England: Women to dominate profession by 2020

These are the predictions outlined in a new report – The Future of Legal Services – published by the Law Society and which examines the challenges practitioners face in the coming years The Times reports.

Chief executive of the Law Society, Catherine Dixon, said: “We wanted to look at the market and see what was coming down the track — horizon scanning — and part of it is us wanting to be more pro-active.”

According to the report, the profession grew by 35 per cent between 2004 and 2014, at which time there were 130,382 practising solicitors in England and Wales.

It foresees women accounting for over 50 per cent of solicitors by 2020 for the first time and warns that ageing solicitors may not be able to afford to retire and sounds the death knell for smaller firms.

It also reports that the number of lawyers working in-house has risen sharply. Between 2010 and 2014 the figure in the private sector rose by 31 per cent. And they are becoming more integrated into companies – being seen as “revenue generators” who can offer services to outside clients by availing themselves of new business models.

Business-to-business and mixed work are also predicted to grow in the coming years. Firms offering “retail market” work – conveyancing, probate, wills, personal injury and family law – have fallen since 2010-2011.

Ms Dixon added: “Fewer people are able to afford advice, gain access to legal aid, or feel confident to choose a solicitor over other options, one of which is doing nothing.”

She said that legal work is being “unbundled” – meaning other professionals are doing work normally done by solicitors.

The Law Society chief executive added that these changes are coming about against a backdrop of regulatory reform and the usual politicking.

“We are going through a period of change as a profession — with change comes some threats but massive opportunities. We need to start looking at changes ahead so solicitors are informed and can take decisions on these issues.”