Cross-Border Practice
Many legal professionals work from offices in different countries than where they hold their qualifications. This guide explains how to set up your application for cross-border practice.
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Understanding Cross-Border Practice
What it means to practise law across borders.
Cross-border practice is when your physical office location is in a different country than your legal jurisdiction. This is increasingly common as legal services become more international.
Your jurisdiction is determined by where you hold your professional qualifications - not where you physically work. For example, if you’re licensed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), your jurisdiction is England & Wales, regardless of whether your office is in London, Dubai, or Singapore.
Example: Singapore-Qualified Lawyer in Dubai
Scenario
You are a Singapore-qualified Advocate and Solicitor, working from an office in Dubai, UAE. You serve clients with Singapore legal matters remotely.
How to Set Up Your Application
- Add Your Jurisdiction (Singapore)
In the "Jurisdictions" section, add Singapore as a jurisdiction. Select the Law Society of Singapore as your regulatory body and enter your practising certificate number. Add the jurisdiction first, because your office has to point at one. - Add Your Office (Dubai)
Further down, in the "Offices" section, add your Dubai office address. Set the country to United Arab Emirates. This is where you physically work. - Link Office to Jurisdiction
On the office, answer "Which jurisdictions does this office serve?" and select Singapore. This tells us that your Dubai office handles Singapore-jurisdiction matters.
Key Point
The office country and jurisdiction country don’t need to match. Our system is designed to handle international practices where professionals serve clients across borders.
Common Cross-Border Scenarios
UK Lawyer in Malta serving Ireland clients
Office: Malta | Jurisdiction: Ireland (Law Society of Ireland) | Professional Type: Solicitor
US Attorney working from London
Office: London, UK | Jurisdiction: New York (NYSBA) | Professional Type: Attorney at Law
Multi-jurisdiction with mixed offices
Office 1: Dubai | Office 2: Singapore
Jurisdiction 1: England & Wales (SRA) - served from Dubai
Jurisdiction 2: Singapore (Law Society) - served from Singapore
Important Considerations
Regulatory Compliance: Ensure you comply with both your jurisdiction’s rules on practising from abroad and any local regulations in your office location regarding foreign legal practitioners.
Client Communication: Your office contact details are used by our team rather than published in the directory, but they should still be where you can actually be reached. If you work from Dubai, use your Dubai contact details.
Time Zones: Consider how time zone differences affect client service when listing your availability in the directory.
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