UK legal exports increase year on year
The value of UK legal services exports has increased by nearly 40% in two years (2021 to 2023) according to analysis carried out by the Law Society of England and Wales, following new data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).*
The growth from £6.7bn in 2021 to £8.4bn in 2022 to £9.5bn in 2023 shows that the international demand for English law is rising year-on-year.
Users of legal services globally are frequently selecting English law above other laws for their commercial contracts and transactions across various sectors and areas of trade.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: “This increase demonstrates the impact that the legal profession and English and Welsh law are having internationally.
“This growth also reflects the high regard and the pivotal role that English and Welsh solicitors play in providing world-class legal services to global clients.
“The UK legal sector continues to thrive and the UK remains in a strong global position as one of the largest legal markets in the world for legal expertise and a hub for international legal work.”
According to the Law Society’s latest research**, the value of exports plays a fundamental role, fuelling economic growth, improving living standards and reducing overall levels of poverty.
The UK’s growing trade balance for legal services is positive with exports continuing to outpace imports indicating that global demand for UK legal services is increasing at a faster rate than the demand for foreign legal services in the UK***.
Notes to editors
*03 Trade in services, The Pink Book, Office for National Statistics
**The international data insights report is an annual publication that tracks the performance of the UK’s main dispute resolution centres and examines the growth of the UK legal profession globally.
***The economic contribution of legal services 2024 report details the latest valuation of the legal services sector to the UK economy and internationally.
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