TSR Legal Recruitment has launched a new Podcast on careers, law firms, culture and opportunities in the legal sector in Wales. In the first episode, TSR Director Ryan Pryce speaks with Jacqui Gower, Chief Operating Officer at JCP Solicitors, about career progression, the realities of operational leadership in a modern law firm, and what’s shaping the Welsh legal market.

In the podcast, Jacqui explained her route to COO began with a clear direction. “Law was always the end goal for me,” she says, but alongside that ambition sat a long-standing interest in how organisations work. After starting in a large Cardiff firm and moving into management and HR, she joined JCP as HR Manager in 2019, progressed to HR Director, and now holds a role that “combines law… business… and the people management.”

A central theme of the episode is how operations underpins client service. At JCP, Jacqui describes operations as a support function with a clear internal customer mindset:

“We see ourselves in JCP operations as a service to the legal team… the legal teams are our clients.” With compliance and working practices constantly shifting, she adds that operations is “ever changing” — and her job is “connecting the dots between HR, marketing, finance, compliance, administration,” while looking ahead to what the business needs next.

One of the most candid parts of the conversation is Jacqui’s take on change management. Rather than being a one-off project, she argues it is continuous:

“Every day is about change management… you can’t underestimate how every tiny change you make will impact someone and the way they work.” Her approach is rooted in listening: “Key is communication — and by that I don’t mean talking… I actually mean listening more than you talk.”

That people-first approach also runs through the firm’s culture and recruitment. Asked what sets JCP apart, Jacqui is unequivocal:

“It is our people that set us apart.” She adds that values matter as much as competence — “they have to be lovely… they have to have good values that match ours” — because, in her words, it helps create “a lovely place to work and a lovely place to do business.”

The podcast also explores JCP’s community presence as the firm has grown. Jacqui challenges the assumption that growth dilutes local identity, suggesting it can create more opportunity to invest time: “We prefer to give time over anything else,” she says, pointing to staff involvement in local events across South Wales.

The legal sector landscape in Wales

On the wider Welsh legal landscape, Jacqui highlights structural pressures — particularly around funding routes into the profession and building a diverse workforce. “We need a really diverse workforce,” she says, arguing that apprenticeships are a key part of the solution and that firms should collaborate to make pathways work in Wales.

Looking ahead, Jacqui describes AI as both real and hyped — but already useful when applied to practical problems.

“It is changing the way we work, definitely,” she says, particularly in reducing “mundane admin heavy tasks” so lawyers and support teams can focus on higher-value work. Crucially, she sees tech as an enabler of better client experience: “The firms that will thrive are the ones who use AI to get rid of the admin heavy tasks to free up time for client service.”

With client expectations accelerating and operational demands increasing, the episode is a timely reminder that modern legal performance isn’t only about legal capability — it’s about culture, systems, and leadership that keeps people aligned through constant change.

Watch the full episode here

Stream all the TSR Legal podcast episodes on your preferred audio player, here.

Key takeaways from the episode, discover:

• Jacqui’s journey from HR to COO at JCP.
• The importance of understanding operations in a law firm.
• Change management is a daily task in legal operations.
• Community engagement enhances the firm’s local presence.
• JCP’s people-centric culture sets it apart in the legal market.
• Challenges in the Welsh legal market include underfunding.
• Innovative apprenticeship schemes are vital for growth.
• AI is transforming the legal industry, creating more meaningful work.
• Client expectations are rising, demanding quicker service.
• Effective communication is key to managing change.

Latest Legal Jobs

Click here to view the current legal sector vacancies from TSR Legal.

Interview opportunity

To contact TSR Legal about taking part on the podcast, contact Ryan Pryce, Director, TSR Legal via email at: ryan@tsrlegal.co.uk