Professional hazard
ACCORDING to a report last week from Hudson Legal UK, half of Britain’s lawyers are claiming to be experiencing burn-out. Well, I’m really not surprised. The summer party season is in full swing and even the sturdiest carouser is starting to wilt under the pressure. Last week, for example, there were two events on my calendar that even I had to pass up.
First was S J Berwin’s celebration at Duchess House for winning “the double” (top real estate firm in both The Lawyer and Legal Business awards). It was cannily timed. This evening The Lawyer is hosting its 2005 awards and poor SJB is not even on the shortlist. So the golden year is about to come to an end. By the time you read this it will be 12 hours at most before its unique achievement becomes yesterday’s news. For consolation can I suggest that winning once is nice, twice verges on the vulgar.
Of course, there is no vulgarity about Bill Cash, MP. Once one of John Major’s b*****ds he is now an exemplary consultant to Halliwells, for whom he hosted a reception on the terrace of the House of Commons last Thursday. Whereas Ascot went north, Halliwells has come south and seems to be enjoying every minute of it. Mind you, as hard-nosed northerners they probably demand satisfaction — that or their cash back.
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College capers
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COMPETITION between the law schools is very tight these days. It’s a tough old world in the classroom and even the best can see their reputations crumble. The top legal educators need to play their hands with care.
This month, though, BPP put down all the aces. There, at the front of Country Life, my favourite reading matter, was the fragrant image, beside a burbling brook, of Miss Emily Leigh, who, the caption announced, will shortly be joining the Legal Practice Course at BPP.
Good for recruitment or what? And, College of Law, what’s your response?
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Whose time is it anyway?
THE Association of Corporate Counsel was meeting in Brussels last week. By all accounts in-house lawyers got quite a buzz out of getting together and, no doubt, complaining bitterly about all those glitzy firms into whose coffers they pour millions each year. “Quality we take for granted,” said a spokesperson. “What we are looking for is continuous improvement.” “Overlawyering” is a particular concern. “I know they need to train people but why do it on our time?” Who else’s time is there, one is tempted to ask?
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We have your number
AT FIRST I thought it was a good example of what John le Carré called “tradecraft”. You know, “front organisations” to disguise one’s identity and so on. I was not surprised, then, that to get into today’s Counter-terrorism Conference organised by the legal publisher Sweet & Maxwell one had to phone a special number. “Bupa Wellness,” declared the receptionist. “I’ve got your number,” I replied conspiratorially. “I want to register for the Terrorism Conference.” The line went dead. Tried again. Same result. And again. I smelt a rat and contacted direct the PR for the event (whose name I will not reveal to spare any blushes). “Are you sure you’ve given the right phone number?” I queried. “Oh dear, we were wondering why we weren’t getting calls,” they wailed. One thing is certain. The session on “wiretap evidence ” will be pretty short.
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edward.fennell@virgin.net