Summit can open door for UK lawyers to learn and work in the EU

News

Ahead of the UK-EU summit on 19 May, the Law Society of England and Wales has put forward proposals* to allow lawyers to be able to work and learn in the European Union (EU).

It is a significant moment for high-level engagement between the UK and the EU that can and should go beyond security.

By ensuring UK lawyers can train and work in the EU, the biggest export market for UK legal services**, we make sure the legal sector remains competitive on the international scene to boost growth across our economy and safeguard everyone’s prosperity.

Legal services are a major contributor to the UK economy generating £9.5 billion in exports a year and is responsible for employing more than half a million people directly or indirectly.

The Law Society, along with 50 other organisations***, has been calling for an expansion of the activities permitted to short term business travellers in the EU. Far from being about free movement of people, business mobility is facilitating trade and is of paramount importance if the UK legal sector is to remain competitive.

It is also important to have a youth mobility scheme that allows young British solicitors under 35 to train and work in the EU for up to three years. Two-thirds (66%) of people would support a UK-EU youth mobility scheme****, with different research also showing it would result in a 0.45% rise of the UK’s GDP in 10 years*****.

Establishing a system for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications would be a significant improvement for those UK lawyers who wish to requalify in the EU. The summit provides a significant opportunity to start negotiations in this area.

Richard Atkinson, president of the Law Society of England and Wales, said: “Post-Brexit, UK solicitors have faced significant barriers to working in the EU. As a result, there has been an adverse effect not only on the legal sector but also on UK businesses that rely on seamless legal support across borders.

“To keep the UK competitive, we are calling for better business mobility to let UK lawyers train and work in the EU with as few barriers as possible.

“As the UK-EU relationship evolves, the legal sector must be at the forefront as a key facilitator of cross-border transactions for both businesses and the public. A well-negotiated partnership with the EU would protect the UK’s global position as a legal powerhouse and protect our people.”

Notes to editors

*The Law Society’s evidence submission to the Lords European Affairs Committee Inquiry into the UK-EU reset is available on request.

**The EU is the largest single export market for UK legal services. It accounts for around a third of all legal services exports. In 2021, the UK exported £2bn in legal services to the European Union, according to data from the Office for National Statistics Office.

***The Law Society is member of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) along with 50 other organisations.

****MRP Analysis: A UK-EU Youth Mobility Scheme.

*****Research by the Centre for European Reform: The gap between the ‘Brexit reset’ rhetoric and the reality