QualitySolicitors Redkite, the leading West Wales law firm, has today (Thursday, June 6) announced significant changes to its business.
The move reflects the current trend in the UK legal market, which has seen leading national and international firms restructure their operations.
We are fortunate here at QualitySolicitors Redkite in having a clear vision of how to build a successful modern law firm, with the emphasis on effectively and efficiently serving our clients in West Wales, said QS Redkite chief executive Andrew Manning (pictured above).
Along with other business sectors in the UK economy, we appreciate it is prudent to react to changes in the marketplace. It is a harsh reality that the legal sector now has excess capacity as the economy - and demand for legal services - has shrunk.
The changes begin with the start of a consultation process with staff about potential job losses.
The consultation involves 24 staff positions (12 in Carmarthenshire and 12 in Pembrokeshire) out of the total QualitySolicitors Redkite headcount of 120.
Mr Manning said: We plan to move to a structure more in line with larger leading law firms. There will be consultations with all staff, including lawyers, paralegals and support staff.
The changes reflect wider moves in the UK legal market, where leading national and international firms such as Eversheds, Berwin Leighton Paisner, Clyde & Co, Trowers & Hamlin, Bevan Brittan, Osborne Clarke and Wragge & Co have announced recent restructurings in the legal press.
QualitySolicitors Redkite Equity Partners David Sangster and Mike Evans commented -
"The Partners at Redkite have seen how the legal market is changing, with an ever-increasing supply of solicitors and other legal advisors joining the UK market.
We have seen big changes in demand following the credit boom of 2000-2007, public sector austerity cuts and legal reforms in areas such as Personal Injury.
As the largest law firm in West Wales, we are determined to be at the forefront of responding to such market changes and to build a 21st century law firm to meet our clients needs for a quality service at reasonable prices, delivered from a sustainable business platform.
We expect, over time, that our competitors will follow.
The Redkite restructure also includes Equity Partner Luke Smith focusing on his role as head of the Commercial Department and relocating to the Carmarthen office.
As recently announced, Mr Smith is handing over the reins as Managing Partner to newly installed chief executive Andrew Manning.
Mr Manning added -
I joined Redkite because I was impressed by how well the Partners understood the pressures facing the legal market, and also the opportunities to succeed in such a market.
For example, Equity Partner Tim Haggar has been very successful over the past couple of years in growing the firms opportunities to succeed.
Tim has been appointed to the professional panel of the Court of Protection Deputies and is also a full member of the highly respected Society of Estate & Trust Practitioners. He is now handling national as well as local cases.
The team at Redkite have a clear vision of building a successful modern law firm with motivated employees effectively and efficiently serving their clients in West Wales. They also have a national role in shaping the legal market as part of the QualitySolicitors brand.
Meanwhile, Equity Partners James Subbiani and David Williams are part of various groups, including the Law Society, lobbying Justice Secretary Chris Grayling against proposed changes to the way that criminal defendants are allocated legal representation.
A key part of my role is to assist the firm to achieve their vision of building a 21st century law firm. This includes bringing the business in line with practices adopted by well-managed leading, national and international firms.
Unfortunately (as has happened in other industries and other leading law firms), achieving this is expected to lead to some job losses in the short term. We will be entering into a consultation process with all staff today, and will ensure that support and assistance is provided to all concerned through a difficult transition process.

Redkite team was last year delighted to be chosen as the only law firm in Camarthenshire and Pembrokeshire to join QualitySolicitors. Redkite was established in 2011 through the merger of two long-established law firms in South West Wales Lowless & Lowless and Morris Roberts. The team at QualitySolicitors Redkite can be contacted on 01267 239000 and 01437 763332 or through the website at www.qualitysolicitors.com/redkite The firm currently has 15 partners and a total headcount of 120, with seven offices spread across Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.