Reporting your firm data

Updated 26 February 2024

Firm diversity data requirements

All regulated firms, regardless of size, have to collect, report and publish data about the diversity make-up of their workforce every two years.

Reporting your data in 2023

The reporting period for 2023 is now closed.

If you need access to the data you reported to us please contact us.

We will be checking firms have complied with this regulatory requirement later this year.

How we will use the data

We may use the information we collect from firms in the following ways:

  • To update our law firm diversity tool so you can see the make-up of law firms across the sector.
  • To inform our publications or engagement with people as part of our work to promote diversity in the profession.
  • In our regulatory reform work to help us monitor the diversity impact of the changes we make.
  • To help us meet our public sector equality duty, for example monitoring our decision-making by protected characteristics.
  • To facilitate research and analysis by others.
  • To meet reporting requirements to the Legal Services Board or the Ministry of Justice.

We will make sure that no-one can be identified from any data that we publish or share with others.

Read more about privacy, data and information at the SRA.

If you have any questions please contact us.

Collecting diversity data

The diversity questionnaire

Download a Microsoft Word version (DOC 6 pages, 117K) of the new questionnaire.

We have made changes to the latest questionnaire which you can read more about on our Q&A page. If you have any questions please contact us

Encourage your staff to complete the questionnaire

When you collect diversity data from people working at your firm please do not make assumptions about them. Everyone should be allowed to complete the questionnaire themselves.

Although you must give people an opportunity to respond, you cannot compel anyone to provide their diversity information. However, they may want to take part if they understand they can choose 'prefer not to say' for the questions they would rather not answer.

If you are a sole practitioner or small law firm you still need to submit your diversity data, even if you are the only person within the firm. If you are concerned about disclosing any personal information then please select 'prefer not to say'.

Think about data protection before you start 

Before you start you should tell people how the data will be used and who will have access to it. Read more about how we use the data on the what you need to know tab. Make sure you comply with the data protection legislation when you collect, store and process this information.

Please also remember that the data reported to us can be seen by all authorised signatories and organisation contacts for your firm.

You may prefer to collect the data on an anonymous basis. However, the information will be much more useful to you if it is linked to an individual, eg by reference to a confidential identification number. Then it can be used to monitor a range of employment activities over time such as promotion, pay rates, or recruitment practices.

People are more likely to provide information which can be traced back to them if you reassure them about confidentiality and tell them how your firm will keep their data secure.

Who should be included in the collection?

Everyone working at your firm is covered by the firm diversity data collection, not just solicitors. You should include:

  • Full-time and part-time employees
  • Employees on maternity leave or on long term sick leave (but only if they are in contact with the firm during their absence and are willing to respond)
  • Temporary employees, those on a secondment contract, consultants or other contracted staff working with you for three months or longer.

You should not include:

  • People engaged in work which has been outsourced by the firm
  • Barristers or other experts engaged by the firm on individual matters
  • People who are normally based outside England and Wales.

If someone works for more than one firm they must only complete one questionnaire. This should be for the firm where they do the majority of their work and spend most of their time.

Role categories

Everyone must be put into one of these role categories. Make sure your staff know which category they are in if you are conducting an anonymous survey.

If someone falls into more than one category, they should use the one which most accurately reflects their main role.

Please note that reference to solicitors includes registered foreign lawyers.

Role category Notes
Full equity solicitor partner/sole practitioner Include here partners, members, directors and sole practitioners who are solicitors. Those holding these roles who are not solicitors should be recorded in the 'Managerial role' category below
Salaried or partial equity solicitor partners Partners, members or directors who are not solicitors should be recorded in the 'Managerial role' category below
Solicitor (not partner) All other practising solicitors including assistant solicitors, associates or consultants
Other fee earning role Includes fee earners such as trainee solicitors, CILEx members who are not Chartered Legal Executives (Fellows) or CILEx Practitioners and paralegals, ie, those who are not 'authorised persons'
Role directly supporting a fee earner Includes legal secretaries, administrators, legal assistants and non-fee earning paralegals
Managerial role Includes non-lawyer partners, directors, or members and others such as practice managers, finance or account managers etc
IT/HR/other corporate services role Includes non-managerial staff working in support services - including finance or accountancy roles
Barrister People who are authorised by the Bar Standards Board
Chartered Legal Executive (Fellow)/CILEx Practitioner People who are authorised by CILEx Regulation
Licensed Conveyancer People who are authorised by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers
Patent or Trade Mark Attorney People who are authorised by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board
Costs Lawyer People who are authorised by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board
Notary People who are authorised by the Master of the Faculties
Prefer not to say
An 'authorised person' is a person who is authorised by one of the approved regulators to carry on the relevant activity (defined by the Legal Services Act 2007). Solicitors with a current practising certificate and Registered Foreign Lawyers are 'authorised' by us.

Firm diversity data requirements

All regulated firms, regardless of size, have to collect, report and publish data about the diversity make-up of their workforce every two years.

Reporting your data in 2023

The reporting period for 2023 is now closed

What you have to do

You must publish a summary of your firm's diversity data, so long as it complies with data protection legislation.

You should refresh your publication as soon as you can each time you collect a new set of diversity data. This should be a minimum of every two years.

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