the office understaffed for months.

Recent moves include: Irish Crown Counsel Mr. Diarmuid Doorly worked his last day yesterday.

Crown legal adviser Ms Deborah Blakeney, a Bermudian, has resigned to take a post with the private sector.

Parliamentary Counsel and longtime contract worker Mr. Vincent Meerabux is on loan to the Supreme Court as an acting Puisne Judge, where he could be made permanent.

The resignation of another contract worker Crown Counsel is expected soon.

"We are going to have to work harder over the next few months until we can make replacements,'' Attorney General Mr. Walter Maddocks said yesterday. He described the departures as "a series of events which coincidentally occurred at the same time''.

Mr. Maddocks said he hoped to replace the departing lawyers with Bermudians, but that might not be possible.

The challenge was attracting Bermudians with sufficient experience who were not happier working in the private sector, Mr. Maddocks told The Royal Gazette .

"I couldn't run the chambers with everyone having one or two or three years experience,'' he said. "You need to have some people with substantial experience.

"Good Bermuda advocates are going to be attractive to the private sector, who are able to offer better financial rewards.'' His strategy was to "persuade Bermudians to stay on for reasons that are not necessarily financial,'' including promotion prospects.

In June, Cabinet scrapped a requirement for lawyers to have five years experience before becoming Crown Counsels. While that was seen as an important step toward Bermudianising the Attorney General's Chambers, it did not mean expatriates could be done without right away, Mr. Maddocks said.

Crowns from abroad are normally hired on three-year contracts.

Mr. Doorly had only completed about half of his contract. He was due to board a flight for the United Kingdom yesterday and could not be reached for comment. Mr. Maddocks would not discuss the reasons for his departure.

It was understood the Irish barrister hoped to return to Bermuda to work in the private sector.

He was one of five Crown Counsels in the AG's chambers, of which only one is Bermudian.

Ms Blakeney, who had given her resignation but was still at work yesterday, was one of three lawyers whose job it was to advise Government departments on legal matters.

Mr. Meerabux, who was named an acting Puisne Judge after the Hon. Mr. Justice Ward was named Chief Justice, was one of four lawyers who drafted Government legislation.

A source in the Attorney General's Chambers said talk of widespread unhappiness among contract workers there was overblown.

"You realise when you come as a contract worker that you're there until a qualified Bermudian is available,'' the source said. "That is understood like any foreign worker when you come to the Island.'' Mr. Walter Maddocks.