Holt CJ - w.r.t.
It matters little whether you would wish to be ‘any sort of legal chap’ for you have here demonstrated your complete lack of any of the requisite ability. Have I really, oh dear, what a pity, never mind.
W.r.t.
When ‘legal types’ state they are ‘a little disturbed’, they generally mean precisely that, for it is vital in the practice of law to articulate one's meaning precisely. And ‘a little disturbed’ does not mean that one is outraged, and foaming at the mouth. Which surely therefore means that, until you explained it, you hadn't made clear what is was that you meant, and so perhaps a fine example of legalese ?!
Well you actually won't find many technical aeronautical terms in the OED, but funny enough, and regardless of whether or not you agree with the interpretation of it, a definition for 'tort' is in there - perhaps, and for the benefit of us all, you should contact the OED and point out their inaccuracies.
All jesting (or should the be jousting) aside, and with w.r.t. what you'd do if tipped the wink that a potential hire was perhaps 'not a good choice', you've said
'it would of course depend upon the circumstances'.
So given that there are
circumstances when such information would influence
your decision making, it must surely then be reasonable - with the proviso on 'the circumstances' - for a Chief Pilot to do the same ?
Tilii - I actually think NSF is right, so how about you wind yours in - a 'new chum' indeed, and which is especially rich when you later on launch in to one about DVL - and actually tilii there are several MAJOR airline FDO's and CP's that read and post on this site - just don't ask me how I know, but rest assured that I do
Buggs - I'm so far out of my depth it sometimes feels like the bottom of the Mariana's Trench, but I'm loving it; as did I the analogy of the bear and the lawyer - brilliant !