Bankrupt lawyer Julian Hall has permission to practise at the Bermuda Bar for the first time in nine years.

The declaration of bankruptcy on January 25, 2000 meant that, under the law at the time, he was also banned from working as a barrister.

Mr. Hall claimed Bermuda was the only country in the world to have imposed such an automatic and blanket ban.

And as the Island's only bankrupt barrister a predicament he has been in twice in his career, the first time in 1983 he has spoken of his belief that the law banning him was passed in 1984 by the United Bermuda Party to punish him for opposing it in Government and joining the Progressive Labour Party.

The law was changed in December, and Mr. Hall applied to the Bar Association for a practising certificate. The fact that it has been granted was announced in yesterday's Official Gazette.

Mr. Hall said yesterday: "It's been a very long and arduous battle and I'm obviously very pleased that it's finally resulted in my being able to regain the right to practise before the courts of Bermuda."

He will be working alongside barrister Rick Woolridge Jr. at Phoenix Law Chambers as well as continuing his $200,000-per-year annual contract as a legal consultant to the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

"I'm not quite the stallion that I used to be so I don't want anyone to expect to see me running in and out of the courts with the frequency I used to," he quipped.

Mr. Hall is still in the midst of a Supreme Court fight to get the bankruptcy order lifted, which is being contested by the Official Receiver and some of his creditors. He currently owes more than $3 million plus interest, and was ordered earlier this month to start paying this back to the tune of up to $6,000 per month.

Mr. Woolridge said: "We're pleased to have him on board at Phoenix Law Chambers. The process for him has not been fully resolved but at least he can get back to the tools of his trade and Bermuda will once again have what is perhaps its finest advocate at its disposal."