To be a law student in the republics of Armenia or Georgia means being taught a curriculum which pre-dates the reforms which led to the break-up of the Soviet Union.

There are no new text books.

Not surprisingly, therefore, a delegation of UK lawyers just returned from the two republics has identified an urgent need for training to ensure that young lawyers there are equipped to cope in the new post-soviet social and economic order.

Both republics are at a much earlier point in the cycle of economic development than Russia, and earlier still than Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary.

Nabarro Nathanson partner Peter Williamson, who has extensive experience of both republics and who has helped the Georgian government draft privatisation legislation, says the republics are on their 'first generation' of new commercial law, while Russia is 'second generation' and Czechoslovakia is 'third generation'.

David Keating, Law Society council member and leader of the delegation sent by the Foreign Office, said training at every level -- of judges, of academics, of parliamentarians and of students -- would be his principal recommendation when he made his report.

Although the legal profession in both republics continues to be run on the old, tightly controlled, collegia system, the delegation encountered students and young lawyers who were anxious to break the mould.

'Young lawyers are very keen to get themselves up and running with proper training,' said Mr Keating.

The economies of both republics have been devastated both by the collapse of the Soviet Union and by war.

'I thought things in Albania were bad,' said Mr Keating, who was shocked by the abject poverty.

Armenia, which established itself as an independent republic after the Soviet U nion disintegrated, became embroiled in a war with neighbouring republic Azerbaijan, which includes the Armenian enclave of Nagorny Karabakh.

A ceasefire has been in place now for 12 months but Armenia suffers from economic blockades imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Unemployment is high, social welfare is non-existent, power supplies are sporadic -- electricity is available for no more than two hours a day -- and the average salary for a judge is £5 a month.

A similar picture emerges in Georgia where the government that took power immediately after the republic declared independence, discontinued trade with Russia and caused such disaffection that the Abhazian minority seceded and civil war broke out.

A new government under President Shevardnadze is gradually re-building the capital, Tbilisi and re-establishing links with Russia.

But poverty remains widespread.

The difficult challenge for lawyers in both republics is to steer clear of pressures to accept bribes and to avoid being sucked into other forms of corruption.

The delegation learned that a 'mafia' underworld operates a 'security service' extracting protection money from newly established enterprises.And a group of German businessmen in Georgia at the same time as the lawyers' delegation revealed that their attempts to win orders had been frustrated by an expectation by government officials that they would receive 'commission' payments and by the 'mafia' representatives that they would be paid for 'security services'.The lawyers were greeted enthusiastically by academics at the state universities in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, and in Tbilisi.

In Yerevan, the delegation encountered the Young lawyers Association -- a group of final year law students anxious to expand their contacts with the Western world.

'They are clearly hungry for anything which might develop them, have acute awareness of their predicament and are anxious to seize any opportunity which may come their way,' said Mr Keating.

A similar group had formed in Tbilisi with the specific aim of improving training and increasing contact with foreign legal organisations.

The dean of the international law department at Tbilisi university appealed for western training materials, such as books and videos.The Georgian minister of justice had long discussions with the delegation and acknowledged that the salvation of the legal profession rested with training programmes aimed at the young.

In his report to the Foreign Office, Mr Keating will recommend a training programme based in both capitals initially, and broadened to the provinces eventually.

The training should be aimed specifically at academic tutors who can pass on their knowledge, and at the judiciary and parliamentarians.

Mr Keating will highlight in particular the need for training in banking law.

Following outside expert advice, both republics are about to import a highly sophisticated electronic banking system -- superior to the UK BACS and CHAPS system -- but no thought has been given to training anyone in the legal implications.

The opportunities for fraud and money laundering are obvious.

Indeed, one young lawyer assigned to one of the new banks expressed her concerns to the delegation about the risks inherent in the new electronic system, given the complete lack of information on banking law.

Mr Keating will also recommend placement schemes in the west for young Georgian and Armenian lawyers.

Money to implement whichever of Mr Keating's recommendations are accepted will come from the Foreign Office's Know-How fund.