Haha that's how the whole solicitor/barrister relationship works
none of it is based on professionalism. In fact there's a woman in my office who's schmoozing with a really fuck off hot barrister (who used to be an underwear model, like I know right?!) and he seems to have some fantastic cases on at the moment...
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 10:44, 1 reply, 15 years ago)

also
this guy is working on a big case involving my old firm (you may have heard of them as they were very big, were based in manchester and went into administration very recently...) and i REALLY want to know the gossip pillow-talk.

hang on, a barrister who used to be an underwear model? jesus.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 10:51, Reply)

I know.
I met him a few weeks ago and I think I actually made an OMG face. You could cut diamond on his jaw.

I think I know which firm you mean, we've nabbed a few of their clients. I was really surprised when they went under, I thought they were huge. The office in Spinningfields is well plush looking.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 10:55, Reply)

maybe i should instruct him too
sod these female barristers for a laugh.

i wasn't, i'd been expecting it for a while - basically they got a £17M kickback from the spinningfields landlord. instead of taking it as a rent-free period, they divvied it up amongst the equity partners. then didn't commit them to having to repay it if they walked. then took they out a £20M loan. meanwhile the partners who had taken the cash walked as fast as they could, leaving the firm £20M in the hole with offices they couldn't sublet and massive amounts of rent to pay. the junior partners weren't told and are threatening to sue the senior partners. and four of the original senior partners are still on the hook as guarantors for the old premises at brown street.

what an almighty mess!
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:04, Reply)

No way!
That's like something out of a John Grisham novel, I can't believe they would be that stupid. I can believe the greed though, the old firm I worked for paid me £11k as a secretary even when I'd been there years and begged and begged for a payrise. Then I found out they were paying the post boy £3k more than me because he was the son of a friend of the senior partner. When I'm a boss I'm going to be well nice to my lackies.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:08, Reply)

yup
there was an interview in "the lawyer" with the ex managing partner, the comments run for about 25 pages, and they are very very scathing. i suspect the liquidators will be doing some investigating. you're absolutely right, greed killed off a great business and a great manchester name. it's a shame.

you can tell a lot more about someone by how they treat their lackeys, i think. just don't ask my ex-trainee (in my defence, he was a challenge to train!)
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:10, Reply)

I definitely agree with that,
there are solicitors in this firm who will not give the secretaries the time of day unless they want a coffee making or something.

My old boss used to ring me up specifically to order me to make him a brew and once when he deemed it wasn't strong enough he made me go back and make it again. He then bollocked me for not smiling when I brought the second brew back. I'm surprised he didn't think I'd spat in it.
( Kitty v1.0 desperately naive, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:15, Reply)

yeah
we have quite a few like that (we're pretty big, there's 2000 of us worldwide, so that allows for quite a lot of tools!).

i've never understood it myself, i spoil my secretary rotten - she makes my job 100000 times easier. although she does act like my mum and try to counsel me on whether i am eating properly/drinking too much/men!
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:18, Reply)

think realise
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 4 Oct 2010, 11:24, Reply)