London remains a leading international legal centre, with English law widely used in global commerce.
The UK’s legal services exports have grown by more than 60% over the past five years to £10.97billion, according to new international data highlighting the continued global reach of English law and London’s position as a major international legal centre. The European Union and the US account for nearly two-thirds of UK legal export revenue.
The figures are contained in the new International Data Insights report published by the Law Society of England and Wales. The Bar Council said the report demonstrates the international strength of English law and the contribution of legal services to the UK economy.
English law currently governs £250trillionn of global derivatives transactions, half of international seaborne trade and around 40% of international business and financial transactions, according to the report figures cited by the Bar Council.
London also continues to play a significant role in international dispute resolution. The London Commercial Court delivered almost twice as many judgments as Dubai, its closest competitor, and more than twice as many as New York.
The London Maritime Arbitrators Association recorded a 16% increase in its caseload in 2025, taking it to its highest level in more than a decade. The International Chamber of Commerce Court of Arbitration selected English law in 13% of its new cases, ahead of New York, Brazil and Switzerland. Meanwhile, 96% of the caseload handled by the London Court of International Arbitration involved at least one non-UK party.
Bar Council Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC said the figures demonstrate the importance of law and barristers to the UK economy. She also stressed the importance of continued investment in publicly funded courts and the justice system.
Brimelow said the Bar’s expertise and advocacy, together with the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, were central to the international standing of English law. She referred to recent Bar Council work in Japan, Korea and India, where she said there had been support and collaboration based on trust in and respect for English and Welsh law and barristers.
Law Society President Mark Evans described UK legal services as a major global success story, while calling for continued investment in the legal profession and justice system. He said other jurisdictions were also investing in their courts and legal infrastructure.
For legal professionals, the figures underline the continuing international use of English law and London-based dispute resolution. The Bar Council said the international position should be supported through sustained investment in the justice system and the legal profession.