The government will this summer step up its efforts to help law firms open foreign markets by bringing commercial officers from embassies around the world to London for a five-day briefing.

So far, 20 embassies have signed up to the 'industry briefing course', with more expected. The course will explain the role of legal services in the UK's export activities, and help embassies contribute to the push to open various countries' markets.


It is being run by the Lord Chancellor's Department in conjunction with Trade Partners (UK), an executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, the Law Society and Bar Council. Solicitors from ten leading City firms will also be involved.


Among the embassies that have agreed to send representatives are those in Brazil, China, Japan, India and Korea, all highly prized venues for City firms, but where foreign lawyers are either banned or restricted in what they can do.


The push works hand in hand with efforts by the European Union to open legal markets around the world through the World Trade Organisation (see [2003] Gazette, 1 May, 1).


The other confirmed embassies are: Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia and South Africa.


In delivering the 13th Denning memorial lecture in London last week, Sir Hayden Phillips, permanent secretary at the Lord Chancellor's Department, said: 'No legal services market and no legal system should insulate itself from the external world, for it thereby runs the risk of stagnation and isolation.'


Praising the UK for opening its doors to foreign lawyers, he said that the demand for British legal services translates into a substantial contribution to the economy, with revenues in excess of £12 billion.


A Law Society spokeswoman said the event would prove an excellent opportunity to explain to officials what they can do in their respective countries in order to promote the English legal sector. 'The objective of the week is to produce explicit promotional strategies for English legal services in each of the markets represented,' she said.