Franklin Sinclair, senior partner of national firm Tuckers and former chairman of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association, is a larger than life figure who is never scared to speak his mind, making him a great favourite of journalists.

Also a DJ (disc jockey, not district judge), he keeps CLSA conference dinners jumping into the early hours, but Obiter was shocked to learn recently how close the legal profession came to being denied his talents through the kind of cock-up all young lawyers must have nightmares about.

According to a profile in Manchester Law Society's magazine, The Messenger, when an articled clerk (a term which dates the whole story) at Goldstone Casket & Eva, Franklin was attending at Oldham Crown Court.

Before the hearing, he was sitting in the court coffee bar when he was approached by a barrister who asked if they were acting for the same client.

'Yes, and he's as guilty as hell,' Franklin responded with his usual cheerful bluntness.

Unfortunately, the jury was sitting at the next table, heard the comment and informed the judge, who abandoned the trial and reported Franklin to his firm for misconduct.

And digging the knife in, he commented that Franklin's 'white suit and white shoes, although suitable for a night out on the town, were certainly not suitable for court appearances'.

Franklin was apparently in tears in the aftermath (there is no word on how his tailor reacted), but kept his job.

He may have learnt to be a bit more discreet in and around the courts, but Obiter wouldn't like to say he's learned his lesson from a sartorial point of view.