Now that the weather has cooled, Obiter has noticed a definite increase in the number of, er, distinguished-looking individuals in running shorts padding around the vicinity of Chancery Lane. Yes, members of the judiciary and branches of the legal profession are limbering up for the next Bar v Bench 10-kilometre run.

The race, the brainchild of former bar chair Sam Townend KC, was previously part of the London Legal Walk, the giant fund-raising event for the London Legal Support Trust. Now the run, also in aid of the trust, is to become a standalone event. On Wednesday 30 September up to 150 members of the legal sector will rise before dawn, lace up and race. 

Townend will again captain the bar team; Mr Justice Constable will lead the judiciary team; and Mark Evans and Ian Jeffery, president and chief executive for the Law Society, will champion the solicitor team.

Townend says: 'The UK court systems are adversarial in nature. It is great fun, in a friendly way, to take this out on to the race-track and all in a great cause: to make justice more readily available for all and to raise vital funds for the free legal advice and representation sector.'

The event is sponsored by Secretariat. If you are a judge, barrister or solicitor and interested in participating in Bar v Bench please email signups@llst.org.uk. Couch potatoes can follow on social media; just search #BarvBench and see who is crowned fastest team in the legal sector. 

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