Seven things you might not know about the Law Society Hall on Chancery Lane

1. Temple, taverns and… the Law Society

200 years ago, in 1825, the Law Society was established.

That year, a group of founding members started to look for a London site to purchase after raising £25,000 through the sale of shares.

With a big hall, library, clubhouse and meeting rooms in mind, Temple was deemed the obvious choice. It was close to where the barristers worked – but it had a rowdy reputation.

Beside the calmness of the Inns of Court, the area was a lively mix of brothels and taverns.

Criminals also congregated here to escape the attention of the city militia by crossing into un-policed Westminster at Temple Bar.

By 1828, only part of the site had been purchased.

The Law Society Hall was first opened to its members in 1832. In total, it took over 75 years to acquire the full site. It’s now a Grade II* listed building.

The 1925 centenary in the Law Society Reading Room and the London bicentenary event in 2025. Credit (top): Law Society Archive

2. Our library collection includes personal donations – with items dating back to the 14th century

Did you know the library was lit by candles until 1857?

The need for a law library was one of the main reasons for securing the site.

Today, the library is used by members, legal staff and law students.

Before building began, solicitors were encouraged to donate books.

Our collection of legal practitioner textbooks dates back to the 16th century. Our complete collection goes back even further to the 14th century.

North fireplace in the Law Society library, 1904. Credit: Law Society Archive

3. The golden lions on our railings have some siblings in St Paul’s Cathedral

If you’ve visited the Law Society Hall, you’ll have no doubt seen our pièce de résistance on the front railings – 13 majestic gold lions, removed from outside the British Museum and relocated here in 1896.

Designed by Alfred Stevens, they are identical to those found guarding the Duke of Wellington’s tomb in St Paul’s Cathedral.

The lions outside 113 Chancery Lane.

4. The Reading Room pays tribute to solicitors and articled clerks who fell in World War I and World War II

The Reading Room has always been a place for solicitors to meet, share ideas and keep up to date on the law and good practice. It’s also a space for reflection.

The sculptures – including Athene, goddess of wisdom, war and courage – are by Gilbert Bayes, completed in 1920.

His sister, renowned arts and crafts designer Jessie Bayes, created the illuminated scrolls which house the names of the 311 solicitors and 220 articled clerks who died in World War I.

The book of remembrance lies at Athene’s feet and lists those who died in World War II.

5. What does London Euston railway station have in common with one of our rooms?

If you live, work or have family in the north of England, Euston station might be familiar to you – perhaps even too familiar if you’ve ever been subject to a train delay or cancellation.

Can you think of a room inside the Law Society office that has some similarities?

The David Lloyd George room, originally known as the Old Council Chamber, was designed by Phillip Charles Hardwick in 1857.

Hardwick was best known for his work on the Great Hall of Euston station, which opened in 1849.

6. Priests, a fire and enough paperwork to collapse a building

Long before the Law Society existed, the Six Clerks Office was home to a group of celibate priests who acted as middlemen between lawyers and the court.

The clerks rented a house on the same spot as our Six Clerks restaurant from 1511 until 1621, when it burnt down after one of the clerks forgot to clean a chimney.

They rebuilt on the site and remained there until 1778, when unfortunately, the weight of their papers caused the floor to collapse.

7. Our Common Room shares the same designer as many London Underground stations

Opened by Edward VII in 1904, the Common Room was designed by Charles Holden, the man behind the look of many underground stations across the capital.

It was also the first room in the building to have electric lighting. Its stained-glass windows were originally saved from the demolished hall of Sergeant’s Inn in 1834.

The last sergeant bought the glass and installed it in a replica of the inn he had built in his garden.

After he died, a group of solicitors purchased it and installed it in the Common Room in 1926.

Today, the room is used for events, weddings and admission ceremonies.

An archival photograph of the Law Society Library. Credit: Law Society Archive

Making history

These are just a few stories from the extraordinary history of 113 Chancery Lane.

As well as its impressive bricks and mortar, the building has always been a place to showcase member excellence.

It’s a space where our community can learn more about each other, and more about our work supporting solicitors and promoting the profession for over 200 years.

And there’s plenty more to explore throughout the building.

Since 2015, a regularly featured exhibition in the lobby promotes the social mobility ambassadors project, set up to promote solicitor role models from non-traditional backgrounds.

Portraits of our ambassadors sit alongside information showcasing their achievements. Other exhibitions feature winners of the Law Society Excellence Awards.

If you’re curious about the history of the building, visit our London headquarters as part of the 2025 Open House Festival.