Judo or karate-practising lawyers are an open public relations door for law firms, and they are never shy to rush straight through it, in our experience.

Our latest practitioner is Ian Gillis, a corporate finance lawyer at north-west firm DWF, who has 'a new method of cutting a deal' with competitors who themselves 'face the chop' etcetera (we only report this stuff), after he was awarded his fourth dan black belt in shotokan karate.

Mr Gillis (his friends call him Mr Gillis too) is pictured with receptionists Karen Mills (left) and Natalie Milton.

On this evidence, woe betide the visitor who fails to sign in, we would suggest.