Law Society Brexit No Deal Advice Update
There continues to be uncertainty about how and when the UK will leave the EU. The Government’s stated intention is still to leave the EU on 31 October; however, the UK Parliament is currently taking steps to avoid this if a deal is not passed before the next European Council meeting. As uncertainty remains, we are advising our members to begin or continue to prepare for this eventuality as a no deal could occur on 31 October or later.
As the political uncertainty continues, both the Law Society of England and Wales and the UK Government have published information to support businesses, and specifically for solicitors. The Government has published guidance on how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.
The Law Society of England and Wales has published guidance on the potential effects on our members in the event of a no-deal Brexit in the following areas:
Civil and commercial co-operation – updated August 2019
Consumer law – updated August 2019
Criminal justice and security co-operation – updated August 2019
Data protection – updated August 2019
Family law
Family law: practical recommendations
Intellectual property
Providing legal services in the EU – updated August 2019
VAT – updated September 2019
Our international team can provide information on the national regulations that apply in each jurisdiction in the EU/EFTA. Email EuropeCIS@LawSociety.org.uk to request information about a specific country.
The Law Society forms part of the UK Delegation to the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), which also recently published extensive guidance on the effect of all Brexit scenarios on practice rights both for EU lawyers working in the UK and for UK lawyers working in the EU. The Solicitors Regulation Authority has also published guidance for EU lawyers practising in the UK.
All this information can be found on the Law Society’s website and we will update this with further guidance and information in the coming weeks. If you have any questions you can contact the Law Society via brexit@lawsociety.org.uk .
