In a happy turnaround for solicitors, this week a barrister has been spotted apparently plagiarising their work.

Bond Dickinson associate Ed Duffield published an article on his firm's site in April explaining how to fire someone properly. A month later, a post containing eerily similar wording, in fact exactly the same wording, appeared under employment barrister Seán McHugh's name on Queen Square Chambers' website.

Original Ed.

Sean's shame.

McHugh did not respond to a request for comment. However, shortly after being contacted by RollOnFriday his undercover tribute to Duffield was replaced with a holding note.



A spokeswoman for Bond Dickinson suggested that Duffield was relaxed about his fan, stating in an email, "Imitation is the sincerest form..."

There is a fair amount of flattery going around. In October RollOnFriday revealed that a partner at regional firm mfg Solicitors had republished multiple articles by other authors, including a barrister and a Weightmans solicitor, under her own name.