How to apply for limited license to practise as foreign legal consultant?

[thairookie]

I understand from various discussions and publications on the web that limited license is required to work as foreign legal consultant.

 

Does anyone know what are the requirements and which department administers the licensing?

[FritsSikkink]

https://www.ibanet.org/PPID/Constituent/Bar_Issues_Commission/ITILS_Thailand.aspx

 

2 minutes with google, hope you are better as a legal consultant. 

[thairookie]

2 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

https://www.ibanet.org/PPID/Constituent/Bar_Issues_Commission/ITILS_Thailand.aspx

 

2 minutes with google, hope you are better as a legal consultant. 

I asked the question after going through the URL you posted and many others.

 

"Not applicable" doesn't explain anything.  How can you need a (limited licence) but there are no conditions (or whatever not applicable means) to qualify for a licence?  

 

It doesn't say what entity grants the "limited licence".

 

I hope the next time I post a question about licensing of prostitutes or gogo girls in Thailand, people will not jump to the conclusion that I am a prostitute ?

Edited June 13, 2018 by thairookie

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, thairookie said:

I asked the question after going through the URL you posted and many others.

 

"Not applicable" doesn't explain anything.  How can you need a (limited licence) but there are no conditions (or whatever not applicable means) to qualify for a licence?  

 

It doesn't say what entity grants the "limited licence".

 

I hope the next time I post a question about licensing of prostitutes or gogo girls in Thailand, people will not jump to the conclusion that I am a prostitute ?

"Not applicable" doesn't explain anything.'' it means you don't get a license if you are not Thai      

If you are Thai then:

An applicant for registration and a License shall have the following qualifications:

1.      Being of Thai nationality;

2.      Being at least 20 years of age on the date of the application;

Having graduated with a Bachelor's Degree or an Associate Degree in law or a certificate in law equivalent to the Bachelor's Degree or Associate Degree From an educational institution accredited by the Law Society and being a member of the Thai Bar Association;

Not being a person of indecent behavior or delinquent morals or a person whose conduct is indicative of dishonesty;

Not being imprisoned by a final judgment;

Never having been imprisoned by a final judgment for an offence which, in the Board's discretion, will impair the integrity of the profession;

Not being a bankrupt by a final judgment;

Not having an ailment which is contagious and repugnant to the public;

Not being physically disabled or mentally informed which may cause professional incompetence;

Not being a government official or a local government official with permanent salary and position except a political official and

http://thailawonline.com/en/thai-laws/laws-of-thailand/108-lawyers-act-be-2528-1985.html

[thairookie]

3 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"Not applicable" doesn't explain anything.'' it means you don't get a license if you are not Thai      

If you are Thai then:

An applicant for registration and a License shall have the following qualifications:

1.      Being of Thai nationality;

2.      Being at least 20 years of age on the date of the application;

Having graduated with a Bachelor's Degree or an Associate Degree in law or a certificate in law equivalent to the Bachelor's Degree or Associate Degree From an educational institution accredited by the Law Society and being a member of the Thai Bar Association;

Not being a person of indecent behavior or delinquent morals or a person whose conduct is indicative of dishonesty;

Not being imprisoned by a final judgment;

Never having been imprisoned by a final judgment for an offence which, in the Board's discretion, will impair the integrity of the profession;

Not being a bankrupt by a final judgment;

Not having an ailment which is contagious and repugnant to the public;

Not being physically disabled or mentally informed which may cause professional incompetence;

Not being a government official or a local government official with permanent salary and position except a political official and

http://thailawonline.com/en/thai-laws/laws-of-thailand/108-lawyers-act-be-2528-1985.html

"Being a Thai nationality" means we are on different frequency.

 

I'm seeking information about foreigners requiring a  "limited license" to work as foreign legal consultant, not "full license" to practise Thai law in Thailand.  The latter has always been reserved for Thai nationals.

 

Thanks, anyway.

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

4 hours ago, thairookie said:

"Being a Thai nationality" means we are on different frequency.

 

I'm seeking information about foreigners requiring a  "limited license" to work as foreign legal consultant, not "full license" to practise Thai law in Thailand.  The latter has always been reserved for Thai nationals.

 

Thanks, anyway.

 

 

Give one of the mixed legal companies a call and ask what you would need to work for them.

[Dap]

12 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Give one of the mixed legal companies a call and ask what you would need to work for them.

Good call FS ?

[kingstonkid]

OP

 

Instead of asking here which will get you nothing but suggestions why not ask the Thai Law society.  I take it that you either want to represent yourself in something legal or that you want to assist someone.  Either way, you may be treading on a slippery slope.  Leave here and get thee to the Law Society 

 

The Law Society of Thailand

7/89 Mansion 10 
Rajdamnoen Avenue Rd, Bowon Niwet, Phra Nakhon 
10200 Bangkok
Thailand

 

 

http://www.lawsociety.or.th

 

 

10 minutes LOL

Edited June 14, 2018 by kingstonkid

[Wake Up]

Always love ( hate ) those guys that post “ to google”  when someone asks a question. Google is not a secret and you are not smarter than others by advising “ to google it.”  Sometimes people need more information and need opinions and experiences but we “ All Know How to Google” so save your wasted time and effort replying to other people’s questions and posts please. 

[roath]

The only organisation which is able to issue licences for Lawyers in Thailand is the Thai Bar Association. The Law Society of Thailand may be able to help you, but it is only a trade association representing lawyers and will not be able to issue licences itself.

All the lawyers I know working in Thailand are practising here as Consultants. Not Legal Consultants but simply Consultants. I suspect that in practice only the major law firms are likely to have bothered to register their lawyers for a limited licence. The website makes it clear that it is only to facilitate foreign registered lawyers to give advice on international matters (i.e. matters not reserved to Thai law). This would be similar for example to the system in the USA where foreign lawyers can register and give advice on foreign/international law (or non-jurisidictional services such as mediation), but cannot practice as attorneys in the US. 

 

[roath]

Most Embassies publish a list of local lawyers/consultants, and you can always try and contact one of the firms closest to the model that you intend to use and see if they can give you any pointers if they have done themselves.

Edited June 14, 2018 by roath
Spelling mistake

[snowgard]

In the end I learned the following: "Foreign legal consultants are not the money worth because they can't help you real. If you use they, you have to pay the double price because they must use a Thai layer for legal advice and you have to pay for the foreigner legal consultant AND the Thai lawyer." ???

 

So it is in real better and cheaper to find a good, english speaking Thai lawyer as to take a foreign legal consultant. For this have a look at the website of your embassy and ask your friends.

[RickFarang]

Sorry, but you are not Thai so you cannot practice law in Thailand.

[observer90210]

The poor chap just asked a simple question and gets bashed up....you guys are really amazing !!

[Damrongsak]

On 6/13/2018 at 7:20 AM, FritsSikkink said:

...Not being physically disabled or mentally informed which may cause professional incompetence; ...

Why bother putting that in?  No danger of being mentally informed here in LOS.

Edited June 14, 2018 by Damrongsak

[thairookie]

8 hours ago, observer90210 said:

The poor chap just asked a simple question and gets bashed up....you guys are really amazing !!

It's okay.  Many a time in a chat forum, the "bashing posts" are a great way to camouflage the fact that one is unable provide a relevant answer or to contribute constructively to the thread.  The reference to "Google", like another poster pointed out, is a typical example.

 

 

[timewilltell]

On 6/13/2018 at 6:20 PM, FritsSikkink said:

"Not applicable" doesn't explain anything.'' it means you don't get a license if you are not Thai      

If you are Thai then:

An applicant for registration and a License shall have the following qualifications:

1.      Being of Thai nationality;

2.      Being at least 20 years of age on the date of the application;

Having graduated with a Bachelor's Degree or an Associate Degree in law or a certificate in law equivalent to the Bachelor's Degree or Associate Degree From an educational institution accredited by the Law Society and being a member of the Thai Bar Association;

Not being a person of indecent behavior or delinquent morals or a person whose conduct is indicative of dishonesty;

Not being imprisoned by a final judgment;

Never having been imprisoned by a final judgment for an offence which, in the Board's discretion, will impair the integrity of the profession;

Not being a bankrupt by a final judgment;

Not having an ailment which is contagious and repugnant to the public;

Not being physically disabled or mentally informed which may cause professional incompetence;

Not being a government official or a local government official with permanent salary and position except a political official and

http://thailawonline.com/en/thai-laws/laws-of-thailand/108-lawyers-act-be-2528-1985.html

The most pertinent clause there may be ".... not being mentally informed."  From my experience a lot of Thai lawyers pass this requirement admirably.

[roath]

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 7:52 PM, snowgard said:

In the end I learned the following: "Foreign legal consultants are not the money worth because they can't help you real. If you use they, you have to pay the double price because they must use a Thai layer for legal advice and you have to pay for the foreigner legal consultant AND the Thai lawyer." ???

 

So it is in real better and cheaper to find a good, english speaking Thai lawyer as to take a foreign legal consultant. For this have a look at the website of your embassy and ask your friends.

It is certainly the case that you need a Thai Attorney in addition to any FLC should you require to carry out any interface with Thai authority (e.g. at Amphur or at Court, where you can only be represented by a qualified Thai lawyer). It would be malpractice if the FLC did not inform you of that.

 

However, saying that, to say that FLCs are not worth the money simply because of shows a complete lack of understanding how the legal profession works in practice (where often several lawyers are involved depending on the complexity of the issue/s) and not least the value of professional advice from a foreigner dealing with another foreigner in their nature language and with a common cultural background.

 

You may have had a bad experience with someone who claimed to be a lawyer (e.g. a visa agent, the vast majority of whom are not even qualified lawyers in their own home countries, so I wouldn't be surprised at all at a bad experience), but that doesn't mean that you can tar the entirety of the professionals who work here trying to help expats. There are many RLC who are properly qualified, and simply cannot practice in Thailand, but that doesn't mean that they have no value over a Thai lawyer. I have had many poor experiences with Thai lawyers here sadly, and the fact is that professional standards and compliance is very poor here compared with the majority of common law jurisdictions. But anyway....