A bumper response this week for tales of first days in the law. His Honour Eric Stockdale contributes a story about the late Jim Seeman. ‘Jim was articled to a solicitor in Ruislip and usually spent the week there, returning to his home only at weekends.

‘Not long after he had started as an articled clerk, his principal’s wife left the matrimonial home and, more importantly for the purposes of this note, the matrimonial dog, a friendly chow named Willy. As a result Jim quite often found himself appointed weekend custodian of the dog.

‘One Friday he was instructed to attend a completion in Bedford Row on the way home. He packed up his dirty laundry, law books and lecture notes in his scruffy rucksack, as usual, but decided that he could not very well bring Willy in for the completion as well, so he tied him to the elegant listed railings outside. He was shown into the room of the senior partner and invited to sit at the beautiful conference table. He placed his rucksack on it and heaved at the completion documents – which came out suddenly, together with Willy’s biscuits, which were scattered all over the table and floor. ‘‘Ah!” said the posh senior partner, “I see you have brought your luncheon with you”.’

Simon Bath, meanwhile, also recalls trav-elling far and wide to handle completions for purchasers; and supplementing his ‘salary’ of £2 a week as a Saturday salesman at a national mens’ outfitters.

Please keep them coming – reminiscences from female colleagues especially welcome.

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