So he we are; 3 years ago I was so busy doing family court reports I could not stop to think. Now I do hardly any. Quite a lot of enquiries; quite a lot of ‘beauty parades’. Some litigants in person, some private law work but the public law stuff is down to a trickle. So what do I do. Well, some work for registration authorities, some criminal law, some personal injury. Some NHS locums, some Mental Health Act assessments and some Mental Health Tribunal work. Most importantly, my private medical practice grows organically and my colleagues find work which flows from this. Slowly but surely my diary fills up. I hope it continues.

One day something will happen which will make the courts realise they need experts; I still believe this to be true. Suddenly they will call on me and my colleagues again – for our expertise built up over many years. They will, as before, want the report ‘by next Thursday’. Only this time, maybe I will be too busy – maybe not – but please don’t rely on me to be standing by waiting for your call. Those days are over – for good.