THE ADVOCATE 139
VOL. 79 PART 1 JANUARY 2021
To me, the importance of s.m.a.l.l., if one could attribute that to an imaginary
entity, was that it gave lawyers an opportunity to write in and exhibit
their humour and wit. Somehow the Advocate found its way into the waiting
rooms of doctors and other organizations. I know this because from time to
time I heard from people who had no connection with the law, other than
that they had read the Advocate, telling me how much they enjoyed reading
about s.m.a.l.l. I like to think that it made lawyers appear a little more
human.
S.m.a.l.l. also intruded into the courtroom. Once, Mr. Justice Ray Paris
sitting as the chambers judge admonished me in court to stand up because
he couldn’t see me (his pun). I was of course already standing. Thereafter,
that became a running joke, and whenever I spoke at a legal event someone
in the audience would say, “Stand up.” I like to think I’ve risen above that,
but then that would be defeating the purpose of s.m.a.l.l., wouldn’t it?