Brexit guidance for legal professionals published

The Scottish Government has published guidance for legal professionals to help them cope with a possible ‘no deal’ exit.

Two guides cover the changes to cross border civil justice cooperation in family cases and in civil and commercial cases.

Minister for Community Safety Ash Denham said: “With the UK Government refusing to take a ‘no deal’ Brexit off the table, the Scottish Government has taken what steps we can to ensure that Scotland’s legal system can continue to provide access to justice, through both the criminal and civil courts.

“We have made sure that for civil judicial co-operation – the law which facilitates resolution of private disputes that cross borders – the Scottish legal system will cooperate with courts in other countries via the Hague Conventions. This will enable family or business disputes to continue to be settled in Scottish courts in situations where one party is based abroad.

“As the Prime Minister clearly intends to try to remove the UK from the European Union on 31 October with or without a deal, it is important that legal professionals are aware of what changes will be made to the way they work as a result of such an outcome, however unwelcome these changes may be.”

The two guides are:

Family law disputes involving EU after Brexit: guidance for legal professionals

Cross-border civil and commercial legal cases after Brexit: guidance for legal professionals