As if law firms didn't have enough to contend with on diversity, next month the age discrimination law comes into force. And according to HR professionals, recruiters and employment lawyers, there are some very tricky issues about to surface. One of the issues, believe it or not, is the acronym PQE (post-qualification experience). Universally used in recruitment advertising, it is an instantly recognisable shorthand in both in-house legal jobs and private practice. However, legal advice some recruiters have obtained casts doubt on whether they can use it at all after October. Yes, it sounds extraordinary. Most of us assume that PQE is solely related to on-the-job experience, rather than a covert indication of age. However, as one senior HR professional puts it: "People are running scared on this." This hasn't been helped by alarmist rumours that Clifford Chance was about to stop using PQE in its recruitment advertising.