There are more than 150,000 solicitors on the roll in England and Wales with approximately 7,000 - 8,000 qualifying each year.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) maintains records of students at each stage of their training from the point at which they enrol with the SRA as a student member. Records include performance on the Legal Practice Course, the registration of traineeships and admission to the Roll of those who successfully complete their training.
Details of the ethnic origin of students, as well as other biographic data, are sought at the time of enrolment. Students are not obliged to complete the question on their ethnicity but historically a high proportion of students have been prepared to do so. This research helps the Solicitors Regulation Authority to monitor the make up of those wanting to enter the profession.
Undergraduates and graduates in law
In 2009, 29,211 people applied to study law at undergraduate level in England and Wales. Out of these 19,882 (68.1 per cent) were accepted onto courses. Women made up 62.3 per cent of students accepted onto university law degree courses. Overseas students made up 16.2 per cent of those accepted. Students from minority ethnic groups accounted for 32.7 per cent of those starting a first degree law course in 2009.
Student enrolments with the Law Society
Prior to embarking on the Legal Practice Course, or entering into a training contract, students must enrol with the SRA as student members. In the year up to 31 July 2010, 8,098 students enrolled with the SRA. Of these students, 5,008 were women, making up 61.5 per cent of the intake. 2,507 were drawn from minority ethnic groups, making up 31 per cent.
The Legal Practice Course
The Legal Practice Course is the next stage towards qualification as a solicitor. In 2010-11, there were 12,142 full time and 3,024 part time places available on the Legal Practice Course with 7,064 students enrolling in total.
Training contracts
The training contract is the final hurdle in becoming a solicitor. It is a work based training period, generally undertaken over two years, with a firm of solicitors. In the year ending 31 July 2011, 5,441 new traineeships were registered with the SRA. 63.5 per cent of these trainees were female. We have ethnicity data for 93.1 per cent of these trainees. Trainees from minority ethnic groups represented 22.2 per cent of those with known ethnicity.
Admission to the Roll
Once the qualifying law degree, the Legal Practice Course and the training period have been completed successfully, application can be made to the Roll of solicitors of England and Wales, which entitles the applicant to practise as a solicitor.
- 8,402 individuals were admitted to the Roll in the year that ended 31 July 2011. 59.1 per cent of these were women.
- 1,683 solicitors admitted were from minority ethnic groups. 57.9 per cent of those admitted from minority ethnic groups were female.
- The average age of those entered onto the Roll in 2010-11 was 30.2 years. The average age of males was slightly higher than that of females.
Solicitors on the Roll
By virtue of the Solicitors Act 1974 the Solicitors Regulation Authority is required to collect and maintain records of all qualified solicitors on the Roll.
As at 31 July 2011 there were 159,524 solicitors on the Roll:
- 79,947 (53.3 per cent) of these were men
- 70,181 (46.7 per cent) were women.
- 20,153 (11.9 per cent) were from minority ethnic groups
121,933 of the solicitors on the Roll in 2010 held current practising certificates:
- 53,966 (45.8 per cent) were held by women
- 65,213 (54.2 per cent) were held by men.
- 11.1 per cent were from minority ethnic groups
Source: Law Society's annual statistical report, 2010. For all annual reports, statistics and analysis see Research and trends.