Our international work

Our international department provides practical support, training, information and advice to law firms and legal professionals working abroad, or exploring international opportunities.

We work to raise awareness of the UK legal industry’s contribution to the global marketplace and to promote the expertise of our members across all regions, sectors and practice areas.

What we do

We increase business opportunities for our members

We use our market intelligence, our contacts and our international reputation to run a variety of initiatives to help our members develop their international links and understanding of the international marketplace.

We protect and promote the wider international interests of our members

We directly lobby governments and bar associations on market access and practice rights. We also pursue market access for the profession through the formal global trade system, through the UK government and the European Union and at the World Trade Organisation.

We promote English and Welsh law and expertise internationally

We promote England and Wales as the law, forum and seat of choice. We believe that we have the best business law and the best legal advisers and we use a variety of channels and methods to promote both.

We participate in, and also run, a number of international promotional campaigns and represent and promote our members at international conferences and forums.

We also maintain links with 130 foreign bar associations. We work with external stakeholders including:

• Chambers of Commerce
• EU Institutions
• foreign embassies
• education and training providers
• UK and foreign governments
• NGOs
• UK parliament
• publishers/press
• charities
• courts and the judiciary
• alternative dispute resolution bodies
• trade and industry associations

Visit our International page for full information on all of our activities

See our Global Legal Centre campaign

Keep up to date with the latest developments and receive our newsletters by following the 'international' topic in My LS.

Our work in international rule of law and human rights

We believe that the legal profession in general, and solicitors specifically, have a clear role to play in championing the values and concepts of justice, fairness, equity and legitimacy.

We aim to promote the values and principles that underpin the legal profession by supporting the legal profession in upholding the rule of law, advocating access to justice and promoting and protecting human rights.

Read more about our work in international rule of law and human rights