A fascinating insight into the minds of the country's professional indemnity insurance-purchasing solicitor is provided courtesy of a survey commissioned by insurer St Paul Traveler. Researchers livened up the survey about attitudes and selection criteria for PII cover - Obiter can't imagine why they thought that might be necessary - by throwing in a few random questions about historical figures and favourite holiday destinations.


It turns out that 25% of respondents said the historical figure they would most like to be was Winston Churchill, 13% plumped for Elizabeth1, while Henry VIII and Gandhi were level-pegging (not a phrase Obiter ever imagined penning) with 8% of the vote. Four per cent chose resurrection in the form of Jesus, while 16% couldn't pick one at all. One suspects not all participants took this question terribly seriously.



Some 42% said the wheel was the greatest invention of all time, the computer followed with 9% of the vote, then the telephone with 8%. A mere 4% of respondents picked alcoholic drinks as their top all-time invention - which surprised Gazette hacks more than the 6% who dreamed of reincarnation as Margaret Thatcher.



France was the top holiday destination with 15% of the vote, the Caribbean was next with 14% and Italy came in third, claiming 11% of insurance-buying solicitor hearts.



One result Obiter is taking very seriously, however, is that the Gazette came top of respondents' legal reading matter and trounced the competition with a whopping 91% saying they read us. Trebles all round... feel free to email us with more information regarding your favourite holiday destinations and which historical character you'd like to be: gazette-editorial@lawsociety.org.uk.