Although I had first come out the previous year, pupillage was spent in the closet until one senior QC said to me one day as I came back into chambers from court “I’ve become aware that something is worrying you… it shouldn’t” which (after an overnight tail-spin) prompted me to come out the next day to my then pupil supervisor – and now High Court judge – who didn’t blink (thank you Nick Francis). I still don’t know if this was what the silk was referring to (and I’ve never dared ask …).

Memories of the working week in my early years of tenancy are inseparable from those of spending every Friday night at Camp Attack and Saturday night at G-A-Y at The Astoria (where the main Tottenham Court Road tube station now is), and thinking how completely different worlds can be just a few hours apart. More recent years have meant being appointed Joint Head of Chambers, a Deputy High Court Judge (assigned to the Family Division), a Recorder of the Family Court, a QC, an IFLA Finance Arbitrator, a Bencher of Middle Temple, and a trustee of FreeBar. And having far earlier nights.