Of a cohort of 2,174 who sat the Part II Qualifying Examination in February 1967, 48 passed all seven heads, in one sitting, with distinction in two or more subjects.

The group comprised 25 ‘five-year men’ (they were all men!) and 23 graduates, mainly from Oxbridge and London University.

True, it was a different era and fewer than 50% of those coming into the profession had a degree, but it does demonstrate that those who had learned on the job were able to produce at least as commendable results, at the highest level.

Howard Goldsobel, Michael Conn Goldsobel, London W1