Law Society welcomes government’s recognition of legal sector as “national asset” in 10-year Industrial Strategy
updated on 24 June 2025
Reading time: two minutes
The UK legal sector, which the government has described as a “national asset and an engine of economic growth”, has been recognised as an area to be supported in the government’s 10-year industrial strategy. This is a move that’s been welcomed by the Law Society of England and Wales.
Law Society President Richard Atkinson said: “The new strategy prioritises technological innovation, aims to open global markets and upskill English and Welsh lawyers. If coupled with the investment we will need in the courts infrastructure and across the justice system, the strategy could deliver sustained growth in the sector.”
Among other things, the strategy outlined plans to:
- enhance the attractiveness of the jurisdiction;
- support lawtech growth;
- maintain the strength of English and Welsh law; and
- provide unequivocal; support for the rule of law.
The government said it plans to support legal regulators “to drive sectoral growth through opening up and shaping priority growth markets to bolster UK legal services trade”.
Acknowledging the “global standards” set by the UK’s legal system, Atkinson praised the 10-year strategy potential to be a “game-changer for the UK economy and the legal sector”. He added: “Putting legal services at the heart of the country’s economic engine can fuel sustained growth.”
The document also identifies the “barriers to growth” faced by the legal sector, and highlights the “pressing need for technology and AI upskilling across the workforce to keep pace with advancements” and the need to address court backlogs for “investor confidence and business efficiency” – for example, the employment case crisis within the employment tribunals.
Andrew Lloyd, managing director of Search Acumen, a company providing digital solutions to lawyers, discussed the important role technology plays in this strategy. He said: “It’s encouraging to see this government recognise the transformative potential of tech adoption and innovation to digitally turbocharge our professional and business services sector. Digital fields such as LawTech and PropTech, which were on the margins only a few decades ago, are now poised to play a crucial role in solidifying the UK’s role as a global leader in advising industry and business.”
