Obiter is a big fan of things Welsh, especially Brains bitter and the Super Furry Animals. So we shall be sad if this fine nation decides it can dole out justice better on its own and creates a separate legal jurisdiction (not half as sad as whoever gets the job of amending all those ‘England and Wales’ notices, mind you).

But have the Welsh already started to separate from their English cousins through their dealings with law firms?

A Freedom of Information request has revealed that of this year’s Welsh government panel firms, just one, Browne Jacobson, has no presence in Wales. The other four, Eversheds, Geldards, Hugh James and Morgan Cole, all have a significant number of staff whistling Land of my Fathers. The chosen firms will share a pot of roughly £12m over the next four years.

Compare this with 2008, when half of the eight firms advising the Welsh government were based in England. Are Welsh lawyers just so much better than four years ago, or is Wales shuffling towards the exit without telling anyone? Obiter would like to know.