The Prism – Richard Douglas SC

What is your motto?

Life is what happens when you are making other plans.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?

Point Lookout every January. Port Douglas or Broome every July. With family of course.

What could you not live without?

My books (particularly my ancient legal texts and folios) and my Catholic faith.

What is your greatest fear?

Being alone. Being in chambers of a Sunday, if no other chamber member is in situ, is most unnerving.

What is your greatest indulgence?

Watching, often, sport of every kind (but I still prefer netball to rugby!)

What skill or talent would you most like to have?

To be concise (in the style of Keane JA, McMeekin J and Sofronoff QC).

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Intellectual indolence.

What is the quality you most admire in a person?

Precision.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Being at least 10 kilos overweight for the last 25 years.

On what occasion do you lie?

How dare you – I never lie (!!??)

What is your greatest regret?

Not living overseas after I finished university. That said, if that occurred I doubt I would have married Rosemary, by far my most valuable and precious asset.

What words or expressions do you most over-use?

Apropos. Sheet home. Paradigm. Exemplar.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Being over 100 kilos. I am sick of being fit but overweight!

To what do you aspire?

Drop below 90 kgs permanently. Never to retire. Never lose my taste for Marlborough (NZ) or Sancerre (Fra) whites.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a thoughtful lawyer and a legal author of note (both remain “in progress”).