OF THE LAW SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND - The Journal Online

Journal
Europe
Scots lawyers
encounter Eurodevils
Every year, the British Council European Young Lawyers scheme offers the opportunity for 10 lawyers from
across Europe to spend 6 months in Scotland studying at university and working with solicitors, advocates and
judges as part of a long-running programme to allow them to gain an insight into Scots law and culture.
Participants in the scheme have traditionally been known as “Eurodevils” and here the 2002 devils give an insight
into their reasons for coming to Scotland, and how they have found the Eurodevil experience.
Do you ever feel tired of applying the same old
legal rules and principles, to be found in the same
sources of law? Feel like it would be nice to try
out another legal system for a while, maybe even
in a different language? Yes? Well, this year’s
Eurodevils have been given exactly this
opportunity.Ten young lawyers, all from different
European jurisdictions, are currently trying their
best to practice law in Scotland – and they are
quite enjoying themselves doing it.
Many lawyers in Scotland will have come across
the European Young Lawyers Scheme, or its
participants, the Eurodevils, before.The scheme is
an annual programme, and it celebrates its
twenty-seventh anniversary this year. The aim of
the six-month scheme is to introduce young
lawyers from Europe to Scottish law. It is run by
the British Council, and is mainly divided into
three parts: approximately two months are spent
at the Faculty of Law of Edinburgh University (an
academic introduction to the law and governance
in Scotland), two months in legal offices or with
public bodies in Edinburgh or Glasgow and finally
two months attached to members of the Faculty
of Advocates at Parliament House (hence the
epithet “Eurodevils”). The programme also
includes a one-week study visit to Belfast.
Taking part in this year’s scheme are ten young
men and women, all from different European
jurisdictions (Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France,
Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain and
Sweden). Most are in their late twenties or early
thirties. They are fully qualified lawyers within
their own legal systems, but have decided to take
time out in their careers to learn about Scottish
law and culture. As Miguel Fabre, the Portuguese
participant, puts it: “Taking part in the scheme is
not only a challenge professionally, trying to
practise in a foreign language and applying a
whole new set of rules, but also a great chance to
learn about a different country – when I was
accepted for the scheme, I knew that I definitely
had to take the opportunity.”
May 2002 Volume 47 No 5 50
From left to right: Lionel Vuidard (France), Raminta Karlonaite (Lithuania), Maike Baumann (Germany),
David Löfgren (Sweden), Miguel Fabre (Portugal), Joëlle Godard (University of Edinburgh - programme
director), David Preston (Vice-President, Law Society of Scotland), Mari-Liis Tors (Estonia),
Kimmo Nikulainen (Finland), Gerda Vastagh (Hungary), Renaud Simar (Belgium), Carmen Escudero (Spain).
The Eurodevils arrived to Scotland in mid-January
this year, and began by attending five weeks of
introductory courses at the University of
Edinburgh. A number of seminars were held,
covering a broad range of topics.These included,
for example, much appreciated sessions with
Lord Reed (on Human Rights) and Professor
Black (on the Lockerbie Trial). In addition to the
seminars, visits were arranged to the Court of
Session and to the Procurator Fiscal’s Office.
During the initial academic period, many
opportunities were also given for the Europeans
to familiarise themselves with Scottish cultural
traditions.The German Eurodevil, Maike Baumann,
explains: “Yes, we were, for example, invited to a
ceilidh during our first week here.We had no idea
what it was when we went, and did not know that
we would be expected to dance. We all did our
best though, and we had a great time. I think
everyone was especially impressed with the
dancing moves of Kimmo (the Finnish
participant)”. The Eurodevils then went on to
attend a traditional Burns Supper at the
Caledonian Hotel, arranged by the university’s
Law Society, where many of them got their first
taste of haggis.“It was a wonderful night, and it was
also the first formal dinner I have gone to where I
have felt like I stood out because I was wearing
trousers”, jokes Renaud Simar from Belgium (with
reference to the fact that a great number of the
male guests were dressed in their kilts).
After the initial courses, and after spending a week
in Northern Ireland, the European lawyers started
their placements with different Scottish legal
offices just before the end of February.This year,
the Eurodevils were on placement with a number
of Scotland’s top firms of solicitors, as well as
public bodies. Thanks go to Balfour & Manson,
Brodies, Burness, Fyfe Ireland, Ketchen & Stevens,
Maclay Murray & Spens, McCourts, McClure
Naismith, Simpson & Marwick, Stevenson &
Marshall, Tods Murray, Employment Tribunals,
Procurator Fiscal’s Office, Crown Office, the
Scottish Executive and Scottish Law Commission
for providing placements. “The placements are an
important part of the scheme”, explains Joëlle