Amid welcoming a new member of the law fraternity in the High Court in Napier last week, it seemed slightly out of place that the judge should look at the young man before him and warn: "Go easy on the old man."
But it was entirely appropriate as 25-year-old Liam Collins
went through the short ritual with his proposer beside him, father and Crown prosecutor Russell Collins.
Justice Warwick Gendall, who has known the prosector and other members of the family for years, and honouring the occasion with his wig and a rare wearing of the red gown, said he would "love" to be presiding should son and father ever be appearing in the same court, as defence counsel and prosecutor.
Thus the advance warning, given that the judge doubted he would still be presiding when such an occasion might arise.
Family looked on from seats in the jury box, which with one child on a knee, made a "panel" of 13 for possibly the first time.
Liam Collins, having attended Havelock North High School, spent more than five years at Victoria University in Wellington, studying simultaneously for a BA in Spanish and for his LLB.
It wasn't his first day in the sun, for he had several years indulging his passion as a surf lifesaver and coach in the sport, and once had a slightly rebellious yet tongue-in-cheek appearance in the Miss Waimarama contest.
"We were all 15 once," he said after the ceremony was over and having missed the opportunity to have the slightly embarrassing moment of his past suppressed.
He is getting plenty of chance at preparing such applications for the court, working for prominent Wellington barrister Greg King.
