigate rapid change, harness the power of tech and AI, and stay focused on what truly matters. It’s not just about legal support; it’s about giving our clients a competitive edge.”
The launch comes at a pivotal time for the profession. For in-house teams, 69% of general counsel report cost pressures from business leaders[i], while 76% say their teams are buried in low value work[ii]. For law firms, client satisfaction is falling – only 44% of UK clients said they were delighted with law firm service in 2023, down from 50% in 2022[iii]. At the same time, 100% of the UK’s top 10 firms are pursuing innovative legal services solutions[iv], and more than a third of firms are already partnering with independent alternative legal services providers, most expecting that use to increase[v].
Nixon is a dynamic leader with two decades of experience transforming legal teams across law firms and in-house environments. Most recently, she served as Head of the Newcastle Office at Clifford Chance, overseeing the firm’s client service delivery through its thriving Northern Innovation Hub after it acquired CAS.
Tapp brings unparalleled expertise and perspective through over 20 years as global general counsel to FTSE corporations. His career has seen him establish and lead major in-house legal and professional services functions on every continent, and win industry awards, including the prestigious FT Innovative Lawyers European In-House Lawyer Award.
Richard Tapp, Founder and Chair at NuCAS said: “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.”
NuCAS has also secured a meaningful seed investment 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. NuCAS’s maiden investment from Crasner Ventures, which prides itself on adding value beyond its capital injection, bolsters the business whilst providing far-reaching connections within the legal sector that will benefit NuCAS and its clients.
Nick Crasner, owner and chief investment officer at Crasner Ventures, said: “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. I’m excited to see the positive impact of NuCAS in the market, delighted to be part of what will be a market leader in years to come, and I look forward to the journey we are about to embark upon.”
[i] Thomson Reuters Institute, State of the Corporate Law Department Report, 2024
[ii] Juro, Tech GC Report, 2023
[iii] Thomson Reuters Institute, State of the Corporate Law Department Report, 2024
[iv] PWC Law Firms Survey, 2024
[v] Thomson Reuters Institute, Alternative Legal Services Providers, 2025