No bar to excellenceThe battle over requalification rights for English and Welsh solicitors in New York seems to have lasted longer than America's war of independence.The dispute centres around the New Yorkers' insistence that solicitors who have qualified via the CPE in the UK will not be eligible even to take the test to requalify in the state without taking a year-long US law degree first.Americans - perhaps the greatest ever promoters of free trade - are contriving hurdles to adopt a protectionist stance.

US lawyers shout loudly about practice rights when they set up shop in foreign climes.

As a result, the Wall Street attorney decamping to the City has a far easier journey than the CPE-qualified English solicitor moving in the other direction.Now, after diligent and tortuous negotiations conducted by the Law Society with the New York bar authorities, agreement seems within reach.Let us hope it is not strangled in the New York bar's committee system.

New York has little to fear from foreign competition, as the City of London's success illustrates.

Manhattan and the City are equal players in the legal world.

The qualification playing field should be levelled.

Then they can tackle the other 49 states.