The Sustainability of Professional Services in Rural Areas; Law Firms in Rural Wales

 

Lead Researchers: Dr Alex Franklin and Prof Robert Lee 

Legal Services in Rural Wales - a study of Law Firms

Background

Legal service provision plays a key role in sustaining the development and economy of rural areas. A major policy concern is how rural communities are able to access and engage these services. To date, however, very little research has been conducted on the sustainability of professional services within rural areas. The purpose of this study is to fill this knowledge gap and, in turn, use the findings to stimulate discussion and formulate policy recommendations.

This research fits in with BRASS aims as it:

• Looks at significant changes occurring between businesses, their customers and communities as well as other stakeholders
• Takes an interdisciplinary approach to the understanding of interactions between businesses and their social environment through the use of legal and social science research

It is strongly focused on sustainability as it considers the impacts of potential decline of professional services in rural areas, both on the communities served but also on the access to legal advice for individuals.

• Aims and Objectives
• Methodology
• Outputs
• Partners and Funding
• Key Findings