Our client: a UK law firm with a strong reputation in the charity sector and a clear commitment to long‑term client relationships. To support continued growth and ensure its services remained closely aligned with the needs of charities, the firm sought independent, evidence‑based insight into how it was perceived in the market and the challenges facing the sector.

The challenge

While the firm had a strong reputation in the charity sector, leadership recognised the need for independent, evidence‑based insight to inform future investment and service development. Specifically, the firm wanted to understand how charities selected external legal advisers, how its brand was perceived within the sector, and which emerging issues were likely to shape client needs over the next few years.  The firm required robust, credible research that could support strategic decision‑making and guide the development of services tailored to the charity sector.

The approach

Acuigen was appointed to design and deliver a bespoke research programme focused on the UK charity sector. Working closely with the firm, Acuigen developed a detailed questionnaire and undertook a programme of telephone and web‑based interviews with senior representatives from a sample of the UK’s top 300 charities. During delivery, response patterns indicated that the original methodology needed to be adapted. Acuigen worked collaboratively with the client to revise the approach mid‑programme, moving to a combined telephone and online strategy to ensure high engagement and data quality. Methodological changes were clearly communicated, and recommendations were agreed jointly to ensure the research objectives were met. The revised research approach proved effective, delivering high‑quality insight into how charities appoint legal advisers, how they assess value and expertise, and what challenges they anticipated facing over the next three years. Findings were presented through a client briefing supported by a detailed written report, providing both strategic overview and practical detail.

Impact and outcomes

The research provided the firm with a clear and evidence‑based understanding of its market position in the charity sector. Insight informed the development of a targeted growth strategy, enabling the firm to refine its offering and better support charities in responding to the pressures and changes they faced. The programme also strengthened the firm’s understanding of client expectations and decision‑making, providing a foundation for longer‑term service development and relationship building within a strategically important sector.