Bermudians returning home with law degrees may soon find the door of opportunity shut.

Bermuda Bar Association president Mr. John Cooper sounded the warning yesterday at a ceremony welcoming Bermudian Mr. Luciano Aicardi to the Bar.

Mr. Aicardi, who studied law in London and completed his pupilage with Appleby, Spurling & Kempe where he will work in the trust and estates department, was the 21st lawyer to be admitted to the Bermuda Bar this year.

But in welcoming him to the Bar, Mr. Cooper said: "I'm glad you got in before the doors closed.

"We welcome two barristers to the Bermuda Bar each month. But we're now approaching the saturation point and we are reaching the point where Bermudians practising law abroad may have difficulty finding employment.

"I think it is a good thing you have acquired a specialty in the beginning.'' Mr. Cooper later told The Royal Gazette there are 191 lawyers practising in Bermuda.

And while he pointed out the majority were Bermudians and some worked in banks, private practice, and the Attorney General's chambers, he said: "There's no doubt employment opportunities are going to be worse than they ever were.

"Those people who are in law school hoping to find work should be told it could be a problem,'' he said. "And those contemplating going to law school should realise there's an end.'' Mr. Cooper noted that when he was admitted to the Bar in 1974 there were only some 50 lawyers. But between 1988 and this year, 78 lawyers were called to the Bar.

One of the reasons for the increase in numbers was year-round programmes allowing law students to qualify faster, Mr. Cooper said.

And although some non-Bermudians called to the Bar leave to work in other jurisdictions, many stay.

Bermuda is at the point where there are three lawyers for every thousand in the population, he said, adding that "Bermuda has survived well'' compared to places like England and Ontario, Canada where lawyers are having a difficult time finding work.

"But unless there's more work coming in through international business or offshore captives,'' Mr. Cooper said, "you can only split up the work so much.'' Mr. Jay Kempe, a partner at AS&K -- the largest law firm on the Island -- basically agreed.

"At the moment the demand is being met by supply,'' he said, adding the firm had no immediate plans to expand.

"But because the number of Bermudians coming back is increasing, one would expect at some point to see saturation. When that may be, I don't know.'' "However,'' Mr. Kempe added, "this has been said for the last 15 years when I was coming through. Here we are 15 years later and we are placing them (law students) without difficulty.

Noting AS&K has a law students committee which meets regularly to carry out duties ranging from giving students advice to scholarships, Mr. Kempe said: "Obviously all of these law students need to get their formal training overseas, but having passed their (Bar) exams we encourage them to seek employment overseas for one to two years.'' This will benefit them in the long term.

JUST IN TIME -- Bermudian Mr. Luciano Aicardi, right, was yesterday welcomed to the Bar by lawyer Mr. Jay Kempe of Appleby, Spurling & Kempe. Mr. Aicardi heard he could be among the last of Bermudian lawyers to be sure of work at home.