“‘A highly indiscreet and highly imprudent act’ on the part of Mr. Coldham, the barrister, has involved Messrs. Huddart, Parker. & Co., and Mr. Ponting, in pretty stiff law costs. So says Mr. Justice Williams; and Mr. Justice Holroyd adds his verdict that this is ‘a necessary condition of the relationship between counsel and client.’ If counsel blunder clients necessarily suffer, while the advocates may reap advantages from their own mistakes. This is one of the delightful aspects of the administration of the law, as distinguished from every other kind of profession. The ship captain who commits a ‘highly indiscreet and highly imprudent act’ runs the risk of being disrated for his rashness or carelessness. The surgeon who carves his patient like a butcher may be sued for improper and unskilful treatment, and if unsuccessful in his defence loses cash and credit at the same time. The carpenter or plumber who builds unskilfully must repair the damages of his default. But the lawyer who gives unsound advice, or conducts his case with imprudence and indiscretion, may simply shunt the consequences on to his client, and is as merry as before. “Mr. Coldham’s case necessarily raises the question of what ought to be a lawyer’s responsibility in the management of his client’s concerns. Mr. Ponting, the sole survivor from the wreck of the _Alert_, sued the owners of that steamer for damages. The case was tried in the County Court before a judge and jury. Mr. Coldham acted as counsel for the defendant shipowners. One of the jury, a man named McGregor, was a personal acquaintance of the barrister. During the progress of the trial, according to one set of affidavits, certain winks and nods and smiles and by-play were indulged in between counsel and this juryman. Mr. Coldham denies the winking part of the business. However, there is something that he does not deny. This juryman of his acquaintance handed to him during the trial a private paper connected with the case, and subsequently he met his friend at an hotel bar, and had some drink and talk with him. This almost inevitably gave rise to the suspicion that the jury had been improperly influenced. A new trial was applied for, principally on that ground; and though Judge Chomley refused to grant it, and sustained the jury’s verdict, the Full Court judges have done otherwise, on the ground of the ‘highly indiscreet and highly improper’ conduct of Mr. Coldham.