A legal surprise

Randolph Beresford-Smythe is from Tobago! And he hasn’t got a Home Counties accent.
He told me he changed his name after graduating from law school – he thought it would attract more clients. He didn’t tell what his real name was.

Anyway, perhaps this is an opportunity to turn a necessity into a virtue – as my old grandma used to say. Randolph told me that a black lawyer always gets that bit of extra respect from the court: political correctness and all that. And, he said, he wasn’t averse to ‘playing the race card’.

He kept calling me ‘my dear chap… don’t you worry my dear chap, we shall get you a very good deal, I can tell you… some of these women are getting too big for their jolly old boots these days.'
And, glancing at a document he had taken from his briefcase, he continued ‘ And what might the lady be referring to when she cites unreasonable behaviour’
‘My being in the house?’ I suggest.
‘Ah, very good. I like a client with a sense of humour. So useful in times of adversity, I always say.'
‘How much adversity do you think we will encounter?’ I asked.
‘My dear chap, we will burn that bridge when we get to it.’ He smiled, lighting up the room.
After asking me some questions - routine stuff I suppose – he gathered up his papers and left. Stopping at the door to advise me ‘Chin up old chap, chin up’.