PI Brief Update

Addressing the Chair

UpTights has recently set up a marketing committee for chambers and I attended its inaugural meeting yesterday evening. She opened by saying, ‘Now, before we get started I’d like to clarify exactly how I wish to be addressed.’

‘What, like an envelope?’ asked OldSmoothie.

UpTights ignored the remark and continued, ‘I don’t think the name ‘chairman’ would be entirely appropriate.’

‘How about simply ‘The Chair’?’ asked BudyBody.

‘I’m not a piece of furniture,’ said UpTights indignantly.

‘And she doesn’t have four legs either,’ added TheBusker with a smile.

OldSmoothie drew breath as if to add to that comment but then in an unusual show of restraint said, ‘No, I won’t say it. Such an innuendo would be beneath me.’

‘I doubt that that would be possible,’ retorted UpTights. ‘Anyway, I would like to be addressed as ‘Madam Chairwoman’.’

‘For the avoidance of any doubt, naturally,’ said OldSmoothie.

Ever the peacemaker, OldRuin then added, ‘You know, whenever I’m challenged by my use of words like he, him or man, I tell them that they should be construed in the same way as those under section 6(a) of The Interpretation Act 1978 in which words importing the masculine gender include the feminine.’

BabyBarista is a fictional account of a junior barrister written by Tim Kevan. You can buy the latest BabyBarista novel, 'Law and Peace' on Amazon. The cartoons are by Alex Williams, author of The Queen's Counsel Lawyer's Omnibus.