Number of solicitors in Yorkshire rises
YORKSHIRE and the Humber is one of the only areas in the UK to see a rise in the number of practising solicitors.
The Annual Statistics Report from the Law Society has revealed the first fall in the number of practising solicitors in more than 20 years.
However, it states that in 2012 there were 7856 practising solicitors in Yorkshire and the Humber and in 2013, that figure rose to 7864. The East of England has also avoided a decline.
The report said the number of practising certificate (PC) holders linked to a named organisation on July 31 2013 decreased by 0.9% to 127,676, compared to July 2012.
The total number of PC holders has almost tripled since the current statistical series began in 1983, but rates of growth have slowed since the late 1990s.
However, the long-term trend is one of growth for the in-house sector but principally in commerce and industry (11.6% of all PC holders).
The survey shows that younger solicitors are more likely to be female – for those aged 35 and under, women represented around six in 10 PC holders.
Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups continue to represent a growing proportion of PC holders (13.1% of PC holders).
A total of 9,807 private practices were registered in July 2013 – the lowest level recorded since a change was made to the way in which firms are counted in 2007.
Desmond Hudson, Law Society chief executive, said: “Change and competition within the legal sector is intensifying and this is having a major impact on many businesses.
“An improvement in the economy has not yet fed through to all solicitors, and many smaller firms are struggling in the wake of fundamental changes in areas of work such as legal aid, civil justice and family law.
“The Law Society is helping solicitors and their practices adapt to the regulatory and management challenges, so that they can continue to provide high quality legal advice that makes a positive contribution to businesses, the public and the rule of law in England and Wales.”
