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Indeed so 10.27.

A couple of years ago, I was in court with my client (a claimant in a PI matter) and counsel, waiting to get on for a disposal. We advised the client that due to the particular judge we had, he should prepare for a low number. The Defendant was making no offers above its old, low Part 36 offer.

We were at the bottom of this particular judge's list, and inevitably the list started to overrun. This was a Friday, a day on which the judge does not sit in the afternoon. We were told that we had been bumped from that judge's list and given to another.

At that point, our advice to the client completely changed, and we even had the Defendant making a succession of ever higher offers that would not have been on the table, but for allocation away from the original judge.

We're well used to the inconsistency, but it is still chastening - embarrassing even - to have to explain it to a lay client.