The Commerce & Industry (C&I) Group, the UK’s main body for in-house lawyers, looks set for a permanent split, despite an emergency meeting last Thursday (28 October) to discuss a breakaway group.

Anthony Armitage, who has established a rival organisation, the In-House Lawyers’ Association (IHLA), was present at the meeting at which it was agreed that he would meet the full C&I board later this month to try to resolve the dispute.