Arnold Schwarzenegger has come to the rescue of solicitors and other foreign lawyers whose plans to re-qualify in California were stymied by legislation aimed at cracking down on fathers who avoid child support.

The state's governor last week approved a law that terminated the requirement for any applicant for a bar licence to provide a social security number, which formed part of California's child support enforcement programme. It had unintentionally but effectively prevented access to the bar exam for any foreign lawyer who was not a US citizen or did not possess a green card.


The new law allows applicants to use a federal tax identification number or 'other appropriate identification' in lieu of a social security number.


The move follows lobbying from the Law Society, working with the British consul and California State Bar Association, while there were also complaints from Ireland, Italy and the deans of US law schools with foreign students.


Alison Hook, the Society's head of international, said: 'This is excellent news for the growing number of English solicitors who want to live and work in California.'