Embassies help UK lawyers

OVERSEAS WORK: foreign commercial officers to identify demand for legal services

Commercial officers from 20 UK embassies around the world are in London this week for an intensive five-day programme to train them to identify opportunities for British lawyers overseas.

The programme is being run by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) in partnership with the Law Society, Bar Council and Trade Partners (UK), an executive agency of the Department of Trade & Industry (see [2003] Gazette, 9 May, 1).

The DCA said the aim is to equip embassy staff with a detailed appreciation of the attributes of UK lawyers and, on return to their posts, 'enable them to identify demand for services which our providers are well or uniquely placed to satisfy'.

A key feature of the training will be the development of a tailor-made trade promotion plan and other initiatives in the 20 chosen markets.

Some of the key embassies involved are those in New York, Brazil, China, Japan, India and Korea, all major target markets for law firms.

Earlier this year, the Tokyo embassy helped the Law Society and City firms in the city to persuade the Japanese authorities to liberalise the regime for foreign lawyers.

Legislation now going through the Japanese parliament will allow foreign lawyers to enter into partnership and employ Japanese lawyers.

The delegates will be addressed by solicitors from nine firms, explaining either the more general issues facing City firms abroad or detailing the work in specific practice areas.

The firms are Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Eversheds, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Herbert Smith, Peters & Peters, Richards Butler, Taylor Wessing, and Trowers & Hamlins.

One of the days is largely dedicated to learning about the bar.

Others to speak include a representative of the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, Alderman Robert Finch - the next Lord Mayor of London - and Mr Justice Thomas, while the delegates will have lunch with Law Society President Carolyn Kirby.

They will also hear Professor Chris Greenwood of the London School of Economics talk on public international law and human rights.

David Lammy, parliamentary under-secretary at the DCA, said: 'International legal practice underpins trading systems, accountability and good governance.

The surge in demand for sophisticated international legal services mirrors the overall growth in cross-border trade - it is no accident that our exports of legal services jumped by 111% in the five years to 2001.

This high-level initiative is a major step in promoting our unparalleled strengths in this area.'