UKResearch
UK legal services exports near £11bn in 2025, Law Society research finds
Law Society research reported by the Law Gazette on September 22, 2026 found UK legal services exports rose to almost £11 billion in 2025, a more than 60% increase over five years, with a trade surplus of about £9.6 billion. The US and EU accounted for nearly two-thirds of export revenue, and English law was cited as governing about 40% of global cross-border business and financial transactions.
Key points
- UK legal services exports reached almost £11 billion in 2025, up more than 60% in five years.Law Gazette
- The trade surplus was about £9.6 billion.Law Gazette
- The US (£3.2bn) and EU (£3.7bn) accounted for nearly two-thirds of export revenue.Law Gazette
- The Society said English law underpins around 40% of the world’s cross-border business and financial transactions.Law Gazette
- Solicitors based outside England and Wales grew 9.6% to 9,066 in 2025, led by the UAE, Hong Kong, and Singapore.Law Gazette