Memorandum signed to ease process for UK lawyers working in Belgium
Memorandum signed to ease process for UK lawyers working in Belgium
As the Opening of the Legal Year gathered representatives from all over the world to celebrate the legal profession, ten presidents and chairs of the key legal professional bodies of the UK and Belgium signed a Memorandum of Understanding to streamline the process of UK lawyers practising in Belgium.
Post-Brexit, Belgian lawyers retained key practising rights in the UK. They can provide legal services in UK law (with the exception of ‘reserved legal activities’) and practise arbitration, conciliation, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. They can also employ, be employed and partner with UK lawyers as well as work as in-house legal professionals.
“Both UK and Belgian lawyers need to have the same professional rights in our respective countries. I would like to thank the Belgian legal professional bodies and my colleagues from Scotland and Northern Ireland for coming together to sign this Memorandum of Understanding. It is an important step,” said Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales.
“Brexit put up barriers for UK lawyers practising in EU countries. The European Union is the UK’s largest export market for legal services and a top priority for our profession.
“With our Belgian counterparts, we agreed to simplify the requalification process for UK lawyers practising in Belgium. We hope that this will eventually provide our members with a route to requalification similar to the requalification process that applies in France, which allows foreign lawyers to requalify by sitting the Bar exam even if they did not study law in France.
“Both ourselves and the Belgian legal professional bodies also committed to advocating with our respective governments for visa free travel for lawyers in both countries when carrying out permitted activities on a fee earning basis, without other restrictions.
“The UK will ensure that England and Wales remain open for Belgian lawyers who wish to practise and requalify here. We look forward to working with our Belgian friends to make this agreement a reality and the UK legal sector stronger. It is vital for jobs, growth and our economic security."
Peter Callens, president of the Order of the Flemish Bars said: "This Memorandum of Understanding represents a positive foundation and a promising starting point for further steps towards keeping both jurisdictions open and connected."
Notes to editors
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 30 September 2025 and can be sent on request. The signatories are:
- Peter Callens – president, Orde van Vlaamse Balies (Order of the Flemish Bars)
- Stéphane Gothot – president, Ordre des Barreaux Francophones et Germanophone de Belgique (Order of the French-speaking and German-speaking Bars of Belgium)
- Frank Judo – president, Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten bij de Balie te Brussel (Dutch-speaking Brussels Bar)
- Marc Dal – vice president, Ordre français des avocats du barreau de Bruxelles (French-speaking Brussels Bar)
- Barbara Mills KC – chair, Bar Council of England and Wales
- Antony Graham KC – chairman, Faculty of Advocates Scotland
- Patricia Thom – president, Law Society of Scotland
- Donal Lunny KC – chair, Bar Council of Northern Ireland
- Colin Mitchell – president, Law Society of Northern Ireland
- Richard Atkinson - president, Law Society of England and Wales
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