Dozens of solicitors will next month try to become part of the political elite - but only a handful look likely to join the 60 or so sitting lawyer MPs who should be re-elected.

The Conservatives are fielding at least 42 lawyers looking for election for the first time, with David Gauke - until recently an assistant at City firm Macfarlanes - and former CMS Cameron McKenna lawyer Shailesh Vara likely to be elected in Hertfordshire South West and Cambridgeshire North West respectively.


Two other solicitors are in key Tory target seats. David Jones, senior partner of Llandudno firm David Jones & Co, is standing in Clwyd West, the Tories' 20th target seat. James Brokenshire, an associate in the London office of US firm Jones Day, is aiming to win Hornchurch, target number 24.


For Labour, well-known human rights lawyer Sadiq Khan is set to take Tooting in south London.


Keith Darvill, a partner at east London firm Kenneth Elliott & Rowe, is also looking to win back the Upminster seat he lost in 2001.


Emily Gasson, the in-house solicitor at housing association South Somerset Homes, is the most likely Liberal Democrat lawyer to be elected. She is standing again in Dorset North, the party's 17th target seat.


Among sitting solicitor MPs, Labour's Alan Hurst faces a fight to hold on to Braintree with a 358 majority, while Tory David Ruffley in Bury St Edmunds is a Labour target. In 2001 he increased his majority from 368 to 2,503.


Other notable candidates include: Robin Tilbrook, a former president of Mid Essex Law Society and chairman of the English Democrats Party who is standing in Epping Forest; David Greene, a partner at central London firm Edwin Coe and a member of the Civil Justice Council and rules committee, standing for Labour in the safe Tory seat of Buckingham; and well-known woman solicitor Fiona Bruce, who is unlikely to win Warrington South for the Conservatives.


Solicitor John Burnett is standing down as Liberal Democrat MP for Torridge & West Devon after eight years. He is to join west country firm Stephens & Scown as a consultant.