employ local talent: “In the future we'd like to have a bit more of an effect [and] capitalize on a bit more talent in Wales whether they are just graduates or just anyone from Wales - that would be good” (Validient). Credas and Validient, however, raised concerns about a shortage of local talent in Wales. Additionally, Credas noted that, with the rise in work-from-home during and after the pandemic, the salary competition has now become global, and competition for hiring local talent has been exacerbated. There is also a perception that graduates are often reluctant to join start-ups and prefer working in big corporates. Relocating talent to Wales is an alternative that several interviewees have considered. However, immigration policies seem to pose challenges in this domain: “Highly skilled, highly educated people with the skills that we need are desperately short in the UK. But we can't bring them here and give them jobs because of our immigration policy […]. I think it should be relaxed” (Credas). To address these issues, the interviewees suggested developing closer collaboration with local universities, possibly involving internships or industry placements: I want to be working with universities, getting graduates through and giving them some actual experience straight out the door. […] I think the beauty of what universities can do is going out there and actually from a purely objective perspective speak to businesses and establish generally what kind of problems they have. Getting that information is so valuable. (Identitech) Another form of close collaboration would involve networking, showcasing and developing the students’ employability skills. According to Validient: To have a way of essentially [allowing] different students, who just come out of university, […] to show what they work, how much they do, what they love and just get people to meet them. I think that would be brilliant because, you know, when you're hiring you get so many CVs coming in and they all say the same thing and it's sort of like “okay, but what really sets [you] apart?” For us it was showing initiative, you're out there working doing more stuff and that really attracted us. (Validient) 4.5 Key findings The interviews we conducted with four start-ups and scale-ups highlighted some common themes and trends. Overall, Wales is perceived as a supportive environment for LegalTech start-ups and scale-ups, providing opportunities for close collaboration with government, local authorities, universities and the local legal sector. There is a strong sense of community: our interviewees cherish the support they receive and are keen to contribute to the local economy and society, for example by hiring local talent, prioritizing Welsh customers, and supporting community projects and organisations. However, Welsh LegalTech start-ups and scale-ups also face challenges, which may put them at a disadvantage compared to competitors established in London and other parts of the UK: among these challenges, access to funding for scaling up, access to talent in Wales or willing to relocate here, and access to the legal sector market, perceived as more conservative in its adoption of technology compared to England.
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