New free trade deals with Australia and New Zealand that take effect today will help deepen market access for UK lawyers, the Law Society has said.

President Lubna Shuja said: ‘The ratifications of the UK trade deals with Australia and New Zealand are a positive development for legal services. Both agreements lock in the existing right for UK lawyers to advise clients on home-country law and to provide arbitration, mediation and conciliation services in the other jurisdiction using their home-country qualifications and title.

‘The creation of a legal services regulatory dialogue in the Australia agreement is especially welcome and brings together legal associations from the UK and Australia to work towards greater liberalisation of legal services trade.’

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Commenting on the barriers faced by UK lawyers and law firms, Shuja added: ‘The Law Society was listed as a dialogue participant in the text of the FTA. We hope this will give us the opportunity to address some of the barriers that UK lawyers and law firms face operating in Australia in future.

‘This includes seeking greater recognition of qualifications and business structures for law firms working in Australia, including the UK Limited Liability Partnership. The dialogue is the first of its kind established under an FTA. Depending on its outcomes, we hope this can serve as a useful model to be replicated in other subsequent trade agreements.

'In New Zealand, we hope that the "behind the border" barriers to trade are addressed via further cooperation.'