Bite at the Big AppleA campaign to make it easier for English and Welsh solicitors to requalify in New York moved a step closer to its goal last month.Following a meetings with solicitors in London and New York, Law Society officials met senior New York State and City Bar members.According to Ann Frazer, the Society's international policy executive, the campaign has received 'massive' support from solicitors.At present, solicitors who have qualified via the common professional examination cannot take the exam to requalify as New York lawyers without first taking a US law degree, because they need to have had three years of legal education.James Duffy, executive vice-chairman of the New York State Bar's (NYSB) international law and practice committee, told the Gazette that his 'personal view' was that the committee would be 'sympathetic' to the problem.

However, the committee on legal education and admissions - of which he is also a member - would find it 'more controversial', he said.The Law Society's bid to change existing rules on mutual recognition of credentials could 'make problems in other areas' by having a knock-on effect for lawyers from other countries, he said.English-qualified solicitor Pierre Brochet, an associate with Clifford Chance Rogers & Wells in New York who is affected by the ban, said he felt solicitors had 'fallen between the cracks' of the Bar's rules.He said the NYSB was being 'short-sighted' in banning solicitors from requalifying, as many of them would move onto other jurisdictions where they would practice and promote US law.

Sue Allen