Young Mr McVeighty should take heart and embrace a laptop. Ten years ago, I thought that I would be able to retire without touching a computer. I am now a converted enthusiast.

The laptop I take to court ‘contains’ both volumes of Archbold and supplements, all volumes of Stones, All England Law Reports - basically, a small library. It enables me to use wasted time at court to draft letters and skeleton arguments with no crossings out. When HM Courts & Tribunals Service actually gets round to providing proper internet access, BAILII and other goodies will become available.

Secure email is, of course, a con to transfer costs from the prosecution to the defence and the less said about the Legal Services Commission ‘tender portals’ and the Solicitors Regulation Authority sites the better. A bad system that is computerised is still a bad system and it is, of course, outrageous that we are compelled to use them. However, I have no doubt about the benefits and indeed enjoyment of using a computer for the purposes which suit me.

I was admitted to the roll in 1971, under Lord Denning. I am sure he would have loved a laptop to research and draft his wonderful judgments.

John Bunting, Buxton, Derbyshire