It would appear as though tensions between the Law Society and the Sole Practitioners Group might be easing.

For some time, relations had been prickly as a result of the negotiations over the arcane minutiae of something known as the recognised groups agreement.

Indeed, at the group's recent conference in Oxford, the outgoing president, Clive Sutton, made the point that now the group has reached its tenth birthday, Chancery Lane no longer saw it is 'an enfant terrible or poor relation'.

Instead the group was treated with respect, the Society recognising that it was 'composed of people who speak from their conscience even though they may from time to time be described as the awkward squad'.

Indeed, as a sign of the new detente, it would appear that the SPG hierarchy decided to make Chancery Lane's Deputy-Vice President, Kevin Martin, and his wife, Maureen, as comfortable as possible.

Ms Martin won the ladies' golf competition, which took place before the conference kicked off.

As her husband pointed out to the 200 or so delegates the next day, she was the only woman entered.