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Remedy adverse Brexit effects call by Atkinson

The Law Society of England and Wales has put forward proposals to allow lawyers to be able to work and learn in the EU, ahead of the Britain-EU Summit on 19 May.

The representative body said this morning that this is a significant moment for high-level engagement “that can and should go beyond security”.

Ensuring that British lawyers can train and work in the large export market of the EU will mean the legal sector can remain competitive and boost growth while safeguarding prosperity, it added.

Legal services are a major contributor to the British economy, generating £9.5 billion in exports a year and employ 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, given the importance of business mobility to facilitating trade.

'Legal powerhouse'

It also wants a youth mobility scheme that allows young British solicitors under 35 to train and work in the EU for up to three years.

Establishing a system for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications would be a significant improvement for those lawyers who wish to requalify in the EU, the England and Wales Law Society said.

President Richard Atkinson said: “Post-Brexit, 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 businesses that rely on seamless legal support across borders.”

The legal sector must be at the forefront as a key facilitator of cross-border transactions for both businesses and the public, he added, commenting that a well-negotiated partnership with the EU would protect Britain’s global position as a 'legal powerhouse'.