Hi everyone. I am considering moving to Amsterdam from New York and I am trying to find out whether a person with a law degree from Bulgaria, LLM from US and NY State Bar Admission can practice law in Netherlands. I don't seem to find much information online (at least not in English). Does anyone have an idea if I can sit for the Dutch Bar, or need to do another LLM there? Who can sit for the Dutch Bar? I would appreciate any info. Thanks in advance!

I think that to be accepted to the dutch bar is difficult. It is better to be accepted to the UK Bar first and if you are accepted in any bar in Europe you will be much easier accepted to the Duch bar. Generally you will be accepted in Europe if you are accepted in any European bar. You have to know Dutch too.
My e:mail arspoland@wp.pl
I am from Poland and in Poland in order to be a barrister you have to passed bar exam or you have to be from Europe and to be a member of any European bar in order to be enrolled to the Polish bar as a foreign lawyer.

Thank you for that. Why do you think one needs to know Dutch? Because of that aptitude test? Are all lawyers required to sit for it?

Hi, In Holland there's no real Bar exam like in the US. Students who want to become a lawyer take a three year intership and follow courses at a law firm (with exams) .After these three years you're a 'real' lawyer. If you already practiced law, you might just need to do a few courses. I would like to point out it is absolutely necessary to speak dutch and are familiar with dutch law. Hope this informtion is helpful

Very much so, thank you! Your responses are much appreciated.
On the three year training - I applied for a Junior Associate position, which is exactly as you are saying - working under supervision and taking exams in the company. However, they told me that I need to be qualified in order to apply for this three year training/position. Here is where I get confused - am I not doing the three year training to get qualified?
Also, is there any way to avoid the language requirement? You are saying that it is required for the training, or for the practice afterwards, or for both? The training is in Dutch only?
Many thanks again!!

Hi, I think they mean that you have to be qualified to begin the internship. For dutch people that means they have to have a law degree from a dutch university. As an EU citizen you could start a procedure to work as a lawyer in Holland as well. For this you have to take an exam in dutch. On the the website of the dutch bar it says if you're not an EU citizen the only way to get admitted to the bar is if you get your law degree at a dutch university. For the laguage requirement I'm pretty sure you have to be able to speak dutch (sorry) flawlessly in order to do the training and for the practice as well.

Hi everyone!

I have started my legal training in another country of the EU . I will start an LLM in the Netherlands in September and I´m already learning Dutch. Do you think that my legal training in another european country would be taken in account to diminish the duration of the legal training in the Dutch Bar?
And does anyone know if trainees are well paid in Dutch firms bearing in mind their work? In some countries of Europe the legal training is well paid just like any other junior job but in others trainees receive very little or nothing. Any idea?

Thanks.

Hi, In Holland trainees are very well payed (at least if you compare it to other jobs in Holland). I guess 'well payed' only has a meaning in comparison to where you're from, but a legal trainee is considered a junior job, not an internship. About the training: I think you can only shorten the training if you have significant work experience in legal practice. It will probably explain itself on the website of the dutch bar. www.advocatenorde.nl. Good luck!

Thanks a lot!
I was also told that the Dutch bar admits the reduction of the legal training if applicants have significant working experience or if they have taken and passed exams during the legal training (which is my case).
I shall write to the Dutch asking for more information about this!

Hello everyone!

I'm still not sure about how to become a lawyer in Holland.
If in Holland there's no real Bar exam ...Does it means students who want to become a lawyer have to take a three year intership and follow courses at a law firm (with exams) then they can become a 'real' lawyer via all this steps?
Then how to be qualified to begin the internship? I have a BA degree in law but not in dutch and now i plan to get my LLM in Holland. May i be qualified to get the internship at the same time during the period of my studying or must have to get the LLM degree first?
BTW,how's the "law firm exams"?

Thank you so much if anyone can tell me:)

Hello Everybody,

I hold an LLB from a university outside the EU and LLM degree from a university in Holland. Based on the foregoing, would I be permitted to practice law at law firms in Holland? Please take into consideration that I am not an EU citizen and I have more than 2 years experience in UAE.

[Edited by Ahmed Radwan on Mar 14, 2017]

The quickest way to find out what your qualifications allow you to do is to contact the Dutch bar association directly :) https://www.advocatenorde.nl/