When President of the Law Society a few years ago I encouraged young solicitors not to become trapped by money in jobs that do not enthuse them. Given life expectations, I suggested they plan their second career well before their first was due to end. Why, they wondered, had I not practised what I preached? My excuse was that the firm I then led – and had been with for nearly 40 years – had grown dramatically and my role changed constantly. Beyond that, my Law Society career also allowed me to reinvent myself.

Now, though, I am practising what I preached – albeit with far less planning than I recommended. What’s more, I am doing so with another just-over-60s lawyer, Ronnie Fox. Law does not have to mean retiring in the mid-50s: Ronnie’s enthusiasm is such that he started a whole new City law firm only a year ago. Helping him to build it into a substantial niche practice serving lawyers and other professionals in employment, partnership and regulation is an exciting challenge. It does not even feel like work. And, as somebody who gets up early and goes home late, I am not even missing the extra round of golf that was starting to be attractive.

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