Different types of legal advisers
The regulated legal professions
There are many different types of regulated legal advisers. The legal professions that are regulated under the Legal Services Act 2007 are described in the table below. Choosing a regulated legal adviser offers you a number of benefits and protections (see our Frequently Asked Questions for more details).
| Legal profession | Specialists in… | Regulator |
| Costs Lawyers | Costs law and practice | Costs Lawyer Standards Board |
| Solicitors | A range of legal issues, with individual practitioners having different expertise | Solicitors Regulation Authority |
| Barristers | Contentious issues and advocacy | Bar Standards Board |
| Licensed Conveyancers | Property law and transactions | Council for Licensed Conveyancers |
| Trade Mark and Patent Attorneys | Intellectual property law | Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) |
| Notaries | Authentication of documents and signatures | The Faculty Office |
| Chartered Legal Executives and CILEx Practitioners | A range of legal issues, with individual practitioners having different expertise | Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) Regulation |
Find out more
For more information about the different regulated legal professions, visit the Legal Choices website. There you will find resources to help you choose the legal adviser best suited to your needs.
