The Law Society has welcomed the passage through the Greek parliament of a law enabling UK lawyers to practise in Greece under their home title. 

Greece has been one of the Law Society’s priority jurisdictions in Europe. Several of the UK’s largest law firms have a significant presence in the Greek market, predominantly in Athens and Piraeus.

This new legislation allows lawyers qualified in the UK and based in Greece to register with a Greek Bar to advise clients on English law as well as public international law. The Society said the law is a direct result of the Law Society’s continued collaboration with the UK government and negotiations with the EU Commission, Greek government and counterparts since the announcement of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. As part of the agreement, Greece committed to allowing UK lawyers to continue practising under their home title.

Law Society president Nick Emmerson said: 'This is a landmark achievement for UK lawyers and law firms. The Law Society has worked tirelessly with the UK government to ensure that our members can continue to provide their services in one of the continent’s most important markets. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all those involved in this process, including our counterparts in Greece and the UK government, for their unwavering support and commitment.

'This new law signifies a strong step forward in safeguarding the interests of UK legal professionals abroad and reaffirms the importance of collaborative international relations in the legal sector.

'England and Wales remains an open jurisdiction not just to Greek lawyers but to all foreign lawyers, who are and will continue to be welcome to practise here.'

Justice minister Heidi Alexander said: 'UK lawyers are among the best in the world and this legislation creates exciting opportunities for them to practise in Greece. I want to thank the Law Society for their close collaboration on this move which will help bolster our world-renowned legal services sector which contributed £34 billion to the UK economy in 2022.'

 

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