Dressing down

The second Civil Justice Council costs forum was eagerly anticipated not so much for the possibility of sorting out the mess of costs in personal injury litigation, but rather for the casual wear that would be on display as the event wore on into the weekend and knitwear took precedence.

Watching older lawyers dress down is always fun, but sadly, perhaps underlining how serious the costs crisis has become in the past 12 months, it was a little disappointing.

There was a conservative selection of sweaters (the Master of the Rolls, Lord Phillips, looked almost cuddly in a grey jumper that matched his hair) and, of course, there were a few who thought that Saturday morning was just the time to throw on the old pin-stripes.

Claimant warrior Andrew Twambley wore a lime-coloured shirt that was a bit hard on the eye the morning after the night before in the bar, but nothing compared to the bright orange polo shirt he'd worn last year and scandalously failed to tuck into his trousers.

But, in the end, if it wasn't for Tim Wallis's sartorial discretion, there may not have been any agreement (on costs, that is) by the end of this forum.

Mr Wallis and Frances McCarthy, former presidents respectively of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers and Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, were handed the role of ad hoc mediators between the two sides of the dispute and played a considerable part in securing the deal.

Mr Wallis was tastefully attired; last year, however, he was the talk of the event on the Saturday for sporting a Hawaiian shirt better suited to the set of 'Magnum PI'.

Could anyone have taken him seriously had he been dressed like that this time? Obiter doubts it, and on such small sartorial decisions, great events can turn.