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Legal

Home of the world's business law

The UK's offer

  • The UK is the world's second largest legal centre in terms of revenue
  • Over 200 foreign law firms have chosen the UK for overseas offices
  • English law is used in 40% of all global corporate arbitrations
  • A talent pool of 350,000 people in the sector - with deep pools of talent across the UK

Leading legal expertise

The popularity of English and Welsh law drives the UK’s position as provider of the world's legal services. Some 27% of the world’s 320 legal jurisdictions, are governed by systems based on English common law - by far the most popular choice for cross-border contracts. 

The UK legal services sector, second in size only to the US, is recognised globally for its quality of advice. Over 1,800 members of the Bar of England and Wales receive instructions from clients abroad.

Supported by excellence in legal training and education, the UK is renowned as the leading global centre for dispute resolution.

Download Fact Sheet

Resolving international disputes

The UK is the leading global centre for international dispute resolution. 40% of corporate arbitrations internationally use English and Welsh law – more than twice as many as the next governing law

200+

foreign law firms

from over 40 jurisdictions have offices in the UK

10,000

people employed in the UK

by law firms based overseas

All

of the top 50

law firms by revenue have offices in the UK

Lawtech

Innovation in the UK’s legal sector is creating new roles, skills, and uses for technology. Our Global City campaign highlights the strengths of this ecosystem and how collaboration between technology and the legal sector is leading to greater competitiveness.

Read more

Growth in legal services

Revenue generated by legal activities in the UK has trended strongly upwards in the past decade to £36.8bn in 2019. Net exports of UK legal services stood at £5.9bn. 

The UK legal services sector is forecast to produce turnover of £36bn and net exports of £6.6bn by 2020.

Growth in exports

The UK supplies legal expertise to the world - trade surplus of legal services grew by more than 85% in the last decade

Growth in exports

Growth in revenues

Legal services revenue in the UK grew by 44% between 2010 and 2019

Growth in revenues

Europe's legal centre

The largest centre in Europe, the UK accounts for a third of Western European legal services fee revenues

Europe's legal centre

International reach and services

The largest international law firms in London have between 45% and 65% of their lawyers based outside the UK, and many other London-based firms have between 10% and 20% of lawyers overseas.

The CityUK, “Legal excellence, internationally renowned: UK legal services 2019”

Read the report at TheCityUK

Future proofing the UK’s legal capabilities

A new flagship 18 courtroom legal centre providing world-class expertise in tackling cybercrime, fraud and economic crime will be completed in 2025 in the Square Mile.

It is being developed jointly by the City of London Corporation, HM Courts and Tribunal Services.  

Partner story

Ignition Law

Ignition Law

Partner Story

Burness Paul LLP

Burness Paul LLP

Partner story

Legatics

Legatics

Partner story

King & Wood Mallesons

King & Wood Mallesons

See more case studies

Everything you need

The UK offers you everything you need to grow your business.

We have a global outlook, which means we understand your business needs. The depth and breadth of our offer mean unparalleled opportunities for you to grow. Innovation is what we do - creating an inspirational ecosystem where you can thrive. 

Choose the UK

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