It could have been Jeff OHalloran v Jeff O'Halloran

I had sometimes taken some short courses at the University of Western Australia that were not for credit, these were just for personal interest and run through their summer school part time. So you could imagine my intrigue when the University Club of Western Australia contacted me to join their reunion.

After a rather embarrassing conversation, the caller found out I was not the Jeff O'Halloran who studied law at the University of Western Australia who was a successful practicing solicitor. I was merely a summer school attendee who had taken a few lectures and workshops, as an invitation had been sent out I was informed I was still entitled to attend, I respectfully declined.

This generated some more intrigue on my behalf and I decided to research my namesake who was living in Perth in what some might argue in a parallel universe to my life. My research indicated that a Jeff O'Halloran was employed by the State Solicitor's office as a legal officer. Notwithstanding, I was also embroiled in a workplace dispute where I was correct in my analysis and had taken the issue above the heads of our recalcitrant management to the office of the Director General.

Much to everybody's amusement, the office of the Director General agreed with my analysis, that wasn't a difficult decision as I was correct but our management refused to act upon the direction of the department and I also refused to back down.

Yet, this should have been the point where the aforementioned recalcitrant management admits defeat and submits to my request. So you can imagine my surprise after exhausting all viable options, I was forced to take my employer to the Western Australian Industrial Relations Court and I then received a letter from the State Solicitor at my home address.

I was hoping the court listing would read Jeff OHalloran v Jeff O'Halloran so we could square off in court, a real solicitor versus a legal pretender. But it would have really been Jeff OHalloran v my employer; I can't publish their name even though it was listed in The West Australian newspaper - they are a little touchy about this.

I was disappointed our match up didn't eventuate but here is the real laugh, the State Solicitor was able to argue my default ruling (my employer didn't file a response) should not be awarded and then tried to get the case thrown out of court. The magistrate ruled otherwise and we set another hearing - one all was the decision.