Valentine’s Day 2011 will be remembered for three things: the end of two major consultations into the future of legal services; David Cameron re-launching his Big Society; and the first Valentine’s card from my daughter.

Of the many responses to the legal aid green paper sent to me in the last few days (and why do people always wait until the consultation closing date to finalise their papers?), by far the most surprising was that from the Bar Standards Board. I simply wasn’t expecting one of the approved regulators to get involved.

Here’s an interesting thought I’ve heard of late: in a few months’ time, will we need the Legal Services Board? The board’s three main purposes were to secure the independence of regulation from representation, set up the Legal Ombudsman, and deliver alternative business structures. The first two of these have been done, with the other due in less than eight months.

I don’t know if I’m one of the last people in the legal world to notice this, but the Ministry of Justice has made it quietly but abundantly clear that it will not be banning referral fees any time soon.

Not many people get as excited by reserved legal activities as I do, but Professor Stephen Mayson surpasses even my interest in the subject. And he’s always quite happy for me to describe him as a reservation nerd, so I shall do so again.