Aims and Objectives

The main objectives of this project are:

To conduct semi-structured interviews with a sample of law firms in case study areas across rural Wales, in order to gain a greater understanding of the firms’ structure, client base, market share, the geographical spread of their activities, productivity growth/decline, main competitors, employee profile, recruitment and retention practices, and their role in the local community.
To analyse the interview data, identifying sectorally specific trends and any symptoms of a more general decline in rural services. For example, how dependent are the firms on publicly funded legal service provision, and how does this compare to the position of firms based outside Wales? Does the rural location of these firms mean that they face particular problems of employee recruitment and retention?
To compare this data with the more general quantitative data available on both the legal profession in England and Wales, and the rural economy. The use of GIS techniques will be employed to map the quantitative data to reveal spatial trends.
To identify the needs and requirements of rural solicitors’ firms and look at how both private sector and public sector initiatives might be used to enhance legal services provision available in rural areas.
To provide a focus on the options for change available to the solicitors (for example, for more efficient service delivery and for the creation of networks for collaboration and joint marketing), highlighting barriers to change and suggesting innovative management practice.
To provide recommendations for policy development in the legal services and economic development policy communities, to enable policy makers and other stakeholders to address issues in a more strategic manner.
To contribute to an understanding of sustainability and social capital within local rural communities, and to highlight the importance of legal services