Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.6 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €33.9bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
Lawyers specialise and acquire specialist lawyer titles in particularly sought-after areas
- According to data from the German Federal Bar Association, the number of specialist lawyer titles acquired in Germany has continued to rise in recent years, reaching a total of 58,655 titles as of 1 January 2025, an increase of 0.3% compared to the previous year. The proportion of female title holders in particular has increased and currently stands at 18,608, an increase of 1.4 %. A total of 34,961 lawyers hold one specialist lawyer title, 9,877 two and 1,310 even three titles. The most popular specialist areas include labour law (11,314), family law (8,528) and tax law (4,641). The proportion of women among specialist lawyers is currently 33.4% and continues to increase.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
AI platforms are increasingly shaping digital legal advice in Germany
- AI platforms such as AnwaltGPT and JustitAI make it possible to automatically analyse legal issues and create standardised documents such as reminders, statements of claim or expert opinions within seconds. AnwaltGPT focuses on the structured review of legal texts and the rapid preparation of legal recommendations. JustitAI pursues a hybrid approach in which the AI creates a preliminary draft that experienced lawyers check and refine. Another example is Libra from Libratech AI, which was developed specifically for automated contract analysis, commenting on critical clauses and collaborative processing of mandates. Libra offers functions such as deep thinking mode for particularly challenging cases and a data protection-compliant workspace for legal teams.
Biggest companies in the Legal Activities in Germany
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (€m)
2025 |
|---|---|---|
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | 508.2 | |
CMS Hasche Sigle | 440.5 | |
Hengeler Mueller | 338.8 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 7 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Inheritance and family law, Labour and trade union law and Banking, insurance and commercial law. Inheritance and family law is the largest segment of the Legal Activities in Germany.
Trends and Insights
There are a particularly large number of specialised lawyers in the field of inheritance and family law
- Cases relating to inheritance and family law generate the majority of turnover. This business area includes the preparation and enforcement of wills, custody agreements, representation before family courts and the implementation of adoption proceedings.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The legal advice sector provides advice and representation in civil and criminal proceedings. The activity profile also includes the notarisation of contracts, wills and trust agreements. The sector also includes law firms with and without notary's offices, whereby patent law firms are included.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Legal Activities industry in Germany include Inheritance and family law, Labour and trade union law, Banking, insurance and commercial law, Tax and insolvency law, Commercial and sales law, Tenancy and social law, Criminal and administrative law and Building law.Companies
Companies covered in the Legal Activities industry in Germany include Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, CMS Hasche Sigle and Hengeler Mueller.Purchase this report to view all 7 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Legal Activities industry in Germany include society, law boutique, initial public offering (ipo), syndicus, deep learning, supra-local society, legal tech and blockchain.Industry Code
WZ 69.10 - Legal Activities in Germany
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Growing regulation in areas such as artificial intelligence, data protection and environmental law is significantly increasing the need for advice. Law firms are developing i...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
In terms of the client base, the majority of the sector's turnover is generated through advisory activities for companies. Extensive legal advice is required for mergers and ...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
North Rhine-Westphalia has a strong demand for labour, consumer and public law due to its high population density and central judicial locations such as Hamm. Hesse, on the o...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Due to the regulation of the industry, there is no real external competition. Although larger companies have their own legal departments with employed lawyers, these are not ...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
There are no major players in the sector. The German market is dominated by small, owner-managed law firms that specialise in a particular area of expertise.
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of CMS Hasche Sigle's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of Hengeler Mueller's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
- Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for 4 additional companies
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for CMS Hasche Sigle, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description and key data for Hengeler Mueller, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
- Description, key data and performance trends for 4 additional companies
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
If the number of IPOs increases, this has a positive effect on the industry. The initial public offering of shares is quite complicated, which is why many law firms are often...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Law firms have a very high profit margin. Cost savings through the increased use of digital technologies and the growing demand for legal advice should also ensure high profi...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Legal Activities industry in Germany in 2025?
The market size of the Legal Activities industry in Germany is €33.9bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Legal Activities industry in Germany in 2025?
There are 61,661 businesses in the Legal Activities industry in Germany, which has grown at a CAGR of 1.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Legal Activities industry in Germany?
The Legal Activities industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Legal Activities industry in Germany?
The Legal Activities industry in Germany is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Legal Activities industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Legal Activities industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 0.6 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Legal Activities industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Legal Activities industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Legal Activities industry in Germany?
The biggest companies operating in the Legal Activities industry in Germany are Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, CMS Hasche Sigle and Hengeler Mueller
What does the Legal Activities industry in Germany include?
Inheritance and family law and Labour and trade union law are part of the Legal Activities industry in Germany.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Legal Activities industry in Germany?
The company holding the most market share in the Legal Activities industry in Germany is Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
How competitive is the Legal Activities industry in Germany?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Legal Activities industry in Germany.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Germany include:
- German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
- European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
- United Nations Comtrade
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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