The Back View episode 2 - Mike Cunningham

The reluctant Lawyer: Despite being one of Britain’s best-known transport lawyers, Mike Cunningham had very different career ideas when he left school, he explains, in conversation with Ian Jones.

But, with his ambitions thwarted he “drifted into law.” Having qualified he then discovered he “disliked what I was doing with a passion,” instead, wanting to be in court. 

So started a journey when, as a fresh-faced young man in his 20s he became a prosecutor for the police, based in Liverpool.

As he looks back on his career, he recounts how he became involved in road haulage, by working for Thomas Nationwide Transport, later better known as TNT.

Yet, despite a very good job with terrific prospects, one afternoon the purchase of a secondhand Adler typewriter saw a very different chapter open in his life, which ultimately could have led to him becoming the Traffic Commissioner for Wales.

He also recounts the startling effect of a response given by a truck driver in court, and who his fictional legal heroes are.