Here at Obiter HQ we can barely contain our excitement at the prospect of the bewigged side of the profession going on strike on 3 October over the ultra-low rates paid for legal aid work, which a Bar Council spokesman memorably once said meant they were paid only a little more than his cleaner. Yes, it is all warming up very nicely with the Department for Constitutional Affairs this week releasing - following a Freedom of Information Act request - a table of those barristers to have received the most out of the public purse in 2004/5. This prompted - surprise, surprise - a flurry of fat-cat lawyer headlines in the press. Amid all the dire warnings recently of barristers being forced to give up publicly funded work because of the low pay, one unusual advert in this month's Counsel magazine seemed remarkably well timed. 'Bring home Peru,' it ran. 'Introduce alpacas into your family - you'll be delighted by what a great addition they make.' The advert from the Alpaca Stud farm in west Sussex extolled the fact that alpacas require very little work and have 'extremely loving dispositions' but more importantly went on to say that because they are the source of a luxurious fibre, they 'provide an excellent investment opportunity' - one which can 'supplement your meagre earnings'. OK, so we made that very last bit up, but the advert did conclude that: 'Once you have taken them home, you will never want to give them back.' Which cannot be said of legal aid briefs.