Those who view life through the microcosm of the stock market might be forgiven for thinking that all is well with the world.

It was Milton Friedman, the late lamented economist, who described inflation as taxation without legislation. How right he was. Over the past year, the British public has suffered a national pay cut of around 2.5 per cent, becauseprices are rising at a much faster rate than incomes.

We are told that the Messianic era will be preceded by a period of great confusion, where previously accepted norms are turned on their heads. Over the past century, we have seen several events that previously were not thought to be possible, such as the creation of the State of Israel and the downfall of communism.

Business-related financial disputes happen. Most will be settled by negotiation. However, should matters escalate to litigation, resolution can become particularly costly and time-consuming, and can divert attention away from the management of the business itself, where it may be most needed.

I suppose I am not the only corporate lawyer to reach a point where my clients' faces are becoming younger and younger. I keep reminding myself that, from a business perspective, that's a good thing. The younger faces are, one hopes, the future clients of the firm, relate well to our younger lawyers and bring fresh drive and impetus to our practice.

When MetroBank opened last year, it was the first new bank to open in London in more than a century. And the inspiration behind it, Vernon Hill II, is very pleased with the way things have gone since the first store, as the branches are called, began trading last July.