To a large extent, Greg has been the life and soul of the LCCSA for many years. He has served on the committee in a number of roles, including vice president and president, and has been the executive officer for the last four years.

The association ? and indeed the profession ? is hugely indebted to Greg for the work that he has done. He has represented the LCCSA in a number of different forums, including regular meetings with the Legal Services Commission, the Ministry of Justice and the Law Society. He has also been our voice in many cross-agency discussions on recent initiatives, such as "virtual courts" and litigator fee schemes.

Greg is the master of both the written and spoken word. He has prepared detailed and highly articulate responses as part of many consultation processes. He has regularly lectured to members on the wave of legal aid changes that we have had to endure; and his lectures are always informative, original and humorous.

The association has been lucky to have Greg as an advocate of its interests. He has never been shy at meetings (in particular with the Commission) to expose the flaws in new proposals through carefully reasoned and well informed arguments. There have been occasions when it has been necessary to say it as it is; and Greg has always been willing and prepared to do so, cutting through the flannel, bureaucracy, weak excuses and management-speak that we have to listen to as some agency or other explains why another initiative has gone wrong or caused the defence unnecessary loss and inconvenience.

Greg is greatly respected throughout the profession and is highly regarded by all the other agencies that we have to deal with. He has helped, worked with and encouraged many of the LCCSA's leaders, giving up much of his own time on behalf of the association. His contributions and witticisms will be missed at committee meetings.

We know it will be hard for him without us?(!)

We hope to continue to see Greg at our events and conferences and again thank him ? and, indeed, his firm ? for such outstanding long-term work and support of this association.