the announcement of three new appointments.

Appleby, Spurling & Kempe partners Mr. Geoffrey Bell and Mrs. Dianna Kempe, and Conyers, Dill & Pearman senior partner Mr. Charles Collis have been appointed Queen's Counsel by the Queen, the Deputy Governor's Office announced.

The QC appendage offers few specific privileges beside that of wearing silk robes instead of cotton.

But it is meant to indicate eminence in the legal community, and is certain to be added promptly to business cards and law firm letterheads.

Under rules laid out by the Bermuda Bar Council in 1988, lawyers apply to the Bar Council, which approves or rejects the candidate in consultation with the Chief Justice. Attorneys General and Solicitors General generally obtain the title by virtue of their office.

The only other QCs in Bermuda are Mr. Arnold Francis, Mr. Michael Mello, Attorney General Mr. Walter Maddocks, Solicitor General Mr. Andre Garneau, and former Attorney General Mr. Saul Froomkin.

Bermuda Bar Council president Mr. John Riihiluoma said there was no design in appointing three new Queen's Counsels at the same time. "It's more a coincidence of timing rather than a purposeful decision,'' he said. "There was no decision that we needed more QCs.''