Letter: Jeremy McMullen obituary

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/20/jeremy-mcmullen-obituary-letter

Version 0 of 1.

When Jeremy McMullen was the legal officer of the GMB union, he appeared in a case at the Employment Appeal Tribunal, where I was sitting as a lay member. Our presiding judge told us before we sat that he was an able advocate. Jeremy began by asking how he should address the tribunal. The judge, who had a good sense of humour, suggested that in this court Jeremy should call him “sir”, but if the judge were to appear in a court of Jeremy’s he would call him “brother”. “How’s that, brother?” he asked. We got on with the appeal. Jeremy was excellent as a barrister, and it came as no surprise to me when I learned that he had indeed been appointed a judge.