Becoming a solicitor – statistics

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) maintains records of student members enrolled at each stage of their training, including performance on the Legal Practice Course, the registration of traineeships and admission to the roll of those who successfully complete their training. Details of the ethnic origin of students and other biographic data, are also sought at the time of enrolment.

According to this research the SRA monitors the make up of students wanting to enter the profession.

Undergraduates and graduates in law

In 2007, the number of students applied to study law in England and Wales were 26,539.Those accepted onto course were 17,702 ( 66.7%). Out of these, women made up 62.2%, overseas students, 15.3% and those from minority ethnic groups were accounted for 31.3%
Students enrolled with the SRA as members before entering into a training contract for a legal practice course, in the year up to 31 July 2008 were11,558. Out of them, 7,361 were women, making up 63.7% while 3,574 were drawn from minority ethnic groups making up 30.9%.

The Legal Practice Course

This is the next stage towards qualification as a solicitor. In 2007-08, there were 10,675 full time and 3,064 part time places available with 9,662 students enrolling in total.

Training contracts

It is a work-based training period of over two years, with a firm of solicitors. In the year ending 31 July 2008, 6,303 new traineeships were registered with the SRA. 63.4% of those were female. Out of an ethnicity data for over 88.1%, minority ethnic groups represented 20.9% of those with known ethnicity.

Admission to the roll

Once the Legal Practice Course and the training period have been completed successfully, application can be made to the roll of solicitors of England and Wales, which entitles the applicant to practise as a solicitor.

In the period 2007-08, 7,861 solicitors were admitted, while 59.9% of these were women. 1,567 were admitted from minority ethnic groups, a rise of 352 from the previous year, out of them 59.9% were female.
The average age of those who entered in 2007-08 was 28.7 years. Male transfers in from other jurisdictions were over three years older on average than their female counterparts.

Solicitors on the roll

As at 31 July 2008, there were 139,666 qualified solicitors on the roll. Out Of these 76,497 (54.8%) were men and 63,169 (45.2%) were women. From minority ethnic groups, 10.7% were on the roll (14,892).

In 2008, 112,433 solicitors held current practising certificates. 11,249 of those came from minority ethnic groups while 49,909 (44.4%) were held by women and 62,524 (55.6%) were men.