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While I have the utmost respect for David Neuberger from the days when I used to instruct him in the 1970s, I think the school run comments really need to prompt a reality check on his part.

I started a family late in life and currently have two school-age children. I (the husband) do the school run simply because my wife works further away, and her commute starts earlier, and tends to finish much later. I do not have a problem with that, or regard it in some way as inappropriate for me to do the school run, and normally manage to run my diary to cope with this, when necessary enabling me to return to the office in the evening, much I have to say to the convenience of many of my clients.

I raised a school run related issue with a certain County Court in July this year (I should mention the first time ever), having discovered two weeks before the return date of a hearing, that I would need to collect one of my children (aged 10) from school early on his last day of term, 21 July , which was also the hearing date, as the students were being released an hour earlier than usual.

I contacted the Court immediately on becoming aware, namely two weeks prior, and with the agreement of my opponent, requested that our half hour 3pm hearing perhaps be relisted an hour earlier, or moved to the morning, explaining the reason why.

I received a rather curt response to the effect that my personal issues are for me to arrange, and the Court is not there for my benefit; I kid you not ! I suspect, knowing the Judge in question, that the comments probably came from him, and that the civil section clerk simply reiterated precisely what he had said.

While I would be the first to acknowledge that this is unlikely to be a unanimous approach by the Courts, I do not believe that, had I been female, the reaction would have been any different.

Mrs Broomfield - I have to tell you that you are very fortunate. I do not consider that I am in a small minority when I tell you not only that I do not have family locally to whom I can turn for support when the odd crisis situation arises, but I can also tell you that available childcare in my area, even with reasonable notice, is practically non-existent.