Humble start

Anyone who has frequented a barristers watering hole will know that humility is not always a strong suit for that side of the legal profession...Anyone who has frequented a barristers watering hole will know that humility is not always a strong suit for that side of the legal profession.

Therefore, it was refreshing to hear the Master of the Rolls, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, addressing the annual lunch hosted by the president of the Institute of Legal Executives where he related a story about his early practice.

The young Lord Phillips kicked off his career in the magistrates courts specialising in defending careless driving cases.

He went through a string of 200 hearings without one win although he came close once as two members of the bench were the defendants personal friends.

Nonetheless, Lord Phillips continued to be instructed, he said, by virtue of his willingness always to provide a lift to court to the solicitors managing clerks.

Lord Phillips mentioned, by the by, that he did go on to win a few cases later in his career at the Bar.