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The Association of Independent European Lawyers is a network of lawyers and smaller law firms located in Europe, its border countries and in strategic locations around the world, who cooperate to provide a pan-European and International legal advice service.

Established in 1991, AIEL comprises highly-regarded English-speaking and multilingual lawyers able to offer a truly cost-effective and experienced alternative to the large international law firms. They are carefully selected by invitation only as leading professionals within their jurisdictions and areas of expertise.

AIEL prides itself on the close working relationships between its members, who have met and collaborated with each other on multiple occasions over decades. Their partnership and combined experience benefit clients whose expanding business and investment interests bring them into contact with the legal systems of countries in Europe and the EU, and also of other jurisdictions worldwide. The network continues to grow to keep pace with both the accession of new EU member states and the demands of increasing globalisation.

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If your legal issue involves more than one jurisdiction, please contact us.

Find the legal service you need

You can find a lawyer in the  jurisdiction you need by using the “Find a Lawyer by Country” facility on this page. That will then take you to the details for the member in that country. The aim of our web portal is to help you to find the right lawyer in Europe and worldwide for your own particular needs and who is able to correspond with you in English.

Members and international associate lawyers offer advice and services in relation to company and commercial law matters, property transactions (both commercial and domestic), and clients’ personal and family matters, as well as mediation and arbitration of disputes and, where necessary, court action in all of these areas.

Our Country Factsheets available via the Resources page offer general information on the legal system in some countries.

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Case Study: Cross Border Sale

Astrea Attorneys at Law Ltd, the AIEL member law firm in Finland, were instructed to act in the sale of a Finnish based group with subsidiaries in a number of other jurisdictions.

The US buyer insisted that the sale and purchase documentation be subject to English law and to the jurisdiction of the English courts because its lead lawyers in Europe were in London.

William Sturges, the AIEL member law firm in the U.K., were instructed by Astrea to advise and assist on the English legal documentation and together the two AIEL members, Astrea and William Sturges, successfully negotiated and completed the disposal of this Finnish based group with a presence in several countries.

Case study