A knight's tale


The Bar Standards Board's first Clementi debate last week was notable for actually attracting the man himself, no rare feat given that his public appearances on the question of legal services reform have been few and far between since delivering his report in December 2004.



Perhaps Sir David felt duty-bound to attend given that the board was naming this annual event after him - his wife even pitched up for it, such was the excitement in the Clementi household - but he was characteristically downbeat about the reasons for the event being so popular (200 people were turned away). He apparently put it down less to his presence and that of the likes of the Lord Chancellor, and more to the two CPD hours

on offer.



While regarding the eminent line-up for the debate, some observers were struck by the inequity of life for solicitors. There were titles aplenty on show - we had a peer (Lord Falconer), two knights (Sir David and Master of the Rolls Sir Anthony Clarke), and a Queen's Counsel (Bar Council chairman Geoffrey Vos) - but when it came to the final member of the panel and the sole solicitor on parade, it was just plain old Peter Williamson.



Now, here at Obiter Towers, we of course think most highly of the chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) board and can only lament his status as nothing more than 'Mr'.



Sadly the days when Law Society Presidents (one of Mr Williamson's former roles) received a knighthood automatically are long gone, so perhaps someone should begin a campaign to restart that practice, and add SRA chiefs too, so as to give the solicitors' profession the titular recognition it deserves.