millions of law officials worldwide.

Appleby, Spurling and Kempe senior and managing partner Dianna Kempe has been elected president of the International Bar Association (IBA), at the organisation's biennial conference in Amsterdam, Holland.

Mrs. Kempe, 51, will now be the first woman ever to lead the world's largest assembly of law societies, bar associations and lawyers involved in international practice. The IBA has 16,000 individual members and represents 178 associations in 183 countries, with a total of 2.5 million lawyers under its wings.

Yesterday, a delighted Mrs. Kempe said: "I am proud and pleased to be the first woman to be so honoured.

"This is an important milestone for the IBA, as well as women everywhere who aspire to become leaders of the professional organisations that they serve.

"More importantly, it is a wonderful thing for Bermuda. As president I will not be representing my firm as much as I will be representing the Island as a whole.'' She added: "This is a real privilege to become the head of the IBA the world's leading body for the legal community.

"I think the IBA needs to continue to elevate its position and speak for the legal profession around the world,'' she added. One of the items on Mrs.

Kempe's agenda is more unity among the world's lawyers on the liberalisation of the profession which is one of the things the World Trade Organisation administered General Agreement on Tariffs and Services intends on implementing.

Mrs. Kempe said the IBA would have to communicate to lawyers throughout the world on the issue which she called "absolutely crucial'' in the face of the globalisation of world markets.

The election is the latest in a series of firsts for the lawyer. She was the first woman to become president of the Bermuda Bar Association, between 1987 to 1990, and the first to be appointed as a magistrate when she served as an acting magistrate for six months in 1975. In addition, Mrs. Kempe was the first female to be made a Queen's Counsel, in 1992 and in 1998 she was the first non-American to be named "Outstanding Member of the Year'' by the National Association of Women Lawyers.

A member of the IBA since 1990, she was a founder of the women's interest group and has served, and is still involved in many other committees of the association.

Her appointment was heralded by Ms Pat Phillip-Bassett, chief executive officer of the BIBA.

She said: "Her ascendancy can only enhance Bermuda's reputation as an offshore business centre of the highest standard. Bermuda has always been proud of its intellectual capital. Dianna is one of our best ambassadors and I am sure that she will represent the Island well.'' BUSINESS BUC