Jeffrey Gordon, criminal defence solicitor at EBR Attridge in London, had a busy month in April.

Not only did he complete his 60th year in practice, but he was also one of only 18 athletes to finish their 31st London marathon (and, at 77, was the oldest of the bunch).

Gordon was admitted in 1956, and his first case was with Sir Godfrey Russell-Vick QC, then leader of the bar.

He describes the judgment in the case, by Lord Goddard, as having been ‘revealed 35 years later to have been a monumental cock-up’ (when it was found to have been made per incuriam and so should not set a precedent).

Clearly the experience did little to put Gordon off the law, and more than half a century later, his most recent case involved masterminding the defence of a young lady said to have breached her curfew 20 times over – therefore proving that the electronic tag was faulty.

Gordon drew up the defence from his hospital bed, as he was about to have an operation, but needless to say was back at Tower Bridge court the following week.