Obiter has got wind of some rather interesting ideas for tackling the changing legal services market from London’s Outer Temple Chambers.

Defying the stereotype of barristers as buttoned up and boring, the set has been running a series of unconventional ‘strategy sessions’. During one exercise members had to come up with new ways of delivering barristers’ services, the only rule being that each idea had to be crazier than the last. The formidable legal brains came up with suggestions that included providing legal services to dead people (though you could call that probate, surely), chocolate-covered barristers, barristers in space, legal advice with fries, and legal advice in a Christmas cracker. When considering barristers covered in chocolate, discussion included whether they should be naked under the chocolate, whether clients could lick the barrister (please, no) and whether the chocolate should be dark, white or milk.

If that all sounds a bit daft, there then followed a serious interlude. After coming up with the loopy ideas, the lawyers looked at the principles behind them and considered what more realistic changes they should make to their practice. For example, choccy-coated barristers demonstrated a desire to surprise and go beyond clients’ expectations. Legal advice with fries highlighted the fact that fries are quick, cheap, branded and clearly priced, and perhaps barristers should be too. Wacky, yes. But food for thought too, perhaps.