Draft Brexit deal would enable UK lawyers to continue operating in the European Union during transition

The controversial draft Brexit deal agreed by UK and EU negotiators, if implemented, would allow UK lawyers to continue to operate in the EU throughout the transition period that runs until 2020, while one of the aims of a post-Brexit trade deal would be to make such “appropriate arrangements on professional qualifications” permanent.

Under the proposed deal, UK lawyers would still be able to appear before the Court of Justice of the European Union until 2020, at which point supporters of the deal hope a new agreement will have been negotiated to allow this arrangement to continue after the UK exits the EU on 29 March 2019.

As Legal Futures reports, mutual recognition of academic and vocational qualifications by the UK and EU member states would also continue, enabling UK citizens to practice law in EU countries and EU citizens to qualify as lawyers in the UK.

However, for now this all remains theoretical. Prime Minister Theresa May’s draft Brexit agreement still needs to be approved by Parliament, but with some MPs on the right of her party likely to vote down the deal alongside the Labour opposition and her erstwhile allies in the Norther Irish Democratic Unionist Party, it is uncertain whether she will be able to get the deal through or survive as head of the government. May might also have to face a vote of no confidence in her leadership if enough Conservative MPs band together to force the issue.

Students and candidates should make sure to follow the developing situation in the news over the days and weeks ahead.