Global position of English law in 2025 – International Data Insights Report

Communicate the strengths of English law and dispute resolution in England and Wales to your clients, wherever they are in the world. Explore key trends and insights in our latest report.

09 Sep 2025

Less than 1 minute read

Our International Data Insights Report is designed to aid international business development and help you win prospective clients.

Use the research to highlight the benefits of using English law to achieve your clients’ goals.

Key findings for 2025

The London Commercial Court (LCC) remains the leading international centre for the resolution of international commercial litigation
The LCC handles more than half of all contested trials in less than a week
A significant proportion of international arbitrations relate to contracts governed by English law
English law is a preferred governing law for international commerce
The value of UK legal services exports to other countries continues to rise, reflecting a growing demand internationally for expertise in English law
The size of the solicitors’ profession and the revenue of UK law firms continue to grow year-on-year

Commercial dispute resolution

England and Wales continue to lead commercial litigation and arbitration globally, with London at the heart of this activity.

Litigation

The LCC remains the top international court for resolving commercial disputes.

Between October 2023 and September 2024:

the LCC delivered 196 written judgments, more than any other major commercial court
54% of contested trials were completed in four working days, demonstrating speed and efficiency

Between April 2024 and March 2025, 93 nationalities were represented among litigants. 61.7% came from outside the UK.

These figures demonstrate London’s reputation for high-quality, fast and fair dispute resolution.

To see the infographic about this topic, please refer to the live page.

Arbitration

London remains the global leader in maritime arbitration.

1,733 new cases were handled by the London Maritime Arbitrators Association in 2024.

English law continues to be the preferred governing law in international arbitration.

In 2024:

78% of London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) cases were governed by English law
English law was the most commonly used law in new cases handled by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration
English law was the second most common governing law in cases administered by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC)

London also remains the most preferred seat for arbitration globally.

34% of respondents chose London as their preferred seat in Queen Mary University’s 2025 International Arbitration Survey.

It is also chosen in 13.4% of ICC cases ahead of Paris, Geneva, and New York.

Economic value of English law

Around 40% of global business and financial transactions are governed by English law.

English law underpins contracts in sectors including:

over the counter (OTC) derivatives
metals
mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
insurance
maritime trade

To see the infographic about this topic, please refer to the live page.

This widespread use highlights the trust international businesses place in English law.

UK legal services trade

Demand for UK legal expertise continues to grow.

Legal services exports rose to £9.02bn in 2024, up from £6.27bn in 2020. This shows strong global demand for English law services
The trade balance reached £7.41bn
The European Union remains the top destination for UK legal services, followed by the United States

To see the infographic about this topic, please refer to the live page.

Growth of the profession

The legal profession in England and Wales continues to expand.

In 2024, there were:

167,603 practising solicitors, up 3% from the previous year
9,575 new solicitors admitted to the roll
8,273 solicitors based overseas. The UAE, Hong Kong, and Singapore are the most popular countries for English and Welsh-qualified solicitors practising overseas