Law Society 2022 pay gap report
The Law Society of England and Wales has published its pay gap report for 2022.
This is the first year the Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are reporting their pay gaps as separate entities.*
To provide greater transparency, the Law Society is publishing disability, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation/identity and trans identity pay gap figures.
Law Society Chief Executive Ian Jeffery said: “The Law Society wants to make progress in narrowing our pay gaps and we know progress is not a linear journey.
“We’re committed to reducing our pay gaps by focusing on actions that are likely to have the widest impact.
“Our actions are also designed to further understanding of what’s causing our pay gaps and strive towards better equality, diversity and inclusion.
“We know some solutions and results may take time. We will be working hard to ensure we are implementing strategies to systematically narrow pay gaps for our valued employees in ways that are meaningful and durable.”
Gender
The 2022 median pay gap between male and female Law Society staff is 4.7% (in favour of male staff), lower than the current UK median pay gap of 14.9% (Office for National Statistics 2022**).
84.1% of male staff and 89.3% of female staff received a bonus in 2022.
Disability
The 2022 median disability pay gap is -3.5% (in favour of disabled staff), lower than the current UK disability pay gap of 13.8% (ONS 2021***).
96.8% of non-disabled staff and 94.3% of disabled staff received a bonus in 2022.
Ethnicity
Our 2022 median ethnicity pay gap is 15.6% (in favour of white staff). There is no national average data to compare this to.
96.6% of White staff and 95.8% of Black, Asian and ethnic minority staff received a bonus in 2022.
Sexual orientation/Identity and trans identity
The Law Society’s 2022 median pay gap for sexual orientation/identity and trans identity is -3.5% (in favour of LGBTQ+ staff).***
96.9% of heterosexual and cisgender staff and 94.4% of LGBTQ+ staff received a bonus in 2022.
Notes to editors
Read the Law Society’s pay gap report in full
* The Law Society Group was previously formed of two organisations which operated independently: the Law Society of England and Wales, the professional body for solicitors; and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. The Law Society became a separate legal entity in 2020.
** According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2022 UK median gender pay gap was 14.9%. View the research.
*** According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2021 UK disability pay gap was 13.8%. View the research.
*** The comparator of this data was heterosexual and cisgender identities with lesbian, gay, bisexual and other sexual orientations/ identities (LGBTQ+) and trans identities.
About the Law Society
The Law Society is the independent professional body that works globally to support and represent solicitors, promoting the highest professional standards, the public interest and the rule of law.
Press office contact: Naomi Jeffreys | 020 8049 3928