r/eulaw • u/Naive_Future_6530 • Jul 29 '25

Becoming a lawyer with a LLB in international/european law?

I want to be a lawyer in the EU/potentially somewhere else like UK or maybe even US in the far future.

I don’t want to study in my home country (spain), for personal reasons. I have been advised to study a LLB in international/European law in the netherlands (Uni Groningen, Uni Maastricht). Anyone who has done these programmes or could help me to understand webether or not I could become a lawyer in any european/another country in the future, if it’s possible with a LLB in this topic?

Ofc i’m aware that I need to do further education, like LLM’s and passing bar exams, but I was just wondering if a LLB in international law could get me to a place where I could do this and practice as a lawyer in one of these countries. Thanks! :)

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u/bskate123 Jul 29 '25 edited Jul 29 '25

Also, i think the trick is to qualify in at least one EU jurisdiction in order to practice anywhere else in the EU. I'm not sure how bar qualification is now recognised in the UK after brexit. I think you still need to do some form of law course (GDL or equivalent) and you will definitely need to sit the SQE which i've heard is a tough exam. As for US - LLM at US uni and bar exam to qualify.

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u/Detig Jul 30 '25

That is only partially true. You cannot practice the law of a jurisdiction you’re not qualified in.

You’re always at a disadvantage against local candidates who can do what you can plus the national law which is the bread and butter of any law firm. It’s a numbers game and your potential to bill hours upon recruitment is lower than a local candidate.

If you’re going down a niche route your options will be niche as well. How do I know this? Because I took the niche route.

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u/Naive_Future_6530 Jul 30 '25

Thank you both so much for your answers, i really appreciate it, and i’ll look into it! Yeah, that makes sense, may I ask what your niche route was?

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u/Detig Jul 30 '25

I qualified in one MS, worked in another as an European lawyer, did my PhD at a third, worked there in academia and am now doing the same on a fourth one.

At multiple stages in my career the “roads not travelled” were plenty, namely international organisations and more recently lobbying.

But moving around purely as a lawyer is difficult for the reasons I mentioned. You can always dual qualify but that means you’re at least a couple of years behind everyone else at your adopted country.

At larger law firms it may be possible to be posted at foreign offices but that is usually a temporary placement and more of a fringe benefit so to speak.

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u/Naive_Future_6530 Jul 30 '25

That’s so interesting! Can i ask what you mean by MS? So you got a national degree in law in a country, and then qualified in another country? Can i ask how this was for u and how hard the journey was

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u/Detig Jul 30 '25

Member State. No, I did my law degree and qualified in the same Member State. Moved abroad only after qualifiying as a lawyer.

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u/Naive_Future_6530 Jul 30 '25

Ahh, okay. Can I ask, how long it took you to get qualified in that country, and how hard it was for u to get qualified in another country?

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u/Detig Jul 30 '25

I didn’t qualify in a second country. I worked as an European lawyer in my second country, that is relying in the qualification as a lawyer in my original Member State (aka home title).

Qualification is left to the national or regional bars so you need to check what each requires for you to be fully qualified there.

What doesn’t exist is a formal full recognition of qualification across the EU allowing to practice law unimpended anywhere.

Another alternative I have not mentioned is working as in house lawyer/GC. In that context and in the right company you may find it easier to work even while not being qualified in that member State. But everyone I know that went down that route started working in their home member state first.