The number of practising solicitors grew 7% last year despite severe economic headwinds, pushing the number of solicitors on the roll in England and Wales to over 150,000.

The number of solicitors with a practising certificate stood at 120,847 on 31 December 2010 compared with 112,589 at the same date in 2009, according to figures released this week by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).