UK Legal Services Market Report 2025

This is the 15th annual edition of the report published in February 2025 (77 page PDF report)

Report Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. 5

M arket structure. 8

Clear majority of legal advisers are regulated. 8

Legal services regulatory bill moves through committee stage in Scotland. 10

Unregulated sector. 11

Law firm numbers decline by almost 1,100 in last five years. 11

Chamber numbers decrease in 2023. 13

Licensed conveyancers. 13

Patent and trademark attorneys. 14

Cost lawyers. 14

Other providers of legal services. 14

Personnel numbers. 15

Solicitors. 15

Barristers. 16

Other legal professionals. 17

Total legal services employment. 17

MARKET DEVELOPMENTS. 19

Law Society analyses the economic contribution of legal services. 19

Latest evaluation of the SRA’s Standards and Regulations. 20

MoJ survey explores how individuals solve legal problems. 21

Government proposals on legal aid fee increases. 21

More growth in the ALSPs market. 22

Research identifies significant increase in AI adoption in UK law firms. 23

THE KEY PLAYERS. 24

The Top 100 firms generate improved revenue growth in latest year. 24

Acquisitions and mergers. 25

Top 50 UK Law Firms . 32

Selected other legal services providers. 33

Listed law firms and others with legal interests. 34

Gateley PLC. 34

Keystone Law Group PLC. 35

Knights PLC. 35

NAHL Group PLC. 36

RBG Holdings PLC. 37

Other listed companies with legal interests. 37

Anexo PLC. 37

Frenkel Topping Group PLC. 38

ZIGUP PLC. 39

Consumer Law Firms. 40

Co-op Legal Services. 41

Fletchers. 42

Irwin Mitchell LLP. 41

Minster Law Ltd. 41

Simpson Millar. 41

Slater & Gordon UK Ltd. 42

Thompsons Solicitors LLP. 42

Other consumer legal services providers. 42

MARKET SIZE AND TRENDS. 43

Double-digit value growth in 2024. 43

UK has a positive trade balance of over £7bn in legal services. 46

MARKET SEGMENTATION. 47

Corporate, financial and commercial law.. 48

Overview.. 48

M&A activity. 49

Company formations and insolvencies. 49

Commercial Courts. 50

International litigation and dispute resolution. 50

Personal injury. 52

Overview.. 52

Official Injury Claim – only 10% of claims submitted by individuals. 54

Commercial and residential property, including conveyancing. 54

Overview.. 54

Residential property market improvement in 2024. 55

Wills, trusts and probate. 55

Overview.. 55

Probate applications increasing as deaths also rise. 56

Family law.. 57

Overview.. 57

Family court cases increase in 2024. 57

Employment law.. 58

Overview.. 58

Employment tribunal cases started and completed increase in latest year. 59

THE FUTURE. 60

Improved growth across most practice areas. 61

Forecasts. 65

Professional bodies and regulatory authorities. 66