Our work to reduce barriers to market entry overseas has delivered important results over many years. India, Singapore, Brazil, Malaysia, Bulgaria and New York have been the particular focus of recent attention. 

Trade missions and other opportunities 

We organised trade missions and other events and secured UK Trade & Investment funding to help solicitors explore and enter new markets. This year we led our first legal services trade delegation to the Gulf state of Qatar. The visit enabled firms of all sizes to promote themselves directly to business partners and potential clients in Qatar, and to gain direct insight into practice and opportunities in the region. Other recent trade missions have included Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana and France. 

We held seminars in Boston and New York targeting US companies and law firms doing business in the UK and the legal aspects around this, providing an excellent opportunity to showcase English legal services. We hosted a week long visit by Indian law firms to help promote legal cooperation between the UK and India. 

 The Law Society and the Croatian Bar Association hosted a joint seminar on the opportunities and challenges offered by the European Union for lawyers interested in learning more about the process of EU accession and a general overview of EU law. 

We provide training to solicitors working overseas. Our 2009 Gulf training programme covers corporate, commercial and finance law, and professional skills training.

Representing the profession in the international arena 

We represent solicitors from England and Wales at every important international forum, including meetings of the International Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) and the Commonwealth Law Conference. The Law Society has recently become a member of LAWASIA which brings together lawyers and bar presidents from across the Asia Pacific region, providing a useful forum in which English and Welsh firms can establish relationships. 

International Division signs up 100th member 

The Law Society’s International Division signed up its hundredth member in June 2009 as firms of all sizes become increasingly interested in doing business abroad. The Division provides practical help and assistance to promote growth in expanding overseas markets. Although many large City-based firms are members, medium and small firms and sole practitioners are also benefiting from raising their international profile.