Applying for recognition as a lawyer with a professional qualification from abroad

• Submit an application to the Judicial Examination Office
• The Judicial Examination Office will check whether you have acquired all the knowledge and skills required to work as a lawyer in Germany during your training
• In this case, your degree will be recognized
• If there are any differences, you will have to take an aptitude test
• The aptitude test consists of a written and an oral part.
• Two supervisory papers must be completed as written examinations.
• The oral exam consists of a short presentation and an exam interview.
• The Examinations Office will issue a confirmation of the successful completion of the aptitude test. A failed aptitude test may be repeated twice.

Contact the Joint Legal Examination Office of your country.

• You have completed training which entitles you to direct access to the profession of European lawyer

• Application
• a curriculum vitae in tabular form,
• proof of eligibility for direct access to the profession of European lawyer;
• proof that more than half of the minimum training period has been completed in Member States of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Switzerland, or a certificate of at least three years' professional practice in one of these countries,
• a statement as to whether and to which examination offices an application has already been submitted or an aptitude test has been taken.

You can find out which documents are also required at the Joint Legal Examination Office.

The fees depend on your personal case.

The deadlines vary in the Joint Legal Examination Offices .

• § 4 Federal Lawyers' Act
• § 16 et seq. Act on the Activities of European Lawyers in Germany
• § 3 et seq. Ordinance on the Aptitude Test for Admission to the Bar

05.01.2021