Registered Foreign Lawyer
A Registered Foreign Lawyer (RFL) is a lawyer who is qualified either in a UK jurisdiction other than Scotland or in a non-EU jurisdiction and is required to register in Scotland for the express purpose of joining a multi-national practice as a manager (or as a member if joining an incorporated practice).
Every multinational practice must have at least one lawyer from another jurisdiction approved by the Society.
The cost of registration is £150, which is renewable annually. More information on RFLs, including a list of regulators that have already been approved by the Society for the purposes of recognising and registering lawyers from their jurisdiction, can be found in our Rules and Guidance section.
Solicitors from other jurisdictions who wish to requalify into Scotland should visit the qualifying and education section of our website for further information.
Registered European Lawyer
Now that the UK has left the EU we are no longer covered by the Establishment Directive (98/5/EC) and we can no longer accept applications for registration from EU/EEA lawyers.
If you are an EU/EEA qualified lawyer living in Scotland, you can still work here under your home title (subject to meeting settled status requirements) but it may impact on the type of work you are able to carry out and the position you are able to hold in a practice unit. You also still have the option to requalify as a Scottish solicitor by sitting our Qualified Lawyers Assessment (see requalifying into Scotland), as unlike in some other jurisdictions we do not impose any nationality restrictions on who can become a Scottish solicitor.
Registered Swiss Lawyer
The exception to this is if you are a Swiss qualified lawyer. The UK has entered into an agreement for the recognition of professional qualifications with Switzerland, which came into effect on 1 January 2025. This gives Swiss lawyers holding the professional title of Avocat, Advokat, Rechtsanwalt, Anwalt, Fürsprecher, Fürsprech or Avvocato an additional way to qualify as a Scottish solicitor.
If you are eligible, you can apply for admission as a Scottish solicitor without having to sit an exam.
Please contact the member registration team with any enquiries at: member.registration@lawscot.org.uk.