Faculty welcomes this year’s Eurodevils

For the next 12 weeks, Parliament House will be “home” for the group of six, and each will have placements with senior and junior counsel and with a senator to learn about the Scottish bar and the country’s legal system.

The Eurodevil Programme, organised by the Faculty and the European Lawyers Association, dates from the 1970s.

Peter Sellar, advocate, the programme’s co-ordinator, said: “It’s wonderful to welcome another group of Eurodevils, especially at a time of such interesting political and legal developments.

“The programme is a great example of Scotland opening its doors, and it is made possible because of those who give their time so generously to support it – the devilmasters and the judges. Having the judges on board is the real gem in the programme, because they can give such a unique perspective to the Eurodevils.”

The six are: Eliza Bartolic and Ida Stancic-Rokotov from Croatia, Anastasia Fanourgaki from Greece, Maria Mendez Fernandez from Spain, Evelina Kaymedzhieva from Bulgaria, and Raphael Meier from Switzerland.

Ms Stancic-Rokotov said: “I think the more you understand a foreign jurisdiction, it makes you understand your own system better. It is important to open up and learn about different jurisdictions.”

Mr Meier said: “I want to participate because it is a great opportunity to learn about Scots law and also about the differences between Scots and Swiss law.”

For Ms Bartolic, the programme offers an opportunity to gain experience.

“It is great to have contact with other lawyers from different countries. You can see how other jurisdictions can help with a problem, and see if you might be able to help them,” she said.

Ms Fanourgaki said: “If you are always opening up to other jurisdictions, you might get something from them, the way they work, which is better than at home.”