News of a stunning triumph for solicitors in the unlikely field of cooking. A team from Manchester firm Davis Blank Furniss (DBF) has made it through to the second round of the Great Northern Cook-Off. 'The DBF Word' (geddit?) four took on 24 other teams at South Trafford College - including entries from rugby league clubs Salford City Reds and the Warrington Wolves - and their menu was enough to secure a berth in the final eight. The competition consists of four rounds and the final will feature a judging panel made up of top chefs including Michelin-starred Michael Caines (from the BBC's 'Great British Menu') and celebrity cook Andrew Nutter. Round two takes place next week. The good news is that the gang from DBF have, er, got the bit between their teeth. 'We all want to win and now that we are through to the latter stages our competitive streaks are starting to show,' reports personal injury partner Kate Oldfield. The winners will be announced on 13 September and Obiter will let you know how the legal profession's culinary standard-bearers get on.