En route to this week’s Brussels negotiations I hope David Davis and his team had a chance to try their luck at the Kingsley Napley Brexit crossword, conceived by Jane Keir, the firm’s senior partner. With clues such as “the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body (10)” and “the chief Brexit negotiator for the EU (7)”, it might have sorted out those who had done their prep from those who were cheerfully ignorant as they stumbled into the negotiating chamber. What struck me was the number of clues whose answers were four-letter words, including “plenty of it in both campaigns (4)”. Entries must be submitted by August 18 on the Kingsley Napley website, with a bottle of champagne for the first correct entry drawn at random. Which is pretty much the state of the UK’s negotiating position.
In your debt
The top 100 law firms are getting themselves farther and farther into debt, according to Edward Drummond, the management consultancy. The latest figures show that between them their borrowings have increased by 14 per cent from £3.8 billion to £4.3 billion in the past two years. They are borrowing to invest, insists Edward Drummond. “Much of the debt is being used strategically, often to fund expansion through mergers or acquisitions in key target locations overseas, as well as for increased investment in new technologies.” That’s all right then.
Various alternatives
I was intrigued by the subtext of Pinsent Masons’ announcement about the launch of its Vario (contract lawyer) operation in Australia. Jokes aside, we think of the Aussies and ourselves as pretty similar, don’t we? Yet Matthew Kay, the director of Vario, said that “rolling out an exact mirror service offering in Australia was never an option” because a more “culturally relevant” service was required. “A business psychology company has carefully revised Vario’s personality test for Australian lawyers to take when they first join,” said Kay. All of which reminds me of the Australian partner in London on a talent-hunting trip who tested English candidates by taking them out to lunch and pinching chips from their plate. How they reacted — in the spirit of solidarity and sharing or not — determined whether they got the job.
Picture palace
Visitors to the client meeting floor at Dentons are able to enjoy a lush and delicious-looking picture by Orlanda Broom. Calming, as well, during tricky negotiations.
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