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OT question: how does the cab rank rule work wrt holidays/sabbaticals etc.?

The cab rank rule is subject to (1) availability (2) the instructions relating to an area of law I practise in and (3) an agreement to pay a 'reasonable' fee. So if I've already booked off holiday or a sabbatical and someone tries to instruct me during that period then I don't have to take the instructions. However, once the instructions are accepted then I can't return them without good reason, and a last-minute decision to pop off on a holiday wouldn't count as a good reason.

That's why I can't simply book the next 6 months off as holiday and bog off to Switzerland - I've got hearings booked in my diary already over the next 6 months, and as matters stand at present there's no basis on which I can return those instructions. So I'm stuck in Blighty. Quite apart from the health insurance issue, which I don't think is readily solvable.

There are some instances in which the cab rank rule doesn't apply. Direct Access work (which I don't and at present can't do) or foreign work (which I could do but don't). But if a firm of solicitors instructed me to attend a hearing next week, on an area of the law I do and having agreed a fee with my clerks, then as things stand at present I'd be obliged to attend. And based on previous experience, have the security guard at the court rifle through all my stuff without any attempt at sanitizing their hands, and putting the contents of my pockets in a tray which has been used for that purpose by all and sundry since the dawn of time without anyone even thinking about cleaning it.

Still, gives all sane people another good reason to be law-abiding non-litigious citizens and not have to go to a court or tribunal.