Update to the Recognition of Professional Qualifications: Swiss Qualified Lawyers, and Lawyers Qualified in Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein
The registered European lawyer route to qualification at the Bar has now closed, following the expiry of the post-Brexit Swiss Citizens' Rights Agreement on 31 December 2024. This has brought in changes to the way in which we will process applications for two groups of applicants, detailed below.
The REL regime gave enhanced rights to qualified Swiss lawyers who were also registered as RELs to apply to practise as a barrister, compared with transferring qualified lawyers from most other non-common law countries.
Another temporary post-Brexit regime, which operated via the European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2015 has also now expired. This instrument gave qualified Swiss lawyers enhanced rights to have their professional qualifications recognised by legal regulators, outside of the REL regime. Under this regime, qualified Swiss lawyers could only be required to take an aptitude test (i.e. the Bar Transfer Test).
New regulations came into effect on 1st January 2025 replacing both regimes. These new regulations align with the terms of the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and Switzerland and create a new framework for lawyers qualified in Switzerland seeking recognition of their professional qualifications in the UK. They will continue to provide a streamlined route to the Bar for eligible Swiss lawyers.
Eligibility under the new regime is based on applicants holding specific Swiss legal professional titles: Avocat, Advokat, Rechtsanwalt, Anwalt, Fürsprecher, Fürsprech or Avvocato. Note that eligibility is based on the title held, not on nationality.
Where the applicant's professional qualifications are substantially different from the essential knowledge or skills required to practise as a barrister in England and Wales, or the practice of a barrister in England and Wales includes one or more activities substantially different from those covered by the applicant's qualifications, the BSB may require an applicant to:
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Undertake an aptitude test, or
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Complete an adaptation period.
A key development under the new regime is that the Swiss qualified lawyer applicants may now choose their preferred route into the profession; either by an aptitude test or by an adaptation period, and cannot be required to complete both.
We are now updating the Handbook to reflect the new regulations which align with the terms of a trade agreement between the UK and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The trade agreement between the UK and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein follows a regulatory regime similar to that for Swiss lawyers (see above). However, it gives fewer rights to the lawyers qualified in these countries than the Swiss regime. For example, the Bar Standards Board will decide whether such lawyer applicants may be required to undertake an aptitude test, complete an adaptation period, or both.
The eligibility is title-based and professional titles covered by the regime for Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are: Advokat (Norway), Lögmaður (Iceland), and Rechtsanwalt (Liechtenstein).
We are working to integrate these updated regulatory regimes into the BSB Handbook and its supporting guidance. We expect to complete this by Autumn 2025. In the interim, applications received from lawyers qualified in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland will be processed in line with the updated regulations.
Contact Information
For further information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact the BSB Policy Team. The team is available to guide applicants through the application process and provide detailed support.
We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this transition period.
