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It’s a fact that different jurisdictions and legal systems each have their own distinct culture. I recall a trial in France where the advocates were extraordinarily polite to each other, using such elaborate phrases as Cher confrere. Such courtesy! This was in marked contrast to a Tribunal hearing in Glasgow where I feared that claymores would be drawn by the learned counsel. And of course counsel should be professionally courteous to each other as this facilitates the effectiveness of a fair adversarial trial. So I wonder if the problem in this case was a misperception by the appellant that courtesy indicates bias? It would be a shame to sacrafice good manners on the alter of such a fallacy.
Going back to Glasgow, I was later told about the breakfast club for lawyers on the 8.00 train from Edinburgh, which struck me as the acme of civilisation. There is much to be said for settling a case over warm toast and marmalade.