Obiter is moving to Manchester.

A tough decision, given the weather, but what swung it was news of Manchester Law Society's annual charity ball.

This year's president, sole practitioner Paul Boucher from Gorton, relates in his latest column in the society's Bulletin that there were 'fantastic prizes and dancing until 2am' - whether there were prizes for the various lawyers' dancing is not made clear.

But that is just the start of it.

There was also 'an array of Moulin Rouge beauties' (for those unfamiliar with the Paris nightclub, which was the evening's theme, Mr Boucher is the one in the middle of the picture).

Best of all would seem to have been the sight of local silk Keith Goddard QC's 'hijacking of the microphone from the Frank Sinatra-style singer'.

Those barristers, they always have to take over, don't they? In the midst of all this revelry, the ball-goers raised some 20,000 for the two chosen charities, Francis House and Make a Wish.

This article refers to images that appear in the printed edition, see [2004] Gazette, 18 March, page 14