Non-European nationals are exempt from practical training and CAPA if they meet the requirements of training and professional practice, but must pass an exam to assess their knowledge of French law. Applications should be addressed to the National Council of Bars. This assessment test includes: Establishment of professional residence in the jurisdiction of the district court in which they reside. Lawyers must have an office that they own, rent or sublease. In some areas of law, the French legal system attaches great importance to another lawyer – the notary. The intervention of a notary is mandatory for the final transfer of real estate and they also play a key role in wills and successions. University professors and members of certain legal professions such as judges (Article 97) are exempt from the requirements for diplomas, theoretical and practical training, CAPA and internship. Legal advisers to companies or trade unions, employees of law firms and certain other members of the judiciary are exempt from theoretical and practical training and CAPA if they can prove that they have at least eight years of professional experience (Article 98). CDAs offer a mandatory twenty-hour preparation course for this exam. Students who pass the exam participate in a professional training program of a practical nature offered by a law school.
There are 15 CDAs in France that provide education and training. The implementing decree of 21 December 2004 amended the rules on the initial training of lawyers. Since then, it has taken at least 18 months (compared to the previous year, followed by a two-year internship), planned around courses and internships, and divided into three semesters. The routes to the profession of lawyer were laid down by the Act of 31 December 1971, as amended by the Act of 11 February 2004, and by the Implementing Regulations of 21 December 2004 on the professional training of lawyers. Make an annual allowance to the URSSAF for vocational training. Payment of dues to the Bar Association, the National Fund of French Bars (CNBF), the National Council of Bars and the URSSAF. You`ll also need to plan for professional and business interruption insurance, as well as additional retirement savings. This means that the details of French law can be complicated and not necessarily easily accessible to non-lawyers, especially if they are more familiar with another legal system such as the UK common law system.
The National Council of Bars and Law Societies may grant an exemption from the tests if the candidates so request in the light of their university or scientific studies; such as dissertations, theses or published articles or books. This means that the National Council does not take into account the professional experience or degree of the candidates. French lawyers are called “avocats”. The profession of lawyer in France is not “divided” as in the United Kingdom, so the French Avocat is the equivalent of a British barrister and solicitor combined. The National Bar Council is currently considering an in-depth reform of initial training; First and foremost, training would focus on internships. The extension of training to 18 months raises both the question of the financing of legal vocational training and the related question of equal access to the profession. However, students receive fees during their legal internships, and this may also apply to their PPIs. There is also a system of scholarships awarded by the federal government that help students finance their studies. However, these do not cover their costs in full or even in large part.
It is necessary to pass the Law School Admission Examination (EDA), which universities administer as part of the Institute of Judicial Studies (YEI), as a prerequisite for access to the profession. This exam can only be taken three times and a candidate must have completed the first year of a four-year Master of Laws degree or have an equivalent qualification. Yet most applicants have a second year of law school. However, it is possible for them to establish a professional residence as soon as they are registered in a bar; A previous internship is no longer required.