Is the § character recognizable as an icon for legal matters in English speaking countries?

Solution 1:

I associate the section symbol with statutes and legal codes because it's commonly used (in connection with a numbering system, as in §1.1.1) to identify specific sections or subsections of a law or code—but I'm not sure I would have recognized it as such before I attended law school.

For most people in the United States, the two most immediately recognizable symbols of law are probably a pair of balance scales (with or without a blindfolded figure of Justice holding them) and a gavel. I think that a simple graphic of either scales or a gavel would be far more widely recognized by nonlawyers in this country as signifying law-related content than the § symbol would be.

Solution 2:

This would be inappropriate: the symbol simply means a section, and is used in many contexts outside of the law.

I don't think there is any common symbol for legal matters. The closest would be a balance scales. Do you need a symbol? Why not just write 'Legal'?

Solution 3:

In short, no. It's just a section symbol; it's not even used that much outside of the US even for that purpose.