New legislation allowing the incorporation of law firms was approved by MPs on Friday.

Deputy Opposition leader Trevor Moniz said the Bermuda Bar Amendment Act 2009 represented the "30 pieces of silver" owed to the Bermuda Bar Association after it agreed last year to let undischarged bankrupt attorneys gain practising certificates. "This is the other shoe dropping," he told the House of Assembly.

Mr. Moniz said the legislation would allow non-Bermudians to become partners in law firms — an attempt, he claimed, to "regularise situations that already exist".

He said it was noteworthy that there was scant consultation on last year's law involving undischarged bankrupts but a huge amount of involvement on the part of the Bar Council in this year's law on incorporation.

"My opinion is effectively the Bar had directed the terms of this legislation," he said, asking why the previous president of the Bar Council was so keen to scrutinise the second law but not the first.

The UBP MP said some law firms had very important attorneys from abroad on board and wanted to be able to make them full partners.

He suggested that the firm of the previous Bar Council president who was Rod Attride-Stirling was one such example.

Mr. Moniz said the history behind the latest act becoming law was "unfortunate" and "a bit distasteful".

Deputy Premier Paula Cox said the law was an example of joined-up government working with the private sector and that it included appropriate checks and balances.

John Barritt, the Opposition's spokesman on legislative reform, asked: "How is this going to be of benefit to the average Bermudian?"

He asked whether firms able to benefit from the new law would all be offering "recognisable services".

The act will require practising lawyers, firms of lawyers and professional companies to obtain professional liability insurance.