Practising Law on the Islands | What You Need

Q. What are the qualification requirements to practise offshore?

To practise law in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda you must be admitted and have practised in a Commonwealth jurisdiction. Accordingly, most of the expat lawyers in these locations come from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
To practise in the British Virgin Islands, you must be admitted as a solicitor or barrister in England & Wales, and therefore the majority of successful candidates come directly from the UK
In the Channel Islands, you are permitted to practise as a lawyer provided you have Commonwealth experience. Lawyers with long-term plans to reside in the Channel Islands may also choose to gain admittance to the local bar. In order to become ‘Jersey qualified’ you must have practised law on the island for two years and then sit a set of seven exams; and to become ‘Guernsey qualified’ you must have practised law on the Island for three years and then sit a series of exams

Q. How much post-qualification experience do I need?

Post-call requirements vary according to jurisdiction:

In the Cayman Islands, you need to have 3 years PQE in order to practise as a lawyer (note, however, that most major law firms will interview candidates at the two-and-a-half year mark with a view to employing them shortly after their third-year of PQE anniversary)
In the British Virgin Islands, there is a requirement for 3 years’ PQE (rising to 5 years in January 2019) in line with the requirements of the Legal Profession Act 2015 [Learn more]. Additionally, only solicitors with a right of audience before a Superior Court of record will be entitled to be admitted to practise BVI law
In Bermuda: employers are usually looking for 3+ years of PQE
Offshore firms in other jurisdictions such as the Channel Islands, Hong Kong and Singapore will consider newly-qualified lawyers provided training contract experience is relevant to the opportunity

Are you a lawyer with 3+ years’ post-call experience and interested in a move offshore? Visit our jobs portal to see the latest vacancies. Our site also includes a downloadable All You Need to Know guide which will tell you all you need to know about living and working offshore.

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