A total of 61 new solicitors received their parchments last night at the Law Society, after qualifying in the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Firms with large numbers represented included Matheson LLP, Ogier Leman and Maples & Calder.

Speakers were Lord Justice Peter Jackson (judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales), and President of the High Court, Mr Justice David Barniville.

The two judges spoke of their pleasure at learning that their deceased parents, Guy Jackson and Harry Barniville, had played tennis together at a high level, both representing Ireland in several Davis Cup ties, as well as at Wimbledon.

Jackson senior (1921–72) was a sportsman and Guinness executive, who died in the Staines air disaster in 1972.

Mr Justice Jackson was born in Dublin and grew up on the Malahide Road, within cheese and onion-scented distance of the Tayto crisp factory, he said.

He is a grand-nephew of Mr Justice David Pringle, who chaired a committee which in 1977 made a report which led eventually to the introduction of civil legal aid in this country.

Small community

Mr Justice Jackson told the new solicitors last night that the legal community is a small one.

“Your integrity is worth more than your salary,” he said.

“The career that you think you want may not be the career that you get, or even the career that you need,” he continued.

Mr Justice Jackson said that he became a family law specialist without ever intending to do so.

“In those days, we did all sorts of work and I found family cases the most interesting,” he said.