# Moving to Spain - decision made



## Marjgord (Feb 21, 2020)

Hello

I've just joined this forum (didn't know it existed!). After years of dreaming about moving to Spain we have finally made the decision to get on and do it. 

We will need to work so I've just put my details on the looking for work thread. We are looking at the Malaga area because although I can speak Spanish my husband doesn't, so we thought he could find work in the tourist industry. 

I'm a UK qualified lawyer, specialising in litigation, and understand that I can in theory practice in EU (up to the end of the transition period anyway) and after working for 3 years I think I can apply for registration with the local bar association. However, I'm not sure whether law firms would see my experience as useful to them... I'm also not sure how to actually start the process. I have registered with some recruitment firms and have tried a few online applications with no success. I am thinking of simply sending my CV on a scattergun approach to local law firms. 

My husband has worked for years as a painter and decorator, and he currently has a dog walking and boarding business. He could turn his hand to most handyman stuff. 

We have to sell our house in the UK and would be looking to rent in Malaga while trying to buy. 

I'm an Irish citizen and he is British. 

It would be great to hear from anyone!


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Welcome.

Have you thought about working in-house for a multinational or larger national firm?

I'm not trying to put you off the eventual formal qualification for court work, but the B word has certainly put a spanner in the recognition of professional titles, and even when it "worked" it was a very slow and painful procedure!!

During the crisis, many large firms had to look outside Spain for work, with that came a significant need for international level legal experts, most of which work in house. A fluent English speaker with common-law knowledge is an attractive proposition for Spanish firms with overseas ventures or multinationals with significant Spanish presence. Even though the initial needs have been met years ago, the companies have got used to this, now necessary "luxury". The one catch that would be an issue for most is that you would have to speak Spanish... but you do!

Not saying you'd certainly get a job, but I'd say you stand a much better chance than many of the dreamers that appear on here.


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## Marjgord (Feb 21, 2020)

Hi - many thanks for your reply.

I do work for a multinational law firm at the moment, and they have an office in Madrid. However we aren't looking to be in a big city (we don't live in London) so I had mentally discounted this. I might revisit the idea though... you've made me think! 

thanks again


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Marjgord said:


> Hi - many thanks for your reply.
> 
> I do work for a multinational law firm at the moment, and they have an office in Madrid. However we aren't looking to be in a big city (we don't live in London) so I had mentally discounted this. I might revisit the idea though... you've made me think!
> 
> thanks again


 Remember, you don't have to live in Madrid to work in Madrid; I don't. (Actually I don't work in Madrid now, but I did when we first moved to our present house, as do many neighbours)

Look at Torrelodones, Pozuelo, Las Rozas, Boadilla del Monte, Manzanares el Real, Colmenar Viejo,Villanueva del Pardillo/ de la Cañada. These are all towns with their pluses and minuses, but one of the pluses for me is that I'm near enough to Madrid to be able to go when I want or need to. Of course you have to think about the commute and what is acceptable to you on that count. It would obviously depend on which part of Madrid your office is in and the transport possibilities. The towns I have named are only a handful of the real possibilities. Some people even commute from Guadalajara on the train (there's a pretty quick commuter train)

There are also numerous residential areas (Urbanizaciones), not exactly towns, dotted around like Los Arroyos in El Escorial, Molino de la Hoz in Las Rozas, Villafranca del Castillo near Villanueva del Pardillo. These are places where people have for the most part bought an individual plot and done their own thing, so it's not rows of houses that look exactly the same (although there may be areas that were developed by contactors where there are groups of similar houses). You'd have to go and see if this kind of thing appeals or not 

A note on "urbanizaciones"



An urbanización can be 10 houses or hundreds of them.
They can be all houses, all flats or a mixture.
They come with or without a communal swimming pool.
The properties can be as cheap as chips or luxurious and owned by celebrities and politicians.
There maybe communal gardens, and there may be individual gardens too.
They can be aimed at an expat market or the Spanish buyer or both.
They can be beautiful, ordinary or grotty (although I have to say most I've seen are nice to very nice).
They can be on the outskirts of a town or really in the middle of nowhere.
If they are in urban areas they are usually flats I think.
They may be gated or not
They can be built with properties close together or with individual houses in large, leafy plots.

Just as there are thousands of different personalities out there, there are many (probably not thousands) of different types of urbanizaciones, so my advice would be to people new to Spain, if you are offered a house on an urbanizacion/ estate, you might want to consider it.


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## Marjgord (Feb 21, 2020)

Wow, thanks for all that info. Lots to think about! We've given ourselves 6-9 months to get this done, not least because we need to do it before the end of the transition period. So we need to consider whether to change our intended location - I see from other posts that jobs may be hard to come by. 

By the way I love Madrid, having spent lots of time there, both as an au pair in my youth (the family I worked for had a second home in Villalba and we used to visit El Escorial regularly) and lots of short break holidays there. I'm just not sure whether my husband would want to live there. But your suggestions of looking at the surrounding areas may be something he would consider. 

I predict a long talk over the weekend, probably with copious amounts of wine!

Thanks again.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

I would imagine there are plenty of opportunities available for you being a qualified lawyer and spanish speaking. Also if you have/ can get EU passport no problem with Brexit. More difficult for husband work wise as casual work is hard to find and low paid plus no spanish. For him living near an expat community would improve chances but then that might restrict you in the sense that the real legal opportunities are in the big cities. Outside in expat land work would be limited to mainly property and financial work


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Takes a long time to get your qualifications recognised and may not be the same when the UK leaves the single market.


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## Marjgord (Feb 21, 2020)

Happily I have the coveted Irish passport so no worries about FOM for me. Different story for my husband though - which is why we need to act before the end of December.


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## kaipa (Aug 3, 2013)

Your husband will be able to stay and work in spain irrespective of Brexit as you are a EU citizens. Just the same as at present a non EU spouse of a EU citizen has rights to stay provided you can prove support which really is not high as you might think. I know lots of couples who done this. No need to feel limited in time


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## Marjgord (Feb 21, 2020)

Thanks - that's really helpful, as we were worrying about this!


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## Megsmum (Sep 9, 2012)

Welcome. I have no advice on your location or career but ask away. Generally everyone Is friendly


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## Overandout (Nov 10, 2012)

Marjgord said:


> Hi - many thanks for your reply.
> 
> I do work for a multinational law firm at the moment, and they have an office in Madrid. However we aren't looking to be in a big city (we don't live in London) so I had mentally discounted this. I might revisit the idea though... you've made me think!
> 
> thanks again


I was actually thinking of in house lawyer in industry, that might allow you to not be so restricted to Madrid. 

But the big law firms are full of native English speakers. I am a regular attendee of some legal social events and have met many British lawyers living in Madrid. Send me a PM if you would like to discuss more. I wouldn't name firms, people or societies publicly.


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