Growing Yorkshire legal sector “thriving”

Yorkshire’s legal sector has grown by 19% in the last ten years according to new figures from the Law Society.

There are reportedly now 8,222 practicing solicitors in Yorkshire & Humberside, across 661 firms. The majority of firms have between two and four partners, it said. The arrival of major players including Shoosmiths, Bevan Brittan and Mills & Reeve over the past few years has also boosted numbers.

The region was outstripped in terms of growth by the North West, where the number of practicing solicitors rose 25% over a 10-year period, the South West, where numbers rose by 56%, and London.

Leeds has built a reputation as a global centre for legal services said a family law firm that has seen a leap in the number of divorce cases from the UAE.

Lyn Ayrton, managing partner of Lake Legal (pictured above) said: “Leeds and the wider region have developed a critical mass of talent that will fuel further growth over the next ten years. People know that you don’t have to go to London for expert advice and Leeds has a broad base of talent to meet family and corporate needs.

“In recent months our firm has seen double the number of enquiries from the Middle East, particularly Dubai, as spouses seek to divorce under UK law. Couples can get a much more tailored deal under UK law than in say Dubai.”

The number of practicing solicitors rose to 136,176, although growth remained muted compared to historical rates, said the Law Society.

According to the statistics across the UK, female partners were down 0.4% to 8,065. 26% of female solicitors work in-house, compared to 18% of their male counterparts, whilst women under the age of 35 make up almost one fifth of all practicing solicitors. Male solicitors are spread across a broader range of ages, the Law Society statistics said.

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