Record Growth of the Legal Market in 2025
According to a new YouControl.Market study, the number of registered law firms and individual legal entrepreneurs (IEPs) in Ukraine reached 45,042 as of October 1, 2025 — marking a new record for the industry.
In just nine months of 2025, more new law firms were registered than in all of 2024. The data show a resilient and adaptive legal market, expanding even under wartime conditions.
“New registrations of legal businesses are now twice as high as terminations,” the report notes.
“Even during the most difficult year, 2022, the number of new firms exceeded the number of closed ones.”
Registration Trends 2021–2025
| Year | New Companies | New IEPs | Companies Terminated | IEPs Terminated | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 617 | 2,688 | 99 | 979 | +2,227 |
| 2022 | 228 (-63%) | 2,236 (-17%) | 42 | 979 | +1,443 |
| 2023 | 330 (+44%) | 3,026 (+36%) | 45 | 1,235 | +2,076 |
| 2024 | 334 (+1%) | 2,983 (-1.4%) | 44 | 1,415 (+14.6%) | +1,858 |
| 2025 (9 mo.) | 399 (+19%) | 2,617 (+6%) | 43 | 1,522 | Growth continues |
Despite a wave of IEP terminations early in 2025 — partially due to backlogged registry operations after a cyberattack — the overall trend remains positive.
Quarterly Overview for 2025
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Q1 2025: 104 companies and 730 IEPs registered; 847 total terminations (anti-record due to registry backlog).
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Q2 2025: Recovery — 123 companies and 760 IEPs registered; terminations dropped by half.
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Q3 2025: Peak activity — 168 new law firms (+87%) and 859 new IEPs (+46%), with the largest net increase since the start of the war.
Analysts attribute the surge to the growing demand for legal services in wartime — including assistance for relocated businesses, defense procurement, and support for displaced persons.
Regional Distribution of the Legal Business
The legal sector remains highly concentrated in major economic centers:
Law Firms (Legal Entities)
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Kyiv — 9,801 (45% of total)
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Dnipropetrovsk — 1,352
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Odesa — 1,328
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Kharkiv — 1,307
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Lviv — 1,137
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Kyiv Region — 999
➡️ These six regions together account for 71% of all legal entities.
Individual Legal Entrepreneurs (IEPs)
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Kyiv — 6,253 (28%)
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Kyiv Region — 1,692
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Kharkiv — 1,522
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Odesa — 1,492
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Dnipropetrovsk — 1,463
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Lviv — 1,433
The “Big Six” regions together cover almost two-thirds of Ukraine’s individual legal practices.
In contrast, frontline and agrarian regions (such as Kherson, Volyn, and Ternopil) have fewer than 200–300 registered entities each.
Gender Balance: Women Strengthen Their Role
The Ukrainian legal sector remains male-dominated, but gradual gender shifts are visible:
| Segment | Women (2025) | Women (2021) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Legal Professionals | 37% | 34% | ↑ Moderate growth |
| Individual Entrepreneurs | 43% | 38% | ↑ Consistent increase |
| Law Firm Founders / Executives | 31% | 30% | → Stable |
Women are increasingly active in private practice, though leadership roles in large firms remain limited — indicating a slow but steady erosion of the “glass ceiling.”
Market Insights and Outlook
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Total registered legal entities & IEPs: 45,042
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Net market growth in 2025: +3.5% year-to-date
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Kyiv share: 44% of companies, 28% of IEPs
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Record registration pace: 399 companies in 9 months — already 19% more than in all of 2024
Experts expect further professionalization of the sector in 2026, as EU-aligned standards for legal services, digital registries, and e-justice continue to expand.
