UK Legal Services Market Report 2026
This is the 16th annual edition of the report published in January 2026 (77 page PDF report)
Report Contents
Overview of legal regulation. 8
Law firm numbers drop below 9,000 in England and Wales. 10
Chamber numbers decrease in last two years. 12
Patent and trademark attorneys. 13
Other providers of legal services. 13
Total legal services employment. 16
Fairer outcomes, stronger confidence, better services – progress so far. 17
MoJ report highlights economic, trade, IT benefits of liberalised legal sector. 17
Government proposal to raise funds from law firm client accounts. 18
Mazur decision impacts on who can conduct litigation but appeal lodged. 19
Law Society details recommendations to improve access to justice. 20
LSB says regulators need to tackle the growing crisis of unmet legal needs. 21
Law Commission calls for reform of law on wills including digital wills. 22
PACCAR ruling set to be reversed. 23
Selected other legal services providers. 33
Listed law firms and others with legal interests. 33
Other listed companies with legal interests. 36
Cooperative Legal Services. 37
Fletchers. 37
Other consumer legal services providers. 40
Value growth in 2025 pushes revenue to over £55bn. 41
UK legal services exports pass £10bn for the first time. 43
Corporate, financial and commercial law.. 45
Company formations and insolvencies. 46
International litigation and dispute resolution. 47
Total registered cases still falling but some growth in clinical negligence claims. 49
Official Injury Claim – only 12% of claims submitted by individuals. 50
Commercial and residential property, including conveyancing. 50
Residential property market more resilient in 2025. 51
Probate applications decreasing in 2025. 52
Family court cases decreased in 2024 but grew again in 2025. 54
Employment tribunal cases started and completed increase in latest year. 55
