Keyed into honours Lord Justice Brooke indelicately reminded Lord Chancellor's Department minister David Lock of the heavy responsibility of presenting the annual Society for Computers and Law Award last week; the general rule is that previous minor legal celebrities then mysteriously go on to great things.

The list of such luminaries includes one of Mr Lock's predecessors in the second-class ministerial carriage at the LCD, Geoff Hoon, now secretary of state for defence.

Next up is Cherie Booth, who from being the barrister-wife of the opposition leader when presenting the award pupated into the UK's first lady.

Completing this hat-trick is Lord Bingham, at the time an ordinary appellate judge, subsequently Lord Chief Justice, and now the senior Law Lord.

'What might we expect from Mr Lock?' posed Lord Justice Brooke mischievously.

'Speaking as a lawyer, I feel I ought to point out that there's always an exception that proves the rule,' Mr Lock retorted with admirable self-awareness.

But if he wants to wriggle up the greasy pole of politics, Obiter recommends that Mr Lock ditch those two qualities found in lawyers: modesty and caution.