Westminster & Holborn Events
Forum for International Lawyers in London F
orum for International Lawyers in London [FILL], has been created in response to the increasing numbers of lawyers, who are qualified in jurisdictions, other than England and Wales, and decide to overcome all potential challenges and embark on the adventure of practicing law in another country. This Forum will provide lawyers from all jurisdictions, worldwide, with the space they need to find support and share their experiences. Perhaps you find yourself needing guidance on how to cross- qualify in England and Wales or want to discuss the market opportunities and discover what are realistic expectations for you? This group provides the opportunity for lawyers qualified abroad and English qualified lawyers to connect, create a network of legal professionals with expertise in other jurisdictions, and to develop personal and professional relations between them.
FILL launched on Tuesday 25 February 2020 with a drinks reception kindly hosted by Farrer & Co. We encouraged all international lawyers to join us and we had a very successful event with over 60 attendees. Carolina Marín Pedreño, the Chair of WHLS and Paula Piquer Ruz, a committee member responsible for this group, both dual qualified lawyers, gave a short speech about their initial experiences when relocating to London to practice English law as European lawyers and the progression in their careers, and recognised the value that international lawyers add to the legal profession in the UK. There was a very positive interaction between lawyers qualified in European jurisdictions and worldwide and a lot of interest shown in participating in future events. The Forum was aiming to meet regularly throughout the year, and we were already planning events for 2020. Sadly, as a consequence of the present circumstances with Covid-19 face to face events have had to be postponed. However, we remain available to assist remotely to continue facilitating support to our members. ■
CENTRAL LONDON LAWYER 7
