The wooden benches at the Royal Courts of Justice groaned last week as a distinguished parade of lawyers, politicians, civil servants and judges gathered in Court 4 to witness the swearing-in of Suella Braverman as the government’s new chief legal adviser.

Those present included Law Society president Simon Davis, HMCTS chief Susan Acland-Hood, Bar Council chair Amanda Pinto QC, the lord chancellor Robert Buckland QC MP and, of course, the lord chief justice, sporting a full wig, red robes and ribbons. We also spotted Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove MP – with hindsight, one of the more competent of our non-lawyer lord chancellors.

However, it was another guest without a legal qualification to his name who ended up stealing the show: Braverman’s seven-month-old son, George. Throughout the swearing-in ceremony – which involved three speeches, a lot of strange outfits and an unusual amount of bowing – George seemed entirely unfazed, nonchalantly sipping his milk on the front row.

As his mother promised to restore faith in the criminal justice system and thanked her predecessor for his ‘distinguished service’, George received the honourable title of ‘best behaved baby in the world’ from the lord chief justice.

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