This might come as something of a shock to the general public, but lawyers are - for the most part - ordinary human beings.

As such, their historical exemption from jury service has been unjustified and, indeed, the position has now been rectified.

There are well-worn and valid arguments for having as wide a cross-section of society as possible in the pool of available jurors, and anything to create greater diversity on juries is to be applauded.

Indeed, lawyers should look forward to the experience.

Many criminal law specialists - both solicitors and barristers - will still rightly find themselves conflicted out of specific trials by having some knowledge of or connection to any of the participants.

But those trials they do sit on will provide a valuable insight into the thinking and workings of the '12 good men and true'.

The experience of getting a taste of the criminal justice system first hand will also be hugely educational for commercial lawyers.

Judges, too, will no longer be exempt, apart from in specific circumstances.

They should gain a dose of reality from having to sit in a room on equal terms with ordinary punters.

Nonethless, there are legitimate concerns that the inclusion of lawyers and judges in the pool could affect the dynamic of the jury room.

Ministers need to monitor how other, 'lay' jurors react to having what they might perceive as criminal justice insiders sitting with them.