UK/France divide

International law firms are legal pioneers whose work is then commoditised by others, the senior partner of Clifford Chance told the conference.

But a senior French lawyer also warned delegates that the UK/US model is not the only way forward for legal services development.

Drawing an analogy with climbing Everest, Clifford Chance's Stuart Popham said: 'It is for international firms to...

build a road so that everyone can scale the heights with ease.

'It is the fate of the international firm to be the first to find the solution only to see it commoditised by everyone thereafter.

However, that is why we get paid and how, quite simply, we help bring down barriers.'

Mr Popham said there are still countries - such as Japan, South Korea, China and Malaysia - where Clifford Chance cannot have local lawyers as partners because of a misguided fear of competition.

However, he said firms brought education skills to those countries.

Expatriate lawyers were expensive for international firms, which 'need to translate and pass their experience on to local lawyers'.

Clifford Chance invests up to 40 million a year in educating local lawyers, he said.

Grard Tavernier of top French firm Gide Loyrette Nouel said there are models other than the UK/US version for global firms.

He said: 'I have been hearing of how law is becoming a commodity, but I do not share this view.' He argued that the WTO should not treat all lawyers as businessmen.

He added: 'Lawyers are not really commercial people.

They have specific values that must be maintained.

Lawyers are not money driven.'