In 2012, the EU civil service wants to hire people with legal knowledge. You don't need to be a qualified lawyer to apply for a legal role in the EU civil service. If you're legally trained, meaning you have a law degree, or completed a law conversion course, you are perfectly eligible to apply.
All legal drafting in the EU is done in English, meaning British nationals with legal skills and experience are highly sought after due to the demand for high-quality drafting and knowledge of the common law legal system.
People working in the EU as lawyers will have the chance to work and travel overseas with colleagues from all over Europe. Most legal roles are based in Brussels, but this isn't always the case. There are opportunities to work in many different European countries, and even further afield. The external relations arm of the European Commission – the European External Action Service – has offices across the globe, meaning you have the chance to be based almost anywhere in the world.
Lawyers working in the European Commission, European Parliament and Council will cover a range of key issues, such as, representing the Institutions before the Court of Justice and General Court, advising on and drafting EU legislation and general (often EU public law) legal advice.
It's worth also bearing in mind that many EU policy officials are lawyers by training. As such, you might also be interested in a more policy-oriented role, such as taking on responsibility for developing the policy on the rights of victims, or rules on access to lawyers.
Caroline Morgan thought she would never work outside of the UK – but she has been in Brussels for 10 years now. The only thing she misses is Marmite.
My EU career: Caroline Morgan
Employer: DG Justice, European Commission
Occupation: Solicitor
Studied: Social policy (LSE); Law Conversion Course (College of Law)
I qualified as a solicitor in 1988 and never thought I'd end up working outside the UK. I specialised in litigation, mainly criminal legal aid work, with no international dimension whatsoever.
In 1997, my husband got a job working for the European Parliament in Brussels and the family moved. On the Brussels grapevine, I heard that the Commission was interested in recruiting people with criminal law experience to work in OLAF (the Commission's anti-fraud office) and in the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs, and so I followed that up. I was recruited as temporary official in a unit covering judicial cooperation in criminal matters. I subsequently passed a competition and was recruited onto the permanent staff. I've been here nearly 10 years now, still working in the same unit.
Work at the Commission is very varied and there are DGs covering all sorts of fields. My work involves research, consultation, drafting, negotiating draft proposals for legislation with representatives from the member states, liaising with the European Parliament, giving lectures to visitors or in universities, preparing briefings for the commissioner and a host of linked activities. No two days are the same. There are plenty of possibilities for travel – it depends on your family circumstances. I have children so I try to avoid travel, but I generally go 'on mission' as they call it here, about once every two or three months, either to a conference or meeting. I've been to most EU countries in my time here.
It's an interesting life as an EU civil servant and you make friends with people from all over Europe. The lingua franca really is English and British/Irish officials sometimes confess that they never have to speak another language: work is almost entirely in English and in Brussels, in the shops or out on the streets it's actually possible to get by entirely in English. Shaming really isn't it? Do I miss the UK? Well, yes, but it's easy to get to London on the Eurostar. I just stock up on cheddar and marmite every time I come for a visit.
Content produced by EU Careers.
