The logistics, too, were offputting. The firms and providers are extraordinarily sensitive about the charge of elitism, particularly since the intervention of Lord Woolf earlier this year. The LPC 2001 initiative between providers and firms marks a tremendous opportunity to improve the course for the benefit of students and firms alike. What we're doing has struck a chord across the profession. Of course it's elitist.
Competition is founded on elitism.
Certainly, other major law firms were rattled by the news, although since then things have mellowed. The message that came back was that the people didn't have an issue with the City LPC as such. Many are concerned about the rigour of the course. It raises wider issues that have needed to be discussed for a long time. It's made us think about the LPC more, so we took a proactive approach to it.