Email from Willy

Willy Alstergren says new QCs can pick-up their letters patent from the Vic Bar office on April 23 ... Discount framing available ... Here's his latest missive to SCs clamouring for the royal bauble ... Too much excitement, so never mind the grammar 

HM: ready to bestow baubles

"Congratulations! I have been informed that your application to be granted Letters Patent as Queen's Counsel has been successful and your Letters Patent has been signed by the Governor of Victoria, the Premier of Victoria and the Secretary, Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Pursuant to the undertaking required in the application, please change your details from SC to QC from receipt of this email. The Bar office will amend your details on the Bar Roll and Website.

The Letters Patent will be available for collection at 4pm on Wednesday 23 April 2014 from the Bar Office. Greg, from Mahoney's Framing will be in attendance who can arrange to have your Letters Patent framed at a discounted rate, if you so desire.

Kind Regards and Happy Easter.

E W Alstergren SC" 

By Justinian's calculations there were 176 SCs on the Yarraside bar roll just prior to Willy's announcement. 

As soon as Willy said everyone could change gongs, 145 immediately became Queens - according to Vic Bar's online seniority list and 31 stayed as SC. 

However, the government announcement on April 17 says there are 156 SCs who have turned into QCs. 

Maybe our maths is out or the online list is incomplete. However, the list indicates that of the 31 who didn't take up the offer, 11 are from interstate bars. 

It means that if those foreigners were discounted only 20 with real Melbourne bar pedigrees defied the temptation for inflated port-nominals. 

We can identify the following confident enough to remain as Senior Counsel: 

• Norman O'Bryan
• Paul O'Dwyer
• Tim Tobin
• Fabian Dixon (Tasmania and Victoria)
• Carmen Randazzo
• Fiona McLeod (immediate past-prez)
• David Neal
• Michael Pearce
• Michael O'Connell
• Adrian Ryan
• Andrew Keogh
• Peter Morrissey
• Rachel Doyle
• Ted Woodward
• Daniel Masel
• George Georgiou
• Adrian Finanzio
• Melinda Richards
• Susan Brennan
• Nicholas Tweedie

Sydney lawyer Tom Kelly has conducted an ethnic appraisal of those who refused the Queen's bauble.  

• Irish: 11
• Scot: 1
• Jewish: 1
• Italian: 2
• Greek: 1
• English: 4