Legalled

It's been an entertaining first year for Sarah Jones as the BBC's top lawyer. She moved up to replace Nicholas Eldred in January 2012 (when the Newsnight team were still twitching about Peter Rippon deciding to drop the Savile investigation), and was in position for the deal to hold off action from Lord McAlpine against Newsnight in November.

Other minor tasks in 2012 have included selling Television Centre and sorting out Olympic rights and contracts. She's found time for EBU trips to Strasbourg and Istanbul, and declares that she also works as Deputy District Judge on the South Eastern circuit. This requires a minimum of 15 days (paid) work a year in Magistrate's Courts. She's on a package of close to £188k - compared with Mr Eldred's £228k (but then, he'd been in the job for ten years).

In 2007, the BBC had an estimated 100 lawyers on its books - it's probably closer to 75 now; unsurprisingly to a lawyer, there's an FOI question pending on the topic. There's also be interest in the full costs of the Pollard inquiry, now promised for "spring".

Sarah will feel comfortable at Lord (Tony) Hall's top table; she's another Oxford alumnus, graduating in 1983 from Lincoln College.