Lawyers Act (FMLA)
English is not an official language of the Swiss Confederation. This translation is provided for information purposes only, has no legal force and may not be relied on in legal proceedings.
Art. 1 Subject matter
This Act guarantees free movement for lawyers and set outs the principles for practising as a lawyer in Switzerland.
Art. 2 Personal scope
1 This Act applies to persons who hold a lawyer’s practising certificate and who represent parties before judicial authorities in Switzerland in terms of the lawyers’ monopoly. 2 It sets out the modalities by which parties may be represented before judicial authorities by lawyers who: a. are citizens of member states of the European Union (EU) or of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA); b. are citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who are covered by Part Four of the Agreement of 25 February 2019 between the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Citizens’ Rights following the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union and the Free Movement of Persons Agreement; c. who are covered by Annex A to the Agreement of 14 June 2023 between the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications. 3 These modalities also app
Para. 2 let. b — SR 0.142.113.672 Para. 2 let. c — Inserted by the Annex to the FD of 27 Sept. 2024 on the Approval and Implementation of the Agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications, in force since 1 July 2025 (AS 2025 478; BBl 2024 460). Para. 2 let. c — SR 0.412.136.7 Para. 2 let. c — Amended by Annex No 2 of the FD of 25 Sept. 2020 on the Approval and Implementation of the Agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom on Ci
Art. 3 Relationship with cantonal law
1 Under this Act, the cantons shall retain their right to lay down the requirements for being granted a lawyer’s practising certificate. 2 The foregoing also applies to the right of the cantons to permit holders of their own cantonal lawyer’s practising certificate to represent parties before their own judicial authorities.