Can a UK solicitor practice in Switzerland?

Asked by: Jedidiah Macejkovic  |  Last update: September 5, 2022
Score: 4.2/5 (15 votes)

UK lawyers or those in the process of qualifying as a UK lawyer as at 31 December 2020, and who are within scope of the UK-Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement, may start their application to register to work in Switzerland under their UK professional title on a permanent basis or to transfer to the Swiss professional ...

Can I work as a lawyer in Switzerland?

To be admitted to the bar, a lawyer must complete a Bachelor of Law (BLaw, which involves 3 years of reading at a university), a Master of Law (MLaw, which lasts three terms), a one-year to two years apprenticeship (depending on the Canton), and pass the bar exam.

Can a UK solicitor practice abroad?

Work for a UK firm overseas

This won't be a problem in the US or Commonwealth countries and there are a vast number of UK outposts in the US, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong and Singapore. Much will depend on where you trained and what experience you gained if you are to land a job at one of these top firms.

Can a UK solicitor practice in Europe?

Yes. You will be able to provide legal services on a temporary basis throughout the EU, as set out in the Lawyers Services Directive, until the end of the transition period, i.e. 31 December 2020.

Can I work as a lawyer in another EU country?

Lawyers may pursue their profession on a permanent basis in another EU country under the professional title acquired in their home EU country. Those wishing to do so must register with the competent authorities of the host EU country.

Can you Practice as a Lawyer/Solicitor in the UK (England and Wales) as a Foreign Qualified Lawyer?

28 related questions found

How do I become a lawyer in Switzerland?

Study Law in Switzerland

Law Degrees in Switzerland In order to become a lawyer in Switzerland, students must complete a three-year Bachelor of Law (LLB). However, in order to be admitted to the bar and enter practice, a subsequent two-year Master of Laws is also required.

Can English lawyers advice on EU law?

Lawyers qualified in an EU jurisdiction (and English lawyers until the end of 2020) enjoy EU legal professional privilege in respect of the advice they give to their clients. Controversially, lawyers from third countries, including the US, do not enjoy this privilege.

Is a UK law degree Recognised in Europe?

Will my law degree be recognised if I study abroad? If you study law in the European Union then your degree will be recognised. If you study at a good university elsewhere, your degree will be recognised. BUT, if you study law abroad it is unlikely that you will study English law.

Can a UK solicitor practice in Netherlands?

If you want to practice law in the Netherlands, you must be registered in the National Register of Lawyers (Landelijk Advocaten Tableau, LAT) kept by the Netherlands Bar Association (Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten).

Can a UK lawyer practice in France?

After months of debate, the National Council of French Bars (CNB) and the French government have reached the conclusion that the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) – ratified by MEPs on Tuesday – enables UK lawyers to register as FLCs both for temporary and permanent practice.

Where can I use my UK law degree?

Jobs directly related to your degree include:
  • Arbitrator.
  • Barrister.
  • Barrister's clerk.
  • Chartered legal executive (England and Wales)
  • Company secretary.
  • Costs lawyer.
  • Detective.
  • Licensed conveyancer.

Can you move abroad as a lawyer?

If you're qualified to practice in England and Wales then it's perfectly possible to move to many different countries and continue to practice English law.

Can UK lawyers practice in Italy?

Foreign lawyers must generally, respect the Italian ethical rules in the practice of their profession in Italy. Non-Italian law firms (EU and non-EU) are allowed to offer legal services in Italy if they act through Italian lawyers or foreign lawyers who are permitted to practise in Italy.]

Can foreign lawyers work in Switzerland?

Re: A Foreign Lawyer can work in Switzerland? Unless he is a citizen of an EU/EFTA country and has been admitted to the bar in an EU/EFTA country, his qualifications will not be recognized in Switzerland, and he will not be permitted to practice as a "lawyer".

How much do Swiss lawyers make?

Find out what the average Lawyer salary is

The average lawyer salary in Switzerland is CHF 158'930 per year or CHF 81.50 per hour. Entry-level positions start at CHF 123'375 per year, while most experienced workers make up to CHF 160'602 per year.

Can American lawyers practice in Switzerland?

Swiss law firms usually want Swiss lawyers but the American and UK law firms who have branches in Switzerland frequently employ people with American JDs. The problem is that these lawyers are usually recruited from the American offices of these firms and in a lot of cases these people have LLMs as well.

Can UK lawyers practice in Belgium?

As Brexit gets seems unlikely to become any clearer, British lawyers can protect themselves by becoming a Belgian citizen. Belgian professional bodies have granted an extension and allowed attorneys to hold on to their rights in the case that the UK leaves without a deal until December 2020.

Can UK solicitors practice in Ireland?

News that English and Welsh solicitors can now requalify in Ireland again without being required to sit any examination under the local Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test was today welcomed by the Law Society of England and Wales.

Can an English solicitor practice in Northern Ireland?

If you intend to practise as a solicitor in Northern Ireland, you must: have been admitted as a solicitor (eg completed your training) have your name on the roll (a list of all solicitors of the Court of Judicature in Northern Ireland) hold a practising certificate.

Can you work abroad with a UK law degree?

Can I Practise Law Abroad with a UK-Based Law Degree? For the most part, yes – although you may well be required to take an exam to prove your comprehension of the new legal system you're moving to practise in. If you wish to move somewhere in the EU, you must join a bar or law society in the country you're moving to.

Can UK lawyers work in Germany?

It is fairly easy for an English solicitor or barrister to provide legal services in Germany as long as he or she remains based in the UK.

Can you use your law degree in other countries?

A law degree abroad can set you up for a career in international law, but remember, law degrees don't always translate over. Each country, and in some places each state or province, will have different rules on practicing law.

Can UK lawyers advice EU law after Brexit?

EU LPP Post Brexit

This means UK lawyers can no longer rely on EU LPP and must exercise extra caution when advising clients on cross-border EU operations or when practising as a UK lawyer in the EU. Correspondence with a UK lawyer is therefore not subject to EU LPP and is disclosable to the European Commission.

Can UK lawyers advise on EU law after Brexit?

Thus, as a result of Brexit, UK lawyers have lost the ability in EU member states to advise on host state law and EU law. Furthermore, those lawyers will be subject to domestic restrictions (set out in the annex to the Agreement) did not apply previously.

What qualifications do you need to be a lawyer in Europe?

They must pass the first State Examination (or Staatsexamen, often as part of a university law degree), followed by two years of practical training including rotations at civil and criminal courts, an administrative authority and a law firm, called the Referendariat.