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. 30 Principles
1 Citizens of EU or EFTA member states may be entered on a cantonal lawyers’ roll without satisfying the requirements under Article 7 letter b provided they: a. have passed a qualifying examination (Art. 31); or b. have been entered for at least three years on the list of lawyers practising under their original professional title and prove that they: 1. have practised during this period effectively and regularly in the field of Swiss law, or 2. have practised in the field of Swiss law for a shorter period and have proven their professional skills in an interview (Art. 32). 2 They shall thereby have the same rights and obligations as lawyers who hold a cantonal lawyer’s practising certificate and are entered on a cantonal lawyers’ roll.
Art. 31 Qualifying examination
1 Citizens of EU or EFTA member states shall be admitted to the qualifying examination if: a. they have successfully completed at least three years of studies at a university and if applicable the required professional training in addition to such studies; and b. they hold a degree that entitles them to practise as a lawyer in an EU or EFTA member state. 2 The lawyers must sit the qualifying examination before the lawyers’ examination board of the canton on whose roll they wish to be entered. 3 The qualifying examination shall cover the specialist fields that are the subject of the cantonal lawyers’ examination and which differ substantially from those which have already been examined in the course of their training in their state of origin. Its content is also determined by the professional experience of the lawyers concerned. 4 The qualifying examination may be resat twice.
Art. 32 Interview to verify professional skills
1 The interview to verify professional skills shall be conducted by the lawyers’ examination board of the canton on whose roll the lawyer wishes to be entered. 2 It shall is based in particular on the information and documents provided by the lawyer about the work that they have done in Switzerland. 3 It shall take account of the knowledge and the professional experience of lawyer concerned in the field of Swiss law, as well as courses and seminars attended on Swiss law.
Art. 33 Professional title
In addition to the professional title of the canton on whose roll they are entered, lawyers may also use their original professional title.