Information sharing

Firm data web service

26 May 2020

We operate a web service offering third parties programmatic access to a range of data we hold about the firms we authorise and regulate.

The data in our web service is in the public domain—available in our Solicitors Register and the Law Society's Find a solicitor website. Making this data more widely available through a web service helps to ensure that everyone has access to information about regulated law firms and also helps consumers to make informed choices.

The data in our web service is updated every 24 hours and covers the following areas:

  • SRA number (for the firm and any offices)
  • Office name
  • Current licence (recognised body, licensed body)
  • Office type (head office or branch)
  • Business type (law practice)
  • Constitution type (LLP, partnership etc)
  • Practising address(es)
  • Postal address(es)
  • Business email address(es)
  • Telephone number(s)
  • Website addresses(es)
  • Are they authorised
  • Authorisation date
  • Authorisation status date
  • Whether they are freelance
  • Regulator (SRA or other approved legal service regulator)
  • Trading names
  • Previous names
  • Areas of law they practise
  • Reserved activities they can carry out
  • Company registration number
  • Number of offices

The web service includes a means to access the date and time of dataset production.

The web service does not include any information not mentioned above.

We view our web service as a step toward making our data openly and freely available. We are working hard to open up access to more regulatory information—studying how our data is used and planning the best ways to present it. Visit this page again for progress updates.

Terms and conditions

Register to use our data sharing API

Web service user support

Frequently asked questions

Open all

Once you have created an account you will need an API key. Follow the steps below to get your key.

  • Login to the API
  • click 'Products'
  • click 'Datasharing'
  • click 'SRA Data Share API Version V1'
  • click 'Subscribe'
  • click 'Profile'
  • click 'Show' next to the primary or secondary key to see your new key.

This is a list of values in the API and their meanings, as of 28 November 2024. For descriptions of some of the terms, please see our Solicitors Register glossary.

Office type

HO
Head office
Branch
Branch

Authorisation status

CEASE
Authorised but ceased trading
CONDITION
Authorised with conditions
INTERVENE
Intervened firm (closed down by the SRA)
YES
Authorised

Authorisation type

LICBODY
Licensed body
NOTSRA-F
Other organisations not regulated by SRA but may have regulated solicitors working there.
RECBODY
Recognised body
RECSOLE
Recognised sole practice

Constitution

ACCA
Associated of Chartered Certified Accountants
ACP
Accountancy Practice
ADVI
Advice service
ALCD
Association of Law Costs Draftsmen
BSB
Bar Standards Board
CHU
Churches & other religious bodies
CLC
Council for Licensed Conveyancers
CMY
Commerce & Industry
CPD
CPD Course Provider
EDUC
Educational Establishment
EEP
Exempt European Practice
FLP
Foreign Law Practice
FS
Freelance Solicitor
GFS
Government Funded Service
GLS
Government Legal Services
GVT
Government/Statutory Body
GVTB
Government Body
HS
Health Service
ICLG
Company Limited by Guarantee
ICLS
Company Limited by Shares
ILEX
Institute of Legal Executives
ILLP
Limited Liability Partnership
IPRB
Intellectual Property Regulation Board
IUC
The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
LCS
Locum Services
LECS
Legal Consultancy Services
LGB
Local Government Body
LICV
Licensed Conveyances
MCF
Master (Court) of Faculties
MLLP
Multi National Limited Liability Partnership
NCO
Non-commercial Organisation
OSO
Oversea Organisations of unknown Constitution
PART
Partnership
PLC
PLC
RCHA
Registered Charity
REG
Regulatory Body
SOLP
Sole Practice
URO
Unregulated Organisation

Organisation type

FIRMOTHER
Regulated by another Regulator (see below)
FIRMSRA
SRA Regulated Firm
ORG
Other Organisation not regulated by SRA but may have regulated Solicitors working there.

Regulators

ACCA
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants
BSB
Bar Standards Board
CILEX
Chartered Institute of Legal Executives
CLC
Council for Licensed Conveyancers
CLSB
Cost Lawyers Standards Board
IPRB
Intellectual Regulation Property Board
MF
Master of Faculties
SRA
Solicitors Regulation Authority

Organisation types

LicensedBodyAuthorised
Licensed Body authorised
LicensedBodyAuthorisedWithConditions
Licensed Body authorised with conditions
LicensedBodyClosureComplete
Former Licensed Body now closed
LicensedBodyClosureInProgress
Licensed Body that has ceased trading but still authorised
LicensedBodyIntervened
Licensed Body that has been intervened (closed down by SRA)
PracticeNotSeparatelyAuthorised
Type of freelance solicitor firm
PracticeNotSeparatelyAuthorisedCompFund
Type of freelance solicitor firm
RecognisedBodyAuthorised
Recognised Body authorised
RecognisedBodyAuthorisedWithConditions
Recognised Body authorised with conditions
RecognisedBodyClosureComplete
Former Recognised Body now closed
RecognisedBodyClosureInProgress
Recognised Body that has ceased trading but still authorised
RecognisedBodyIntervened
Recognised Body that has been intervened (closed down by SRA)
RecognisedSolePracticeAuthorised
Recognised Sole Practice authorised
RecognisedSolePracticeAuthorisedWithConditions
Recognised Sole Practice authorised with conditions
RecognisedSolePracticeClosureComplete
Former Recognised Sole Practice now closed
RecognisedSolePracticeClosureInProgress
Recognised Sole Practice that has ceased trading but still authorised
RecognisedSolePracticeIntervened
Recognised Sole Practice that has been intervened (closed down by SRA)
UnregulatedPracticeNotSraAuthorised
Other organisations not regulated by SRA but may have regulated solicitors working there.
UnregulatedPracticeNotSraAuthorised102a
Other organisations not regulated by SRA but may have regulated solicitors working there and may have additional protections from SRA.

Work area

Areas of law that the organisation has told us they delivered, in annual reporting to the SRA and returns a list from the below.

Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution
Children
Commercial/corporate work for listed companies
Commercial/corporate work for non-listed companies
Consumer
Criminal
Discrimination/civil liberties/human rights
Employment
Family/matrimonial
Financial advice and services (Regulated by the SRA)
Immigration
Intellectual property
Landlord and tenant (Commercial and Domestic)
Litigation - other
Mental health
Non-litigation (other)
Personal injury
Planning
Probate and estate administration
Property commercial
Property - residential
Social welfare
Wills, trusts and tax planning
Claims management
Payment protection insurance
Youth Court

Use www.sra.org.uk/datasharing to link to this page.