Law Society secures post-Brexit deals to boost global legal practice

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The Law Society has successfully negotiated three international trade agreements post-Brexit, which aim to strengthen international legal ties and enable British lawyers to work abroad.

The most recent deal, with the Malaysian Bar Council, extends foreign law firm licenses from three to five years for firms already operating in the market. The Law Society, alongside the UK Ministry of Justice and British High Commission Kuala Lumpu, has been advocating for this extension for several years.

Law Society President Nick Emmerson said it was a “welcome step” that’ll “grant certainty to firms” aiming to establish themselves in the Malaysian market. The move will also give British lawyers more opportunities to work abroad and expand their professional networks.

The development follows a similar agreement with the Greek parliament, which will allow British lawyers to practice in Greece without having to qualify as local practitioners. Both agreements followed the late July announcement that Japan’s justice ministry had streamlined the registration process for foreign lawyers, improving market access for solicitors and firms in England and Wales.