For chambers of practising barristers. In Scotland, this code is also used by advocates registered with the Faculty of Advocates.
SIC codes for solicitors and legal services
Solicitors firms, barristers chambers, and other legal practices have a narrow choice of SIC codes on the Companies House register. UK SIC 2007 splits legal services into just three sub-codes inside group 6910: one for barristers, one for solicitors, and a third 'other legal activities' code that catches patent agents, copyright agents, notaries, and adjacent practices. The choice is usually obvious. An LLP of solicitors registers 69102. A chambers of barristers registers 69101. A specialist patent or trade mark firm registers 69109. Multi-discipline professional services groups that bundle tax, audit, and law typically register 69102 as their lead code and add other regulated activities as secondary codes. Where it gets interesting is the boundary between regulated legal practice and adjacent businesses. Paralegal advisory firms and legal-tech companies that aren't regulated practices sometimes register 70229 (management consultancy) or 62012 (software development) instead. The list below covers the three codes that cover regulated legal practice itself.
SIC codes solicitors and legal practices typically choose
The default code for the vast majority of UK law firms, including high-street solicitors, commercial firms, and full-service practices regulated by the SRA or the Law Society of Scotland.
Used by patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, copyright agents, notaries public, and any regulated legal practice that doesn't fit 69101 or 69102.
Frequently asked questions
Which SIC code should a UK solicitors firm register?
Almost every firm of solicitors in the UK registers 69102 (Solicitors) as their primary SIC code. It covers all activities regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in England and Wales or the Law Society of Scotland, including conveyancing, family law, criminal defence, commercial practice, and litigation. Multi-discipline professional firms add other codes alongside (such as 69109 for IP work) but 69102 stays as the lead.
What is SIC code 69109 used for?
69109 covers 'patent and copyright agents and other legal activities n.e.c.' (n.e.c. meaning 'not elsewhere classified'). In practice it is used by specialist intellectual property firms, patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, notaries public, and any regulated legal practice that does not fit the standard solicitor or barrister categories. Many IP boutiques register 69109 as primary alongside a secondary code reflecting their wider commercial activities.
Is there a SIC code for legal consultancy or paralegal services?
There is no dedicated UK SIC code for legal consultancy, paralegal services, or legal-tech companies that aren't regulated practices. Firms in this space typically register 70229 (Management consultancy activities other than financial management) or 62012 (Business and domestic software development) if they're building legal software. The 6910 codes are reserved for regulated legal practice, not for adjacent advisory or technology businesses.