The Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council have welcomed the conclusion of negotiations on an enhanced UK–Switzerland Free Trade Agreement that permanently secures short-term business-mobility rights for service providers. Announced in Bern on 17 July, the pact will allow UK lawyers (and other listed professionals) to undertake fee-earning work in Switzerland for up to 90 days a year without a visa once the current Services Mobility Agreement expires in 2029. Crucially, the text – which now awaits parliamentary approval in both countries – maintains the right of UK-qualified solicitors and barristers to advise on English or international law in Swiss territory without requalifying or registering with local bar associations. It also cements mutual recognition provisions for secondments and staff transfers, removing uncertainty that has complicated cross-border project planning since Brexit. UK exports of legal services to Switzerland were valued at £391 million in 2025, making the Alpine state the sector’s third-largest non-EU market. Firms such as Charles Russell Speechlys, Baker McKenzie and Quinn Emanuel already run dual-office models, and say the agreement will streamline immigration compliance for short-notice hearings and arbitral sittings in Geneva and Zurich. For corporate mobility teams the headline is that intra-company assignees – including consultants, IT specialists and architects covered by the deal’s wider Schedule on Services – will enjoy clearer, codified entry rules. Although a work permit is still required for stays over 90 days, Swiss authorities have pledged to digitise the application process by 2027, cutting average lead times from eight weeks to three. Observers note that the accord could serve as a template for post-Brexit negotiations with other European Economic Area states that limit market-access via sectoral quotas. Ratification is expected in early 2027, giving global firms a two-year runway to align mobility policies and secondment contracts.
Source: Global Legal Post
