Apply for admission to the Bar Association as a European attorney

• To apply for admission as a European attorney, you must submit the required documents in writing.
• Your documents will be processed by the relevant bar association and reviewed for completeness.
• If you do not meet the requirements, your application for admission will be denied.
• If your documents are incomplete, the bar association will request the missing documents.
• Any documents that do not need to be submitted as originals may be submitted digitally via beA, beBPo, or by email.
• If you do not submit the requested documents, your application for admission will be rejected.
• If your documents are complete and there are no obstacles to admission, your application will be approved
• You will receive your certificate of admission by mail.

More information

Once you have been admitted as a European lawyer, you must use the professional title that you are authorized to use in your home country under the laws in effect there. If you are authorized to use the title “Rechtsanwalt” or “Rechtsanwältin” in your home country, you must also indicate the professional association to which you belong in your home country.
You may not use the title “European lawyer.”

Appeal
You may appeal a possible rejection notice to the competent Bar Court within one month of service, either in writing or by means of an electronic document bearing a qualified electronic signature in accordance with the Signature Act (SigG), via the electronic court and administrative mailbox (§§ 46a, paragraph 2; 112a, paragraph 1; 112c, paragraph 1 of the Federal Lawyers’ Act — BRAO, in conjunction with § 74(1), second sentence, of the Administrative Court Rules (VwGO)). Legal representation is mandatory; that is, you must be represented by an attorney for this purpose (Section 112c(1) BRAO, Section 67(4) VwGO).

• Application for Membership and Resume
  

  You must submit a completed and signed application form and a resume. 

• Proof of Citizenship
  

  You must submit proof of your citizenship (a certified copy of a valid identification document).

• Proof of a certificate from the country of origin
  

  You must submit a certificate from the competent authority in your country of origin attesting that the European attorney is a member of the legal profession. The certificate must not be more than three months old at the time of submission. You must generally resubmit the certificate from the competent bar association every three years following your admission to the bar. The certificate must be accompanied by a certified translation.

• Proof of Prior Convictions
  

  You must submit a certificate from the competent authority in your home country stating that there are no known serious professional misconducts, criminal offenses, or other circumstances that would call into question your suitability to practice as a lawyer. The certificate must be accompanied by a certified translation.

• Proof of academic degree
  

  If you hold an academic degree, you must submit proof of it.

• Proof of professional liability insurance
  

  You must submit proof of professional liability insurance in accordance with § 51 of the Federal Lawyers’ Act (BRAO) or provide a provisional letter of coverage. Insurance in your home country satisfies the legal requirements if it is equivalent to insurance under Section 51 of the BRAO in terms of conditions and scope of coverage. If you have foreign insurance coverage, you must submit an annual certificate from the insurer after your admission, detailing the insurance terms and scope of coverage. If you submit proof of foreign insurance, a certified translation must be included.

• Proof of payment of the fee
  

  You must submit proof that you have paid the applicable fees. The fee is due upon submission of the application to the Chamber.

Simplified online form
You can use this form to upload applications and supporting documents for an existing application. You can also ask questions about your application.
This form is only available in German.

• Application of a European lawyer for admission to the Hanseatic Bar Association Bremen (§2 EuRAG) (pdf, 386.2 KB)
  

250,00 EUR Fees are charged in accordance with Section 39 of the Act on the Activities of European Lawyers in Germany (EuRAG) and Section 192 of the Federal Lawyers' Act (BRAO) in conjunction with the scale of fees of the Hanseatic Bar Association of Bremen. Please contact the responsible office.

What deadlines must be paid attention to?

None.

How long does it take to process

4 weeks bis 8 weeks Once all the documents are available

• §§ 2 - 7 Gesetz über die Tätigkeit europäischer Rechtsanwälte in Deutschland (EuRAG)
• § 39 Gesetz über die Tätigkeit europäischer Rechtsanwälte in Deutschland (EuRAG)
• Gebührenordnung der Hanseatischen Rechtsanwaltskammer Bremen
• Bundesrechtsanwaltsordnung (BRAO)

• Allgemeine Informationen der Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer Deutschland