American citizens who want to relocate to France from US must observe the general rules in matters of visas and residence permits. Instead of dealing with the formalities and bureaucracies involved, you should talk to one of our immigration lawyers in France who can offer complete legal advice and assistance.
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Our French immigration lawyer can give you more details on how to apply and the documents that are required. We can provide complete assistance, especially for those foreign nationals who are still having certain issues with the language barrier.
But even if the two countries weren’t so closely intertwined, it’s easy to see why moving to France from the US is a dream for so many expats. France offers an excellent standard of living and great job opportunities. It’s also the perfect location to enjoy some regional travel adventures.
Any Americans planning to stay in France – assuming they don't have an extra European passport – will have to get ready for a truckload of paperwork. First things first, find your closest French consulate here.
If you’re moving to France specifically for your job, you’ll have been sponsored by your company and won’t need to worry. But if you’re planning on landing a job after moving, you’ll want a French work visa.
Jonathan Wohl: First of all, you're absolutely right. Most of the American firms here—and there are many, many American law firms in Paris—the great substantial majority, if not almost the total legal staffing, is done by French trained lawyers, French nationals.
Local Description. After registering with a French local Bar association, foreign lawyers can practise in France as lawyers. Foreign lawyers who choose not to apply to be admitted to the French Bar or who fail at the required exam can only advise on the law of their country as foreign legal consultants.
obtain a qualifying law degree (“Master 1”), which is obtained after a four-year university training program in law, and pass the entrance exam of the law school of the local bar association, followed by an 18-month traineeship in the school.
Even more eye catching is the growth figure of the number of foreign lawyers working in France, which is 7.1% per year on average over the past 10 years. So the prospects are really rather good for those of you dreaming of working under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower!
A person working as an Attorney in France typically earns around 94,700 EUR per year. Salaries range from 43,600 EUR (lowest) to 151,000 EUR (highest). This is the average yearly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Attorney salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location.
AvocatsFrench lawyers are called “Avocats”. The legal profession in France is not "split", as in the UK, so the French Avocat is the equivalent of a UK Barrister and Solicitor combined.
While work depends on the setting, American lawyers find work overseas working in the office of a U.S. law firm or as an attorney in a law firm abroad. American lawyers may also work for U.S. multinational companies as the local legal liaison overseas.
This exam is pretty tough — even for French students — and requires a very good level in French because there is a writing exam and an oral exam. This exam is scheduled once a year from September to December, it requires at least a master degree in law and it is limited to 3 attempts.
"Assuming you have a US law degree, to qualify as a solicitor in the UK you must pass a US state bar exam and gain two years of common law practice experience. Then you can complete the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (far easier than a US bar exam).
The average pay for a Lawyer is €93,415 a year and €45 an hour in Paris, France. The average salary range for a Lawyer is between €64,300 and €116,443. On average, a Master's Degree is the highest level of education for a Lawyer.
Salary for recent graduates: On average, junior lawyers earn roughly $40,000 (€34,000). For specialized lawyers (solicitors/attorneys) average salaries range around $86,000 (€72,000), according to Glassdoor. Those with senior positions at top-tier firms can earn over $118,000 (€100,000).
Private law firms In fact, more and more large law firms offer their mid-level associates the opportunity to work abroad for several years. Also, many law firms are involved in some type of international work, so a large number lawyers to need to employ comparative legal skills and cross-cultural understanding.