Law Society celebrates its 200 years in London

News

This year, the Law Society of England and Wales marks its 200th anniversary.

In the past six months, it has met with hundreds of its members but also aspiring lawyers, students, judges, local law societies, journalists and members of the public.

The tour has spanned more than 20 cities, from Cardiff and Newcastle to Nottingham and Birmingham, down to Bristol and Norwich and beyond national borders to celebrate the global standing of UK law.

The London event on 23 June is one of the final stops for the tour.

Research* by the Law Society reveals that the capital, as a world legal hub, trusts lawyers and the legal industry.

• Six in 10 (60%) of Londoners and 57% across the country trust solicitors
• Eight out of 10 people living in London (79%) who have used a solicitor in the last five years rate solicitors’ customer service positively
• While three in four people in London (74%) believe the legal sector is important for the UK economy, this drops to 65% nationally

In a city marked by socioeconomic disparity, it’s not surprising that Londoners are very supportive of legal aid.

The capital is a tech and legal innovation hub with a younger population, so trust in online services and AI is greater.

• Nine out of 10 Londoners think legal aid is important (89%)
• Two thirds of Londoners (64%) think allowing clients to access legal help online would make their experience more positive vs 59% nationally
• While only 18% of people in the UK would feel confident using online legal services without a lawyer’s guidance, this increases to 23% in London

Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said: “It’s a privilege to be the president of the Law Society as we are celebrating two centuries of supporting solicitors.

“We travel across England, Wales and beyond not just to celebrate solicitors, but also to listen to our members and discuss complex topics such as the role of AI, sharing best practice and the wins and challenges of diversity in our profession.

“The celebrations will soon draw to a close. This year gives us a chance to reflect on the ways the Law Society mirrored the social and economic changes of the country and the globe over those two centuries.

“We can look to the past to draw inspiration and muster the confidence to deliver further changes.

“Our mission continues to be to create a diverse legal community and a sustainable future for the next generations.”

Notes to editors

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.

Total sample size was 2,580 adults, including 303 respondents from London.

Fieldwork was undertaken between 15 and 16 January 2025.

The survey was carried out online.

The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).