South America: continent opening up to UK lawyers


A government-backed trade mission in May is to promote English legal services to Argentine lawyers.



The mission will be led by the Law Society, which, in a 2006 report on the South American country, said that English lawyers were well known in Argentina for shipping, finance and insurance law, but less recognised for their expertise in arbitration, environmental law, the London Stock Exchange's AIM market and other areas.



Peter Taylor, chairman of the Society of British and Argentine Lawyers and a commercial partner with Exeter firm Veitch Penny, said the forthcoming mission would be an ideal way to strengthen links between lawyers from both countries.



He said: 'The time is ripe to explore the legal services market in Argentina. Despite the Falklands War, we have strong cultural and historic connections with the country, and there are lots of British people living there.'



Mr Taylor added that the radical policies of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela had fomented a 'populist atmosphere' in South America, ending the US's near-monopoly on international trade and opening up the entire region to other countries - including the UK.



Paul Oxnard, head of the international arbitration group at national firm Hammonds and one of the lawyers making the trip, said: 'The mission is our opportunity to change perceptions and promote London as a centre for international arbitration.'



The mission is scheduled for 6-10 May and will centre on two half-day seminars: one on dispute resolution and the other on UK-Argentine investment opportunities. The British Embassy in Buenos Aires and UK Trade & Investment are also supporting the mission.



Jonathan Rayner