The mystery of the vertically-challenged barristers

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By Judge John Hack on

Bar Council tweet highlights a new set of Hobbit-sized lawyers

LEAD

Always on the lookout to advance its role and relevance to lawyers, the Bar Council today positioned itself as the marketing division of a recently merged set.

Drystone Chambers benefited from some free publicity when barrister representative body tweeted its merger announcement earlier this afternoon.

The new set in London’s Bedford Row is the product of Dyson Chambers and One Paper Buildings, which has as joint-heads fraud and regulatory specialists Karim Khalil QC and Andrew Campbell Tiech QC.

The combined set has 86 tenants, including six silks. And a glance at its smart website suggests that many of them are … how to put this? … vertically challenged.

For example, in the first two rows alone of barrister profiles on the set’s website three members — Michel Massih QC, Adrian Keeling QC and senior junior Roger Harrison — appear to have required an Alan Ladd-style box to rise into the photographer’s frame. But unfortunately, no such height aide was to hand.

Barristers

But that trio is by no means alone. This new-born chambers seems to be replete with barristers of short stature, as at least 20 failed to reach the snapper’s required level.

What’s the world coming to? First the City of London Police jettisons its minimum height requirement for constables of six feet; now it’s Hobbit-sized barristers.