Procedure descriptions

Lawyer; Recognise foreign professional qualification

If you have completed training abroad that allows you to work as a european lawyer, you can have this qualification recognised. With this recognition, you may work as a lawyer in Germany.

If your training differs significantly from the requirements, you must first take an aptitude test.

Responsible authority

Contact the Joint Law Examination Office in your country.

Gemeinsames Prüfungsamt der Länder Berlin, Brandenburg, Freie Hansestadt Bremen, Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt und Schleswig-Holstein

Hausanschrift

Salzburger Straße 21- 25
10825 Berlin
To the electronic timetable information

Contact

Telefon 030 9013-3320
Fax 030 9028-3784
E-Mail gjpa@senjustva.berlin.de
Gemeinsames Prüfungsamt der Länder Hessen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland und Thüringen zur Abnahme der Eignungsprüfung für die Zulassung zur Rechtsanwaltschaft

Hausanschrift

Martin-Luther-Plat6z 40
40212 Düsseldorf
To the electronic timetable information

Contact

Telefon 0211 8792-276
Fax 0211 8792-418
E-Mail ljpa@jm.nrw.de
Gemeinsames Prüfungsamt des Landes Baden-Württemberg und der Freistaaten Bayern und Sachsen beim Ministerium der Justiz und für Migration Baden-Württemberg

Hausanschrift

Friedrichstraße 6
70174 Stuttgart
To the electronic timetable information

Contact

Telefon 0711 279-2366
E-Mail poststelle@jum.bwl.de

Details

Prerequisite

You have completed a course of training giving direct access to the profession of European lawyer.

Procedure

Make an application to the Judicial Examination Office. The Judicial Examination Office checks 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 recognised. If there are differences, you will have to take an aptitude test. The aptitude test consists of a written and an oral part. The written part of the examination consists of two papers. The oral examination consists of a short lecture and a discussion. The Examinations Office issues a confirmation of successful completion of the qualifying examination. A failed aptitude test may be repeated twice.

Deadlines

The deadlines published in the Joint Legal Examination Offices are different.

Required documents

  • application
  • a curriculum vitae in tabular form
  • proof of entitlement to direct access to the profession of European lawyer
  • proof that more than half of the minimum period of training was carried out in Member States of the European Union or in other Contracting States to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or in Switzerland, or a certificate confirming at least three years of professional experience in one of these states
  • a statement as to whether an application has already been submitted or an aptitude test taken, and if so, to which examination offices

You can find out which documents are also required from the Joint Law Examination Office.

Costs

The fees depend on your personal case.

Release note

17.01.2024 Ministry of Justice Baden-Württemberg