Obiter's trawl for lawyers with a musical claim to fame - however tenuous - has dominated these pages in recent weeks, and rightly so. But a relative lull means we can now update readers on another competition, the search for the youngest-ever solicitor-advocate.


Previous contenders for the sought-after crown include Adam Tear at White Ryland in London (aged 26 years and 95 days when he was awarded higher court rights) and Steven Friel from the London office of US firm Debevoise & Plimpton (25 years, 303 days). Mr Friel's claim to the title was a tad controversial, to be honest, as he is a former barrister.



Thankfully, clinical negligence specialist Rhodri Williams (left) from Welsh firm Leo Abse & Cohen has obviated the need to go to arbitration by writing in to say he qualified at the grand old age of 25 years and 244 days through the normal route. Welsh newspaper the Western Mail has already proclaimed him as the champion of our competition and it looks as if the honour and the glory are indeed heading in Rhodri's direction - at least until others write in to say they can do better.