Law Soc urges new PM to involve lawyers in Brexit negotiations

The Law Society has called on Prime Minister Theresa May to utilise the experience and expertise of the United Kingdom’s lawyers, and the legal sector more broadly, in the process of EU withdrawal.

President Jonathan Smithers said that the profession will support the government in its negotiations around Article 50. He also stressed that clients should rely on the expertise of their lawyers in this “period of unprecedented change”.

He said: “As a consequence of the excellent services provided by solicitors, the legal sector contributes £25.7 billion to our economy creating more than 370,000 jobs. Solicitors will be there to support their clients as they deal with the opportunities as well as the challenges arising from Brexit. Clients can continue to rely on law of England and Wales and legal expertise across the United Kingdom whether they are doing business here or abroad. This is a time to work together in the national interest.”

In other Brexit news, IP lawyers are concerned about the future of the Unified Patent Court, due to open next year, with two branches in London. The new court has been a long time in the planning and is designed to “create a unified patent system” throughout the European Union. As reported in the Law Gazette, lawyers are concerned what the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union will mean for location – and future – of the court.