Keep reading for information about legal services in the UK, and how to find legal representation.
Please note: The Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the entities or individuals whose names appear on the following lists. Inclusion on a list is in no way an endorsement by the Department or the U.S. government. Names are listed alphabetically, and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The information on the list is provided directly by the local service providers; the Department is not in a position to vouch for such information. These lists are updated triennially and the next update will take place in March 2025.
Information about legal services in England and Wales
In English and Welsh practice, the legal profession is divided into two separate categories: barristers and solicitors. Traditionally the primary function of barristers has been to argue cases before the higher courts, and all other legal work – including engaging directly with clients — has been handled by solicitors. Only a solicitor could retain a barrister on a client’s behalf and instruct the barrister during higher court proceedings.
However, in recent years the UK legal profession has changed to permit the public to directly instruct barristers in certain areas. Visit the Bar Council website for more information.
Additionally, solicitor-advocates are a newer class of solicitors with the training and advocacy experience needed to allow them to appear in the superior courts so that a barrister is not required in some cases. There are many more qualified solicitors in the UK than there are barristers.
The Solicitors Act (1974) permits all solicitors to act as commissioners for oaths.
Information about legal services in Northern Ireland
You can visit the below websites to find the information you need.
Information about legal services in Scotland
In Scotland, the legal profession is divided into two categories: solicitors and advocates. The primary function of an advocate is to argue cases before the higher courts. All other legal work, including the primary engagement with clients, is dealt with by solicitors. There are also solicitors who are also qualified as advocates (called solicitor-advocates) who are capable of arguing cases for clients in both the lower and higher courts.
Most solicitors are capable of performing the functions of a notary public, although not all solicitors will include this function in their registration with the Law Society of Scotland. The Solicitors (Scotland) Act 1980 and the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 sets out the details on the registration and management of those registered as a notary public in Scotland. The Law Society of Scotland is responsible for registration and admission of notaries in Scotland and has a searchable database on their website to locate them.
Law firm listings
How to find a law firm operating in England and Wales (includes U.S. attorneys operating throughout the UK)
The Law Society of England and Wales maintains lists of solicitors on its website. You can search by name, location and field of practice. This can be particularly helpful if you need a solicitor outside the London area, or one who specializes in a particular area of law. The website also provides general guidance on common legal issues such as UK divorce, wills, probate and personal injury claims.
Corporate and commercial law
Abrams
Law Society of England and Wales.
GAD Legal, Pearl House, 746 Finchley Road, London, NW11 7TH
020 8004 7016
info@abramslaw.co.uk
Cardium Law Ltd.
Solicitor of England & Wales, and Attorney and Counsellor of Law in the State of New York.
Hamilton House, 1 Temple Avenue, London, EC4Y 0HA
020 7101 4888
chrismacqueen@cardiumlaw.com
Sturgeon & Company
Maryland Bar
2 Lansdowne Row, London, W1J 6HL / 28 Bridge Street, Thetford, IP24 3AG
020 7099 9476
admin@sturgeonco.co.uk
Custody, divorce and family law
Dawson Cornwell
Member of Law Society and admitted to the Roll of Solicitors for England and Wales.
11 Staple Inn, London WC1V 7QH
020 7242 2556
mail@dawsoncornwell.com
International Family Law Group LLP
Law Society of England and Wales
Hudson House, 8 Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7PP
0203 178 5668
enquiries@iflg.uk.com
Maguire Family Law
Law Society of England and Wales
58a Stamford New Road, Altrincham, WA14 1EE
0161 537 2808
james.maguire@family-law.co.uk
Russell-Cooke LLP
Law Society of England and Wales
8 Bedford Row, London, WC1R 4BX
020 7405 6566
enquiries@russell-cooke.co.uk
SA Law LLP
Gladstone Place, 36-38 Upper Marlborough Road, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3UU
0172 779 8067
julie.cohen@salaw.com
Criminal law
Lawtons Solicitors Ltd
Law Society of England and Wales, Lexel Accredited
5 St John’s Lane, Farringdon, London, EC1M 4BH
0333 577 0522
web@lawtonslaw.co.uk
General practice
McAllister Olivaruis
CT, DC, ID, MN, NH, NY, and VA Bars
Pearce Building, West Street, Maidenhead SL6 1RL
020 3048 5959
jmcallister@mcolaw.com
Immigration and visa law
American Immigration Law Office Ltd.
30 Moorgate, London EC2R 6PJ
0208 611 2826
info@ailawoffice.com
Barella Global
VA Bar
5 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1LG
020 3026 0054
info@barellalaw.com
Chavin Immigration Law Office
NY and CT bar licenses
12 David Mews, London W1U 6EG
07546 456 068
Melissa@chavinimmigration.com
Clarus Law Group
BA, NY Bar, and Law Society of England and Wales.
Charwell House, 16 Wilson Road, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2PP
020 3576 2909
mona@immigrationone.com
Flynn Hodkinson
IL Bar
5th Floor, 20 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AN
020 8057 8020
info@flynnhodkinson.com
Greenwood Hanlon Kendrick Ltd.
NY, IL and MO Bar
28 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 4QR
0207 769 6768
info@ghkattorneys.com
Heller Immigration Law LTD
NY Bar
St. Anne’s House, 111 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1XY
01273 464609
office@us-visa.co.uk
Laura Devine Solicitors
Law Society of England and Wales and TX Bar
100 Cannon Street, London EC4N 6EU
020 7469 6460
enquiries@lauradevine.com
Law Office of Richard S. Goldstein
NY Bar
48 Dover Street, London, W1S 4FF
020 3823 3500
richardgoldstein@goldsteinvisa.com
Ortega-Medina & Associates
State Bar of California
38 Queen’s Gate 3rd Floor, London SW7 5HR
020 7225 4410
enquiries@ortega-medina.com
RLegal Solicitors
623 Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TG
020 7038 3980
info@rlegal.com
Richard Chambers Immigration Barristers
Seven Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8PS
0203 617 9173
info@richmondchambers.com
Probate, tax and wills
Moerans Solicitors
123 Station Road, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 7JR
020 8952 0242
info@moerans.com
Stone King LLP
Law Society of England and Wales
Upper Borough Court, Upper Borough Walls, Bath, BA1 1RG
01225 337 599
international@stoneking.co.uk
TM Solicitors LTD
Member of International Bar Association, Probate Section of the Law Society, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), and Connect2Law. Associate Member of Solicitors for the Elderly.
Brough Business Centre, Skillings Lane, Brough HU15 1EN
01482 42 99 85
tim.murden@tmsolicitors.co.uk
How to find a law firm operating in Scotland
The Law Society of Scotland has a searchable register of all practicing solicitors in Scotland. You can search by location, practice area or by name (if there is a particular legal practitioner that you are looking to contact).
General practice/full service (divorce, family law, probate, real estate and more)
Aberdein, Considine & Co.
5-9 Bon Accord Crescent, Aberdeen, AB11 6DN
01224 589 700
ask@acandco.com
Addlesshaw Goddard LLP
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow
01224 965 400
Online contact form
Blackadders LLP
30/34 Reform Street, Dundee, DD1 4BJ
01382 229 222
enquiries@blackadders.co.uk
Brodies
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow
mailbox@brodies.com
Burness Paull
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow
info@burnesspaull.com
Cambell Smith
21 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EN
0131 556 3737
info@camsmith.co.uk
Dentons
Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow (plus elsewhere in the UK)
Online contact form.
Drummond Miller LLP
Bathgate, Dalkeith, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Musselburgh
0131 226 5151
reception@drummondmiller.co.uk
DWF Group
Edinburgh, Glasgow and elsewhere in UK
enquiries@dwf.law
Gavin Bain & Co.
432 Union Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1TR
01224 623 040
info@gavin-bain.co.uk
Gilson Gray LLP
Dundee, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Glasgow
Online contact form
The Glasgow Law Practice
Curated House, Gordon Chambers, 90 Mitchell St, Glasgow G1 3NQ
0141 465 596
Online contact form
Hill & Robb
3 Pitt Terrace, Stirling FK8 2EY
01786 450 985
info@hillandrobb.co.uk
Innes Mackay
19 Union Street, Inverness
01463 232273
chris@innesmackay.com
James & George Collie
1 East Craibstone Street, Aberdeen
01224 581 581
info@jgcollie.co.uk
Ledingham Chalmers Solicitors
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Stirling and Inverness
Johnstone House, 52-54 Rose Street, Aberdeen AH10 1HA
01224 408 510
mail@ledinghamchalmers.com
Lindsays
Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow
mail@lindsays.co.uk
Livingstone Brown
84 Carlton Place, Glasgow, G5 9TD
0141 429 8166
cp@livbrown.co.uk
McIntosh Family Law
52-54 Albert Street, Aberdeen AB25 1XS
01224 593 100
enquiries@mcintoshfamilylaw.com
Mackinnons Solicitors LLP
379 North Deeside Road, Cults, Aberdeen AB15 9SX
01224 632 464
aberdeen@mackinnons.com
Morton Fraser
Edinburgh and Glasgow
infodesk@morton-fraser.com
Shepherd & Wedderburn
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London.
info@shepwedd.com
Thorntons Law LLP
Throughout Scotland.
03330 430150
enquiries@thorntons-law.co.uk
Turcan Connell
New Uberior House, 1 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh EH3 9EE
0131 228 8111
enquiries@turcanconnell.com
Wright Johnston & Mackenzie
Dunblane, Dunfermline, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness
inquiries@wjm.co.uk
Criminal law
Capital Defence Lawyers
9-10 St. Andrews Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BH
0131 553 4333
mail@capdef.co.uk
CN Defence Lawyers
55 St. Leonards Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9QN
0131 557 1000
mail@cndefence.com
Criminal Lawyers Glasgow
Glasgow and Inverness
0141 413 5800
help@criminallawyersglasgow.co.uk
Sinclairs Criminal Defence Lawyers
207 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9RU
0131 662 4205
Online contact form
WSA Bannerman Burke Defence
Edinburgh, Galashiels, Hawick
0131 557 8020
admin@wsalawyers.com
Immigration and visa law
Caird Vaughan Solicitors
1 Bank Street, Dundee, DD1 1RL
01382 229 399
cairdvaughan@btconnect.com
D. Duheric & Co Solicitors
23 Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3DN
0131 225 5444
damir.duheric@dduhericsolicitors.co.uk
Immigration Advice Service
Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow
0333 414 9244
Online contact form
McGill & Co.
Edinburgh and Glasgow
0141 248 6552
info@mcgillandco.co.uk
Pryde Immigration Lawyers
St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4AG
0141 332 9888
contact@myimmigrationlawyer.co.uk
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) How can I get advice about my UK visa application?/How can I appeal a UK visa or immigration decision?/I've been stopped at the UK border. What should I do?
The United Kingdom is a sovereign nation with the right and the responsibility to protect its borders by ensuring that those applying for entry meet all applicable rules and regulations. The U.S. government has no involvement with or influence on UK visa and immigration matters. We are unable to intervene in your case or provide guidance about UK immigration law or decisions. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates do not have public legal departments, and consular officers are prohibited by federal regulation from providing legal advice.
Please visit the UK government website for more information and contact details.
If you still have questions, you may wish to consider consulting an attorney.
Another source of information and guidance may be Citizens Advice, a service that provides free confidential advice online, by telephone or in person in the UK.
2) Can a U.S. consular officer represent me in court/act as a witness/provide legal advice?
Officers of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates overseas are prohibited by federal regulation from acting as agents, attorneys or in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of U.S. citizens involved in legal disputes overseas. Department of State personnel, including its attorneys, do not provide legal advice to the public.
Please see the listings above for information about some law firms in the UK.
Another source of information and guidance may be Citizens Advice, a service that provides free confidential advice online, by telephone or in person in the UK.
3) How can I submit a request for my law firm to be added to this webpage?/How can I have my law firm's information updated on this webpage?
Please submit a request through our contact form.
Please note, inclusion on the list is exclusively within the discretion of the Department of State. The Department may remove a person or firm from the list at any time, and may decline to provide a reason.
If your details are added to our website, please notify us using our contact form if your details change.
4) How can I confirm that a lawyer is in good standing or make a complaint?
The following websites may be useful to you in pursuing your inquiry:
The Bar Council
The Law Society of England and Wales
The Law Society of Northern Ireland
The Law Society of Scotland
Solicitors Regulation Authority
