A growing number of solicitors across England and Wales are choosing not to disclose personal information about their sex and ethnicity, raising concerns about the accuracy of diversity statistics used by the legal profession to shape policies and improve inclusion.
The Law Society’s latest Annual Statistics Report highlights a significant increase in the number of practising certificate-holders who have not provided demographic information. Between 2022 and 2025, the number of solicitors who did not disclose their sex increased from 12,358 (8%) to 36,094 (21%). During the same period, the number who withheld information about their ethnicity rose from 38,947 (25%) to 61,360 (36%).
The annual report, which has been published since 1984, uses data supplied by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to provide an overview of the legal profession in England and Wales. The 2026 edition is based on regulatory information covering the period from August 2024 to July 2025.
The growing volume of missing demographic information presents challenges for organisations seeking to understand the profession’s diversity and monitor changes in representation. The Law Society has acknowledged that the gaps are substantial enough to affect the conclusions drawn from the available figures. However, it has not identified a specific reason for the apparent decline in solicitors sharing this information.
One example highlighted in the report concerns the representation of women within the profession. Although the proportion of female practising certificate-holders among those who disclosed their sex increased, the overall recorded number of female certificate-holders declined over the previous three years. The report suggests that this apparent reduction may be linked to incomplete data rather than an actual decline in female representation.
A spokesperson for the Law Society described missing demographic information as an important finding, emphasising that it creates a significant gap in understanding diversity across the legal sector. The organisation has encouraged solicitors to update their diversity information confidentially through the regulator and is working with the SRA to improve access to information about newly admitted solicitors.
The Society believes that more complete demographic records will help identify barriers within the profession and ensure that diversity and inclusion initiatives are directed towards areas where they can have the greatest impact.
Despite the limitations surrounding demographic reporting, the latest statistics provide a clearer picture of the overall size of the solicitors’ profession. By July 2025, the solicitors’ roll had reached 208,077, representing an increase of almost 3% compared with the previous year. The number of practising certificate-holders also grew by 3.2%, reaching 172,966.
Admissions to the profession remained relatively stable, with 9,365 individuals added to the solicitors’ roll during the reporting period. Meanwhile, the number of people leaving the profession declined by 17% compared with the previous year, falling to 4,930.
The findings highlight the importance of reliable demographic information in understanding the changing structure of the legal profession. As the Law Society and SRA continue their efforts to improve diversity and inclusion, encouraging more solicitors to provide accurate information will be essential to developing effective policies and assessing progress across the sector.
