I obtained my law degree outside the European Union

Contact one of the Belgian universities, only they are competent to judge whether your foreign law degree is equivalent to the Belgian one. They may then dictate to you which subjects you still need to take so that your degree can be equivalent to a Belgian law degree.

Examples

Jan is a Belgian citizen with an American diploma

Jan is from Belgium but he obtained his law degree at a US university. He contacts a Belgian university which obliges him to take additional subjects and exams. Jan passes those exams and receives an equivalent diploma. He can now join the list of trainees at a desk of his choice.

Yelana is a Russian with a Russian diploma

Yelena is from Russia and obtained her law degree from a Russian university. She contacts a Belgian university that requires her to take additional subjects and exams. Yelena passes those exams and receives an equivalent diploma. Yelena can now register on the list of trainees at a desk of her choice.

If you keep your registration with the bar of origin, you can ask to be included in a bar's B-list.

The Bar Council will decide on your inclusion on the B-list and will check:

- whether you are regularly registered with your bar association of origin,

- whether you have fulfilled any traineeship obligation at that bar,

- whether there are any legal or deontological incompatibilities,

- whether you have undertaken to submit to the discipline, regulations and decisions of the Bar Council,

- whether your status complies with the legislation on the residence and activities of foreigners in Belgium,

- whether your professional liability is covered by an insurance or guarantee taken out in accordance with the rules of your country of origin and whether it is at least equivalent, in terms of coverage and conditions, to those of the lawyers registered with the Bar.

More information can be obtained from the bar association where you wish to register.