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30 January 2020 / David Greene
Issue: 7872 / Categories: Opinion , Brexit
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31:01:2020 — the time has come

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The UK’s position as a primary global legal centre is not going to change with Brexit, but there are some short-term challenges that we should be braced to address, says David Greene

On Friday 31 January the UK leaves the EU. It would be fair to say that this is not an outcome with which all agree, but it is happening, and for good or bad the profession has to work with the event and the consequences. Being entrepreneurial the profession will work to best effect to ensure as smooth a passage as possible to the next stage.

We have 11 months of ‘transition’ which means that while we will have left the Union it will be as though we were still a member for almost all legislative purposes. Sadly our departure has immediate effect in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) where the UK judges leave now despite the ECJ continuing to have jurisdiction in the transition period.

The Withdrawal Bill receives Royal Assent this week. Eleven months

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