By Gabriel Princewill-
The disturbing fundings of a survey conducted by the Law Society of England and Wales has confirmed the toxic state of affairs in which s4olicitors across the UK find themselves in the course of their face death threats, intimidation, and physical violence by aggrieved clients.
The Law Society said the survey is a ‘preliminary piece of research’, intended to pave the way for future projects to gather deeper insights and continue engaging with members.
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The very telling survey was distributed across Law Society channels and to relevant Law Society committees, including the Immigration Law Committee in August 2025. Overall, 286 responses were received.
The survey, which gathered responses from nearly 300 solicitors, highlighted a dangerously alarming trend of hostility towards the profession.
The threats manifested themselves in many forms, including verbal and written, but also extending to criminal damage of property like the cars of legal counsel.
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Respondents said they had been confronted at solicitor offices, court buildings, car parks; with many of the threats taking the form of online abuse, verbal, and written abuse my emails.
Dejected solicitors who participated in the survey called for more support from firms to provide training in helping them manage the threats, as well as mental health support.
A number of solicitors surveyed expressed an apprehension for continuing in the profession, with many feeling next to no support from their respective firms when they reported the unsettling threats.
Solicitors said they had been threatened with visits by their intimidators, and a number of those who responded to the survey said they had suffered psychological issues as a result of the victimisation, which had affected their overall well being and performance in the profession.
Almost half (49%) of responding solicitors or their firms reported receiving a threat in the previous 12 months, with more than a third (38%)of those surveyed feeling their personal safety is at risk because of their profession.
This figure rises significantly for those in high-pressure areas like criminal law (68%) and social welfare law (58%). Threats ranged from verbal abuse and stalking to severe threats against their homes, offices (e.g., “burn it down”), and family members.
13% of respondents reported having considered leaving the profession due to the threats faced.
Up to 10 % of respondents surveyed said they did not feel adequately supported by their legal brief in the process of their cases. Some said they had been represented by barristers who turned up at barely 15 minutes before their trial were to begin.
Threats were most often linked to ongoing cases, media-fuelled controversies, and were delivered via email, verbally, or on social media, the results of the survey revealed. One of the threats towards a solicitor occurred after a client was remanded in custody.
The survey further showed that threats originated from clients, former clients, and members of the public, often linked to ongoing cases, or the effect of media attention in their cases.. Most were received either through emails or verbally.
Half of all respondents reported that either they or their firm/organisation had received threats or abuse in the last 12 months. Over a quarter (27%) of respondents reported personally receiving a threat in the past 12 months, with some experiencing multiple incidents.
These threats were linked to current or recent cases, or to national media or public events.
Solicitors in England and Wales have worryingly reported a steady rise in the level of threats they have experienced over the past three to four years.
Many firms have introduced measures such as enhanced physical and cyber security, lone-worker policies, and staff training.
Amongst the long painful list of solicitors disillusioned by the venemous attacks from disgruntled litigants, 19% said no action was taken by their employer, and 45% of those who experienced threats took no personal safety measures, suggesting gaps in awareness or available support.
Solicitors expressed a strong need for greater institutional and professional backing, with 64% expressing their view that the Law Society should lead efforts to improve public and political understanding of the profession.
Nearly half of respondent(48%) called for training on managing from their employer on de-escalating threats. Examples of threatening behaviour were highlighted as part of the survey
Threats also included damage to personal property such as cars. In several cases respondents reported that they were being harassed and stalked while receiving written threats.
A combination of threats also included solicitors being maliciously and improperly reported to the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Legal Ombudsman.
The Law Society’s report does not detail or substantiate the claim from the solicitors that complaints made to the SRA or the Legal Ombudsman were indeed malicious, and not borne out of a genuine feeling of let down by those making the report.
Complaints to the Solicitors Regulation can only be made where a solicitor has breached the code of the regulator. That includes failing in their duty to act in a client’s best interest.
A spokesperson from the Solicitors Regulation Authourity(SRA), told this publication it had no records of malicious complaints made against solicitors.
However they added: ”clients or former clients are entitled to make a complaint to the Solicitors Regulations Authourity if they believe a solicitor has broken the code. Litigation, particularly with adverse effects can be emotional for people, but this does not necessarily mean a complaint made is malicious. All complaints received are looked at thoroughly”
Nonetheless, it suffices to say that there can be no excuse for the issuing of threats or intimidation against solicitor .
The Law Society, the Bar Council, and other legal bodies in Scotland and Northern Ireland have issued joint statements condemning the “irresponsible and dangerous” politically motivated attacks on the profession, which they argue weaken public trust in the rule of law.
They emphasize that lawyers are not their clients, and must be able to provide legal representation without fear of being targeted.
The Law Society has called on the government to ratify the Council of Europe’s new Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer to provide stronger support and protection.
Untold Grievances
What the report does include is an appraisal of the grievances from those venting the intolerable conduct against solicitors, in order to have a fuller perspective of what is causing this toxic treatment of solicitors in one of the most coveted professions, with all the accolades that accompanies the profession.
An objective and comprehensive investigation into the grievances that has triggered the dastardly acts of intimidation would bode the profession well, and may be explored following the completion of the research, which is still at it’s infant stage.
Lawyers are one of the most complained about professionals in the UK because of the nature of their job, and the high demands of running multiple cases simultaneously.
Duty solicitors in particular, are often swamped with multiple cases. At the early stages of a case, it can be difficult for them to give a case their undivided attention.
They are the first port of call for suspects and defendants who cannot afford to hire private legal representation.
Some solicitors are so overwhelmed with so many cases , that there are times barristers are seeing the papers of a case for the first time on the day of a trial.
Many lawyers are overworked an underpaid , often taking on cases at the last minute with not very much preparation.
Aggrieved clients sometimes feel they have not been properly represented by their solicitor, and there is also a perceived belief that defendant barristers and lawyers sometimes work together to to achieve a joint purpose that may not always favour the client.
Understanding the root causes of the threats and intimidation must necessarily be core to improving this sorry state of affairs in a field that calls for skill and insight.
Many defendants have reported meeting their barrister for the first time on the day of opening hearing, barely five minutes before their trial begins, and some have expressed disappointed that their brief knew very little about the case.
Solicitors conventionally prepare cases for barristers, who assemble the facts and identify the relevant arguments and points of law pertaining to each individual case.
Discontent about the amount of preparation barristers usually have to prepare cases, may explain some of the disgruntle that accompany some of the reproachable levels of threats and intimidation described by solicitors.
A spokesperson of the Law Society confirmed to this publication during a discussion about the unfortunate state of affairs, that there currently exists no comprehensive appraisal of the detains comprising the grievances of those who have issued the threats or intimidation against several solicitors.
Nor does the society have records of any police action or responses to the multiple and varied threats issued by disgruntled clients or former clients.
‘As the report states that this is just a preliminary stage, and there will be further stages down the line as part of the research which may delve into several other areas. One major stage will be what steps can be taken to protect solicitors from this kind of attacks”.
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