The launch of the latest tome on insolvency law last week may seem an unlikely venue for wit and joviality, but then nobody present was actually insolvent. Lord Justice Chadwick provided a rare insight into the role of Court of Appeal judges: 'You might wonder what Court of Appeal judges are actually good for,' he remarked. 'The answer is, they are very good at providing material for legal texts such as this one. They are also rather useful for giving speeches at book launches such as this.

'When a book like this comes out, we judges immediately turn to the index to see whether any of our judgments receives a mention. On receiving a copy of this one, I saw that one of my cases had merited two pages of analysis. "A very good illustration of the principles," it said, "though it is not clear on what basis the case was decided."' Lord Justice Chadwick added that Court of Appeal judges are in a 'difficult position', because they are 'sandwiched between the trial judge, who can be wrong, and the House of Lords, which is always right'.


The author of the book - Principles of Corporate Insolvency Law, 3rd edition - Professor Sir Roy Goode QC meanwhile revealed that he had always sensed there was something special about the text. He recalled overhearing a conversation between counsel and a judge as he was waiting in court one time. The barrister mentioned the book and told the judge he really must pay attention to it 'because it is a most authoritative book, even though the author is still alive.' 'Really?' questioned the judge, an eyebrow raised in disbelief. 'Professor Goode is still alive?' The launch party was hosted by City firm CMS Cameron McKenna and Sweet & Maxwell.