UK lawyers offered chance of a route to practising in the US

A deal to remove the blocks to solicitors practising in New York emerged this week.At present, solicitors with law degrees are expected to take the state Bar exam before being licensed to practice.

However, solicitor who qualified through the common professional examination route are required to complete 20 credits of a US law degree, which equates to a year of full-time study and costs an estimated $20,000.The possible compromise - discussed at a meeting between the Law Society and New York State court of appeal - could see UK lawyers seconded to US firms and allowed temporary membership of the New York State Bar.

At the end of the secondment, lawyers would be expected to take the Bar exam.

Sue Allen