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Legal Activities in Europe - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2030)

EU-M691 June 2025 Spotlight Report

Revenue

€234.2bn

2020-2025 1.5 %
2025-2030 X.X %

Employees

2m

2020-2025 2.7 %
2025-2030 X.X %

Businesses

940k

2020-2025 2.6 %
2025-2030 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2020-2025 X.X %
2025-2030 X.X %

Legal Activities in Europe industry analysis

The European legal services industry is in a phase of consolidation, signified by a surge in both intranational and international M&A activity. This is as firms aim to expand into new markets and enhance specialisation amid intense competition and growing client expectations. Legal service providers benefit from demand from households and businesses across all sectors of the economy, limiting revenue volatility. The provision of countercyclical services like advising on restructuring and insolvency issues has helped support revenue from the corporate market during volatile economic conditions. Industry revenue is projected to expand at a compound annual rate of 1.5% to €234.2 billion over the five years through 2025, including a 3.3% hike in 2025.

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Industry Statistics and Trends

Legal Activities in Europe key trends

In-house legal teams are heightening competition for law firms.

 

Despite some organisations having a dedicated in-house legal team, large corporations still significantly invest in high-quality, specialised legal advice for complex matters, ensuring stable demand for law firms.

Law firms will invest more in advanced tech to boost efficiency.

 

Technologies like AI and machine learning will become more prevalent as they reduce the time taken on repetitive tasks and allow staff to focus on more value-added services.

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Legal Activities in Europe

Industry Revenue

Total value and annual change from 2012-2030. Includes 5-year outlook.

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Legal Activities in Europe market size (2020-2025)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 1.5 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €234.2bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

The European legal services industry is consolidating, highlighted by intranational and international M&A

  • Europe’s legal industry remains highly fragmented due largely to country-specific laws affecting the scope of operations.

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Legal Activities in Europe outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Subsiding economic woes and an evolving regulatory landscape will drive demand for legal services

  • An anticipated improvement in the economic climate, including lower inflation and interest rates, would push demand for commercial legal services. According to the European Commission’s Spring 2025 Economic Forecast, EU inflation is set to come down from 2.3% in 2025 to 1.9% in 2026, while GDP is forecast to climb from 1.1% in 2025 to 1.5% in 2026. Growing business sentiment and investment would drive M&A activity and IPOs in Europe, creating the need for legal practitioners to draft and examine legal documents during consolidations.

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Revenue

€234.2bn

2020-2025 1.5 %
2025-2030 X.X %

Employees

2m

2020-2025 2.7 %
2025-2030 X.X %

Wages

€XX.Xbn

2020-2025 X.X %
2025-2030 X.X %

European Leaders & Laggards

Europe Job Growth CAGR: 2.7 % *
  • Job Growth

Top 5 Countries

  1. Greece +9.8%
  2. Belgium +8.8%
  3. Poland +7.1%
  4. Cyprus +6.8%
  5. Bosnia & Herzegovina +5.9%

Bottom 5 Countries

  1. Romania -2.6%
  2. Iceland -2.0%
  3. Serbia -1.6%
  4. Turkey 0.0%
  5. France +0.2%

* CAGR values are for the years 2020-2025.

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Biggest companies in the Legal Activities in Europe

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue (€m)
2025
Profit (€m)
2025
Profit Margin (%)
2025
Linklaters LLP
2,711.7
914.8
33.7
Freshfields LLP
2,836.2
825.8
29.1
Clifford Chance LLP
2,945.6
1,160.8
39.4

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Legal Activities in Europe

Products & Services Segmentation

Industry revenue broken down by key product and services lines.

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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Legal Activities industry in Europe in 2025?

The market size of the Legal Activities industry in Europe is €234.2bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Legal Activities industry in Europe in 2025?

There are 940k businesses in the Legal Activities industry in Europe, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.6 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Legal Activities industry in Europe grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Legal Activities industry in Europe has been growing at a CAGR of 1.5 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Legal Activities industry in Europe over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Legal Activities industry in Europe is expected to grow.

What does the Legal Activities industry in Europe include?

Advising on corporate law and Advising on personal law are part of the Legal Activities industry in Europe.

Which countries have the most businesses in the Legal Activities industry in Europe?

The European country with the most businesses in the Legal Activities industry is Italy.

How competitive is the Legal Activities industry in Europe?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Legal Activities industry in Europe.

Related Industries

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Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry firms provide legal advice and representation before courts and other judicial bodies, in relation to civil and criminal matters and labour disputes. They are also involved in drawing up legal documents like deeds, wills and trusts, as well as commercial and intellectual property documents including articles of incorporation, copyright and patents.

Related Terms

M&AIPOPATENT

What's included in this industry?

Advising on corporate lawAdvising on personal lawAdvising on property lawAdvising on administrative and constitutional lawAdvising on employment lawAdvising on criminal lawAdvising on intellectual property lawAdvising on immigration and nationality law

Companies

Linklaters LLPFreshfields LLPClifford Chance LLP

Industry Code

ISIC 2006

691 - Legal activities in Europe

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Performance

Key Takeaways

The European legal services industry is consolidating, highlighted by intranational and international M&A

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Revenue Highlights

Trends
  • Revenue
  • 2025 Revenue Growth
  • Revenue Volatility

Employment Highlights

Trends
  • Employees
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Employee

Business Highlights

Trends
  • Businesses
  • Employees per Business
  • Revenue per Business

Profit Highlights

Trends
  • Total Profit
  • Profit Margin
  • Profit per Business

Current Performance

Charts
  • Revenue in the Legal Activities in Europe industry (2012 -2030)
  • Employees in the Legal Activities in Europe industry (2012 -2030)
  • Business in the Legal Activities in Europe industry (2012 -2030)
  • Profit in the Legal Activities in Europe industry (2012 -2030)
Analysis

What's driving current industry performance in the Legal Activities in Europe industry?


Outlook

Analysis

What's driving the Legal Activities in Europe industry outlook?


Volatility

Analysis

What influences volatility in the Legal Activities in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth Matrix

Life Cycle

Analysis

What determines the industry life cycle stage in the Legal Activities in Europe industry?

Charts
  • Industry Life Cycle Matrix

Products and Markets

Highlights

Trends
  • Largest Market
  • Product Innovation

Key Takeaways

Volatile economic conditions restrict corporate law demand. Since late 2022, inflationary pressures and geopolitical tensions in Europe have subdued M&A activity and IPOs, hindering demand for corporate law advising.

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Products and Services

Charts
  • Products and Services Segmentation
Analysis

How are the Legal Activities in Europe industry's products and services performing?

Analysis

What are innovations in the Legal Activities in Europe industry's products and services?


Major Markets

Charts
  • Major Market Segmentation
Analysis

What influences demand in the Legal Activities in Europe industry?


International Trade

Highlights

  • Largest Importer
  • Smallest Importer
  • Total Imports into Europe
  • Largest Exporter
  • Smallest Exporter
  • Total Exports into Europe
Heat maps
  • Industry Concentration of Imports by Country
  • Industry Concentration of Exports by Country
Data Tables

Value and annual change (%) included

  • Number of Imports and Exports by European Country (2025)

Geographic Breakdown

Business Locations

Heat maps
  • Share of Total Industry Revenue by Region (2025)
  • Share of Total Industry Enterprises by Region (2025)
  • Share of Total Industry Employment by Region (2025)
  • Share of Total Industry Wages by Region (2025)

Industry Geographic Breakdown

Data Tables

Values and annual change provided for 37 European countries:

  • Revenue (2025)
  • IVA (2025)
  • Enterprises (2025)
  • Employment (2025)
  • Exports (2025)
  • Imports (2025)

Competitive Forces

Highlights

Trends
  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power

Key Takeaways

There are many small law firms operating alongside larger players. Lots of legal service providers decide to serve a specific region or to specialise in one service, enabling them to make a profit.

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Supply Chain

Charts

Buyer and supply industries

Companies

Market Share

Charts
  • Industry Market Share by Company (2020-2025)

Companies

Data Tables

Top 13 companies by market share:

  • Market share (2025)
  • Revenue (2025)
  • Profit (2025)
  • Profit Margin (2025)

Data Tables
  • Countries of operation for Linklaters LLP
  • Countries of operation for Freshfields LLP
  • Countries of operation for Clifford Chance LLP
  • Countries of operation for Allen Overy Shearman Sterling LLP
  • Countries of operation for CMS Legal Services EEIG
  • Countries of operation for DLA Piper International LLP
  • Countries of operation for Dentons Europe LLP
  • Countries of operation for J&A Garrigues SLP
  • Countries of operation for Cuatrecasas Gonçalves Pereira SLP
  • Countries of operation for Loyens & Loeff NV
  • Countries of operation for Noerr Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB
  • Countries of operation for Hengeler Mueller Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwalten mbB
  • Countries of operation for Fidal SELAS

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Law firms face stringent regulations. To carry out legal services and practice law, employees must be qualified and follow the relevant standards of conduct in specific European countries.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Legal Activities in Europe industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Despite economic challenges and inflation, legal services maintain healthy profitability. This is due to their high markup, reputable firms' involvement in high-profile cases and efficient use of technologies like AI and cloud-based services.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Legal Activities in Europe industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and bottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2025)
  • Business Growth (2025)
  • Job Growth (2025)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2025)
  • Imports/Demand (2025)
  • Exports/Revenue (2025)
  • Revenue per Employee (2025)
  • Wages/Revenue (2025)
  • Employees per Establishment (2025)
  • Average Wage (2025)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools.

To learn more about specific data sources used by IBISWorld's analysts globally, including how industry data forecasts are produced, visit our Help Center.