Britain's Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) announced this week that revisions to its guidelines for foreign lawyers interested in becoming solictors in England and Wales will go into effect on September 1, 2008. The changes include a stipulation that all foreign lawyers must have at least one year's experience in English law before they can become solicitors.
The other major change is a "new guidance" for considering requests for exemption from the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (QLTT).
The changes were supposed go into effect in March, but was delayed by six months.
SRA Chief Executive Antony Townsend said the changes "are designed to protect the public interest, to fair to all solicitors, and to continue to allow appropriately experience lawyers who qualified abroad to come and practise in England and Wales as fully recognised England and Wales solicitors."
For more information, please visit the SRA website.
