Brexit and the legal profession

The UK left the EU single market and customs union on 31 December 2020. Its relations with the bloc are now regulated by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

There are substantial changes affecting English and Welsh solicitors servicing clients in the European Union (EU).

EU laws including the EU lawyers' directives no longer apply to English and Welsh solicitors.

The rules governing their practising rights vary in each EU member state, country in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland

Free movement to the EU has ended. There are new rules governing the ability of solicitors to cross the border to each EU member state, countries in the EEA and Switzerland.

Brexit also impacted matters including:

  • enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters
  • EU legal professional privilege
  • tax
  • anti-money laundering regulation
  • intellectual property
  • data flows

These changes came into effect from 1 January 2021.

Learn more

Read our guidance on:

Review the UK government's country-specific guides on providing services and travelling for business to the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

These guides contain information on matters including travel and entry requirements that apply to UK service providers travelling to each EU/EEA country and Switzerland.

Read the country-specific guidance on the European Commission's EU Immigration Portal

Further questions?

Email our international team: international@lawsociety.org.uk.