19th-century painting of lawyers, by French artist Honoré Daumier

A European lawyer, beyond the self-evident definition of 'a lawyer in Europe', also refers to a specific definition introduced by the UK's European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978, which permits lawyers from other EU member states to practice law within the UK, in accordance with EU directive 77/249/EEC.

The term EU lawyer is also used in UK law.[1]

The order contains a list of countries of origin and the designations which the order applies to for example a professional "entitled to pursue his professional activities"[2] such as an "advokat" in Finland, may practice Europe-wide as a "European lawyer".

The order also imposes temporary limitations on the types of legal work which may be carried out by such persons. Lawyers from other European countries practicing in the UK must be associated with appropriate co-counsel and upon demand by a competent authority they must verify their status.[2]

After a possible temporary limitation such as the aforementioned, EU lawyers may acquire and use the title of the country they reside and work in, usually after three years of practice under the title of origin (and possible restrictions) or after an examination that confirms equivalence. The choice is up to the professional, not the bar or country.

Professions Applicable to EU Order

The full list of professions to whom the title 'European Lawyer' is applicable follows;

Professions recognised under EU Order
CountryProfessionDuration of legal education[3]
AustriaRechtsanwalt4-5 year degree + 5 years of training + exam
BelgiumAvocat5 year degree + 3 years of training + exam[4]
Advocaat
Rechtsanwalt
BulgariaAdvokat
CyprusDikegόros
CroatiaOdvjetnik5 year degree + exam
Czech RepublicAdvokát5 year degree + 3 year legal traineeship + exam[5]
DenmarkAdvokat5 year degree
EstoniaVandeadvokaat
FinlandAsianajaja5-6 year degree
Advokat
FranceAvocat4 year degree + exam + lawyer school during 18 months + exam
GermanyRechtsanwalt5-6 year degree + exam + 2 year legal traineeship + exam
GreeceDikegόros4 year degree + 18 months legal traineeship + exam
Hungaryügyvéd5 year degree + 3 years of legal traineeship + exam
Icelandlögmaður
IrelandSolicitorSolicitor vs. Barrister

distinction, university or practical experience paths

Barrister
ItalyAvvocato5 year degree + 1.5 year legal traineeship + exam[6]
LatviaZvērināts
LatviaAdvokāts
LiechtensteinRechtsanwaltNo law school; recognition of Austrian and Swiss law degrees.[7][8][9]
LithuaniaAdvokatas
LuxembourgAvocatNo local law school until recently; recognition of other EU law degrees and supplementary course in local law
Rechtsanwalt
MaltaAvukat5 year degree + 1 year practice + exam
Prokuratur Legali
NetherlandsAdvocaat4-5 year degree + 3 years training + exam[10]
NorwayAdvokat
PolandAdwokat5 year degree + entry bar exam + 3 years of bar association training and mandatory professional work + bar exam
Radca Prawny
PortugalAdvogado4 or 5 year degree + exam + bar association training and mandatory professional internship and exams (up to 2 years)
RomaniaAvocat
SlovakiaAdvokátMaster's degree + 3-5 year apprenticeship + exam[11]
Advokátka
SloveniaOdvetnik
Odvetnica
SpainAbogado5 years and a half degree + exam
Advocat
Abokatu
Abogado
SwedenAdvokat4-5 year degree
SwitzerlandRechtsanwalt
Anwalt
Fürsprecher
Fürsprech
Avocat
Avvocato
Advokat
United KingdomSolicitorEngland and Wales: 3 year degree + 0.5-1 year LPC + 2-year training contract

Scotland: 3-4 year degree + 1 year Diploma + 2-year training contract

Barrister (England and Wales) / Advocate (Scotland) England and Wales: 3 year degree + 1 year BPTC + 1 year pupillage

Scotland: 3-4 year degree + 1 year Diploma + experience in a solicitor's office + pupillage + exam

See also

Notes

  1. "Statutory Instrument 2004 No. 1117. The European Communities (Services of Lawyers) (Amendment) Order 2004". Office of Public Sector Information.
  2. 1 2 "Annex 10A European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978" Archived 2008-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Laurel S. Terry. "Legal Education and Practice in the European Union" (PDF). 2005 AALS Annual Meeting. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  4. Article 434 Judicial Code see https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=1967101002&table_name=wet , and https://www.ordevanvlaamsebalies.be/nl/fetch-asset?path=files/Advocaat.be-documenten/Codex-Deontologie-versie-update-tot-BS-2023-08-16.pdf
  5. Bruno Nascimbene, Elisabetta Bergamini: The Legal Profession in the European Union, Kluwer Law International, 2009, p. 81
  6. "LEGGE 31 dicembre 2012, n. 247: Nuova disciplina dell'ordinamento della professione forense". Consiglio Nazionale Forense. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  7. "Trainee lawyers". www.rak.li. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
  8. "Wegleitung zum Antrag auf Eintragung in die Konzipientenliste" (PDF). Liechtensteinische Rechtsanwaltskammer.
  9. "RAG | Lilex - Gesetzesdatenbank des Fürstentum Liechtenstein". www.gesetze.li. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
  10. https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0002093/2020-07-01
  11. "Lawyer training systems in the EU: Slovakia". European e-Justice Portal. April 2014. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
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