A 95-year-old solicitor has just received his 70th consecutive practising certificate, Obiter has learned. Leslie Black (pictured), a consultant at Merseyside firm Black Norman, was admitted in 1941 and has run a thriving litigation, company and commercial, wills and probate, and licensing practice ever since. ‘Is he working today?’ Obiter asked a partner in the firm. ‘Yes,’ came the reply. ‘I can hear him talking to his secretary.’ Black tells Obiter that he has recently reduced his working week to three days. ‘I felt I should spend some time at home with my wife,’ he said. He has no plans to retire soon, because work keeps him ‘sane’, but over the last 70 years he has witnessed changes to the profession that he regrets. Black said: ‘Once upon a time, if you were snowed under with work, you could phone up the solicitor for the other side and ask for a week’s extension. Nowadays they just press ahead regardless, which isn’t always in the best interests of the client.’ Obiter reckons Black must surely be the longest-practising solicitor in England and Wales. Or are there other nonagenarians or even centenarians practising out there? Email obiter@lawsociety.org.uk.