Solicitor numbers & demographics

Some 6% of solicitors reported having a disability, up from 5% in 2021. By comparison, 16% of the UK working population have a disability.

The proportion of solicitors with parents from a ‘professional’ background fell from 60% in 2019 to 57% in 2023. The proportion of solicitors who attended independent or fee-paying schools has fallen from 23% in 2015 to 21% in 2023 (compared to 7.5% of the general population). However, the largest firms tend to hire more lawyers from privileged backgrounds, with 65% of solicitors from a professional socio-economic background and 28% who went to independent or fee-paying schools.

Across all firms, 19% of solicitors are of Black, Asian or minority ethnic origin (up from 18% in 2021 and 14% in 2015). This group is made up of 12% Asian lawyers, 3% Black, 3% Mixed/Multiple and 1% of lawyers from other minority ethnic backgrounds.

Overall, 17% of law firm partners (but 36% of solo partners and 8% of partners at firms with more than 50 partners) are from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds.

The majority of solicitors are women—53%, up from 52% in 2021 and 48% in 2015. Some 37% of partners are women, up from 35% in 2021, and women account for 32% of equity partners across all firms and 28% in firms with more than 50 partners.

Paul Philip, SRA Chief Executive, said: ‘A diverse and inclusive legal profession which reflects the wider community is not only good for the public, but good for legal businesses themselves. It benefits everyone to have the most talented people from all backgrounds able to work and progress in the legal sector.’