The Law Society of Ireland has warned of anxiety among its members that Brexit will affect their ability to practise in England and Wales.

Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society, told the Irish Independent that an EU directive providing for mutual recognition of qualifications in both common law jurisdictions has underpinned many solicitors’ careers on the other side of the Irish Sea.

But with Brexit looming on the horizon, Mr Murphy warned: “If EU law doesn’t apply, England and Wales will not be compelled to keep such an arrangement in place. Nobody is seeking to end it, but certainly Brexit is creating uncertainty about its future.”

New figures from the Law Society show that 511 solicitors from England and Wales joined the Irish roll in the year up to November 2017.

This number is in addition to 806 who joined the roll the previous year.