Crossword Genius

Lawyer with regressive associate - a fierce creature with a taste for sailors (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

scylla

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'a fierce creature with a taste for sailors' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this defines the answer.

'lawyer with regressive associate' is the wordplay.
'lawyer with' becomes 'sc' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'regressive' says the letters should be written in reverse (to regress is to go backwards).
'associate' becomes 'ally' (ally is a kind of associate).
'ally' written backwards gives 'ylla'.
'sc'+'ylla'='SCYLLA'

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(Other definitions for scylla that I've seen before include "Mythical rock" , "Peril with Charybdis" , "Mythical sea monster" , "Legendary rock" , "legendary menace in Med" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.
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