Solicitors in Sunderland

Most people need a solicitor only a handful of times: buying a house, making a will, sorting out an estate, going through a separation or facing a court case. Sunderland has a long-established legal quarter on and around John Street in the city centre, a short walk from the courts, and Washington has its own practices in and around The Galleries. This guide covers five firms that were trading in Sunderland in November 2026, with a note on what each does most of. Every solicitor in England and Wales must be authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and you can check any firm on the SRA's online register before you instruct it. Inclusion here is not a recommendation over firms we have not listed.

Tilly Bailey & Irvine

Tilly Bailey & Irvine works from Scanlan House on John Street and acts for people across Sunderland, Washington, Seaham and Houghton-le-Spring. It is one of the broader practices in the city, covering residential conveyancing, wills and probate, family and children matters, personal injury and a full business department dealing with commercial property, disputes, employment law and mediation.

The firm also has a criminal defence team with a 24-hour line for people who need a solicitor at a police station, which is worth knowing about before you need it.

Best for: Suits people who want one firm for several kinds of work, and anyone needing criminal defence at short notice.

Emmersons Solicitors

Emmersons Solicitors was founded in Sunderland in 1998 and is based at Acer House, further along John Street, with a second office in Gosforth. Family law, including divorce, separation and arrangements for children, makes up a large part of its work. It also handles residential and commercial property, wills and lasting powers of attorney, Court of Protection applications, probate, motoring offences, criminal defence and fraud cases.

Late appointments run until 7pm on Monday and Tuesday by arrangement, and there is parking opposite the office.

Best for: Suits people going through divorce or separation, and anyone who can only get to an appointment after work.

McKenzie Bell Solicitors

McKenzie Bell Solicitors at 47 John Street concentrates on the matters most households meet: buying, selling and remortgaging a home; wills, probate and lasting powers of attorney; and matrimonial and family law. It also advises employees on settlement agreements, the documents an employer offers when a job is ending, which usually need independent legal advice before they are signed.

Best for: Suits homebuyers, families arranging wills or powers of attorney, and employees offered a settlement agreement.

Longden, Walker & Renney

Longden, Walker & Renney was founded in 1834 and is still on John Street, which makes it one of the oldest practices in the city. It is known in particular for clinical negligence and personal injury claims, acting for people harmed by medical treatment or injured in accidents. It also handles wills, trusts and probate, residential conveyancing, commercial property, business law and dispute resolution.

Negligence and injury claims have strict time limits, so it is worth taking advice early and asking how a claim would be funded.

Best for: Suits anyone considering a medical negligence or personal injury claim, as well as families dealing with an estate.

John Donkin Solicitors, Washington

John Donkin Solicitors has served Washington for more than 50 years and is based in Unit 53 of The Galleries, the town's shopping centre. The firm merged with George Mills Solicitors in 2007 and covers conveyancing and commercial property, wills, lasting powers of attorney and probate, family and employment law, criminal defence, civil disputes, personal injury and medical negligence.

Best for: Suits Washington residents who would rather not travel into Sunderland city centre, with parking on the doorstep.

When someone has died

Dealing with an estate is one of the most common reasons people look for a solicitor. You do not always need one: smaller, straightforward estates can often be handled by the family. Our guide to what to do when someone dies in Sunderland covers registering the death, the Tell Us Once service and when probate is needed. Where there is a property, a disputed will or inheritance tax to pay, a solicitor experienced in probate can take much of the weight off.

Help if you cannot afford a solicitor

Legal aid is still available for some criminal cases and for certain family matters, such as cases involving domestic abuse, and anyone questioned at a police station is entitled to free advice from a duty solicitor. For housing, debt, benefits and employment problems, Citizens Advice can often help before a solicitor is needed, and Sunderland City Council's services are summarised in our council services guide.

Choosing a solicitor

• Check the register. Search the firm on the SRA website to confirm it is authorised and see any regulatory history.
• Ask for a written estimate. Firms must publish price information for some services, including conveyancing and probate, and should explain costs in writing at the start.
• Ask who will do the work. Many matters are handled day to day by a legal executive or trainee supervised by a solicitor, which is normal, but it is worth knowing who your contact will be.
• Think about location. Many matters can now be handled by phone and email, but face-to-face meetings matter for wills, family cases and anything sensitive.

If you are buying a home, our moving to Sunderland guide covers the areas and practicalities, and estate agents are covered in our estate agents guide. Other professional services are listed in the directory.

Know a Sunderland law firm we have missed? Get in touch.