Eligibility for Membership rules

APPENDIX A – Eligibility for Membership

Subject to Article 4(1) of the Constitution the following criteria apply to lawyers practising employment law (including labour law) in the EU jurisdictions and/or in Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland (together the ‘EELA Member Jurisdictions’):

Austria Any member of the Austrian Bar who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Belgium Any member of the Belgian bar who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Bulgaria Any qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in Bulgaria and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Croatia Any attorney-at-law (odvjetnik) duly enrolled at the Croatian Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Cyprus Any qualified lawyer registered with the Cyprus Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Czech Republic Any attorney-at-law (advokát) duly registered with the Czech Bar Association who practises employment law as an attorney-at-law to a substantial extent.

Denmark Any qualified lawyer duly enrolled at the Danish Bar and Law Society and who practises employment and/or labour law to a substantial extent.

England and Wales Any solicitor, barrister or Scots advocate who is qualified to practise law in England and Wales and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Estonia Any professionally qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in Estonia and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Finland Any professionally qualified lawyer who is a member of a Finnish Bar Association and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

France Any qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in France and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Germany Any qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in France and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Greece Any qualified lawyer who is a member of good standing of a Bar Association in Greece and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Hungary Any qualified lawyer duly enrolled with the Hungarian Bar Association as Attorney («Ügyvéd»), Assistant Attorney or European Community Jurist pursuant to Hungarian law, who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Iceland Any member of the Icelandic Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Ireland Any qualified solicitor enrolled with the Law Society of Ireland as a practising solicitor or any practising barrister who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Italy Any qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in Italy and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Latvia Any professionally qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in Latvia and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Liechtenstein Any qualified lawyer who is a member of the Liechtenstein Bar Association and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Lithuania Any professionally qualified lawyer who is a member of a Bar Association in Lithuania and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Luxembourg Any qualified lawyer who is a member of the Luxembourg Bar Association and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Malta Any qualified lawyer who has obtained a warrant to appear before the Courts of Malta and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

The Netherlands Any qualified lawyer who is a member of the Dutch Bar Association and practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Northern Ireland Any professionally qualified lawyer who practices employment law to a substantial extent and holding a current practising certificate issued by the Law Society of Northern Ireland or is a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland.

Norway Any fully qualified lawyer with the licence to conduct cases before the courts on an independent basis (« advokatbevilling ») and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Poland Any member of the Polish Bar of Advocates or the Polish Bar of Legal Counsels who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Portugal Any qualified lawyer duly enrolled at the Portuguese Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Romania Any lawyer duly admitted to practise in Romania and legally registered with a Bar Association in Romania functioning under the National Association of Romanian Bars, who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Scotland Any solicitor, barrister or Scots advocate who is qualified to practise law in Scotland and who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Slovakia Any member of the Slovak Bar Association as an “advocate” pursuant to sections 2 and 30 of the Slovak Advocacy Law («Zakon o advokacii»), who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Slovenia Any attorney-at-law (odvetnik) duly enrolled at the Slovenian Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Spain Any qualified lawyer duly enrolled at any of the Spanish Bar Associations who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Sweden Any qualified lawyer duly enrolled at the Swedish Bar Association who practises employment law to a substantial extent.

Switzerland Any qualified lawyer duly admitted to practice in Switzerland and registered with a Cantonal Bar Registry who practises employment law to a substantial extent for more than five years.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any lawyer who qualifies in one EELA Member Jurisdiction (their ‘Home Jurisdiction’) but lawfully practises employment law to a substantial extent in another EELA Member Jurisdiction (their ‘Host Jurisdiction’), eg as a registered European lawyer, may satisfy the qualification requirements of either their Home Jurisdiction or their Host Jurisdiction for the purposes of eligibility.

For the avoidance of doubt:

• A lawyer who qualified in one of the EELA Member Jurisdictions but does not currently practice to a substantial extent in any EELA Member Jurisdiction is not eligible for membership.
• A professional support lawyer who provides technical support to an employment law team but does not give employment law advice to clients to a substantial extent will generally not be eligible for membership.
• A member who ceases to be eligible for membership should declare the same to the Board promptly in writing.
• A member who temporarily ceases to practice for less than 12 months eg due to family leave, ill-health or sabbatical will remain eligible for membership during that period. A member who anticipates temporarily ceasing to practice for 12 months or longer should notify the Board in writing as soon as possible so that their circumstances can be properly considered.

Last updated by resolution of the Board on 22 May 2024