The figures are contained in the Law Society City Legal Index, published in partnership with Legal Monitor. A statement released by the Law Society says: 'The fall in the total number of deals was widespread across sectors, although there was a particularly sharp fall in the number of deals in the energy and utility sector because of the fall in oil prices. There was also a decline in deals for the technology, media and telecoms sector compared to the particularly high level of deals in this sector last year.'

Short term stalling

Jonathan Smithers, president of the Law Society, said: 'The fall in the number of legal deals in the first half of 2015 followed by the slight pick-up suggest we may see a short term stalling in the recovery of the UK and international economy. The slowdown in China could well accentuate this trajectory.' Source: Law Society