Another telling story of scrambling to stay involved with Europe by lawyers and law firms
The Guardian reports
More than 700 British solicitors have applied to register with the Law Society of Ireland this year as lawyers scramble to secure professional rights of audience in European courts.
The precautionary investment, which cost each applicant about £300, is a way of guaranteeing access to the higher EU courts and tribunals in Luxembourg that deal with community law, which would be lost in the event of Brexit. Only lawyers from EU states can appear at the European court of justice.
Ken Murphy, the director general of the Law Society of Ireland, confirmed that 543 solicitors from England and Wales and 21 solicitors from Northern Ireland have been admitted to the roll of solicitors in Ireland so far this year. A further 145 applications are being processed. The figures compare with an average of 50 to 100 admissions a year from England and Wales in previous years.
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“Of the EU member states, Ireland is the legal jurisdiction most equivalent to the UK,” said Murphy before the referendum. “We are both English-speaking, both common law jurisdictions and our legal institutions are much the same. This makes Ireland the destination of choice for solicitors in England, in particular, who are concerned about the possibility of the UK voting to leave the EU.”
“The right to argue before EU tribunals such as the court of justice of the European Union is only afforded to lawyers qualified in an EU state. It is our understanding that the majority of the solicitors who are completing this process will continue to practise in London or Brussels and do not intend to set up a physical practice in Ireland.”
Most of those applying this year from England and Wales cited Brexit as the reason for their registration.
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