Building Europe's Premier Legal Network

The AEL fosters a culture of camaraderie among its members, encouraging information sharing and collaboration to better serve multinational clients.

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Established in 1988, the Association of European Lawyers (AEL) has emerged as a cornerstone of legal expertise and collaboration throughout Europe. Founded with a clear mission to provide expert legal services seamlessly across borders, the AEL has since evolved into a dynamic network comprising 41 esteemed member firms, each renowned in its home country.

  • Cross-Border Legal Support

    Access a network of 41 premier member firms spread throughout Europe's commercial centers, offering tailored legal solutions for clients that operate across borders.

  • Specialised Practice Areas

    With a diverse range of practice areas, our member firms provide specialized legal services tailored to your specific needs.

  • Elevated Standards, Enhanced Reputation

    Our member firms provide expert legal advice in an array of sectors, and are known for delivering exceptional legal services and fostering professional excellence.

"As Managing Partner of DSM Avocats à la Cour, I would like to emphasize the crucial role that our membership in the AEL plays in our firm's international development. Through the AEL network, we can offer our clients high-quality legal support across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring exemplary consistency and responsiveness."

Mario Di Stefano

Managing Partner, DSM Avocats à la Cour

"Our firm has been on board with the AEL since the start. Over the almost 20 years of my personal involvement, my colleagues and I have had the opportunity to work with our friends and colleagues in the AEL in numerous jurisdictions and assignments. This includes everything from transactional support to simultaneous notifications to competition authorities to reclaiming the rights to websites - always great advice and professional assistance! As a rule, our primary AEL contact has also been a familiar face from an AGM or other meeting with the association (or a bar).

Keep up the good work!"

Michael Lettius

Michael Lettius

Partner, Glimstedt

"Our firm has been an AEL member for a number of years. AEL membership provides us with access to a trusted network of high-quality legal advisers across Europe, which in turn helps us to better serve our clients and their transnational commercial objectives. It also provides a valuable source of inward referrals from law firms in other jurisdictions who need access to legal advice in our own jurisdiction. But above all, the AEL’s main virtue lies in the regular opportunities to meet up in person, get to know and learn from those practitioners, and enjoy their company in a relaxed environment. Because of that, the trust that our clients place in us is also built up and can be confidently extended across the AEL network."

Richard Hough

Richard Hough

Partner, Brabners

Our Mission Is to Encourage Collaboration and Expand the Network to Meet Clients' Needs.

With 41 member firms, all renowned in their respective countries, we ensure that legal services are readily accessible in every European commercial and industrial center. We recognize the increasing demand for consistent and commercial responses to legal issues arising across borders, and through years of collaboration among member firms, we've built a robust network capable of addressing diverse challenges.

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FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about our organization.

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Collaboration: We believe in the power of working together, leveraging the strengths and expertise of our member firms to deliver superior service on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional matters.

Expertise: Our network comprises top-tier independent law firms, each bringing deep local knowledge and specialised skills to provide the best legal solutions.

Friendship and Collegiality: We foster strong relationships among our members, valuing camaraderie and mutual support as much as professional collaboration.

Global Reach with Local Insight: With member firms across Europe and affiliates worldwide, we offer clients the advantage of local expertise combined with global perspectives.

Integrity and Trust: We uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics, ensuring that our clients can trust us to handle their legal matters with integrity.

Innovation: We are committed to staying at the forefront of legal developments and continuously improving our services to meet the evolving needs of our clients.

Client-Centric Approach: Our primary focus is on delivering exceptional service tailored to the unique needs of each client, ensuring their satisfaction and success.

The Excutive Committee is a group of 10 individuals from 10 firms across the AEL. They regularly particpate in Executive Committee Meetings to discuss and address any relevant and/or pressing topics within the AEL with the goal of constantly improving and making the best decisions on behalf of member firms.

The Association of European Lawyers (‘AEL’) was founded in 1988 with the object of providing readily available expert legal services across Europe. AEL was originally established by the combining of resources of five leading law firms in the UK, following which a non-exclusive network of correspondent firms throughout Europe was developed, offering a broad range of legal services for business, with high standards of care and efficiency.

AEL hosts two main seminars annually: the AGM in the autumn and the SIG Day in the summer. Member firms take turns hosting these events. At each seminar, we arrange for speakers to present on specific topics and organise breakout groups for delegates to discuss issues and provide feedback.