Matt Dastardly, managing partner of leading City boutique law firm Muttley Dastardly LLP, is working late in his office in the City. His PA, Eva Braun, has chosen an elegant pair of Charles Jourdan high heeled shoes for the meeting this evening and is, as always, dressed in a well cut black skirt suit.
***
“So… I see from the Lawyer that yet more law firms are re-structuring, declaring redundancies and ditching cost centre oriented associates and partners and that there is the usual journo guff about law firm mergers.?”
Eva Braun looked at her notepad and said briskly “Yeah…. Clarke Willmott Chief executive David Sedgwick said in The Lawyer today… “These steps are being taken in direct response to lower demand for legal services being felt by all firms at the moment and we don’t take them lightly.” Apparently they are juicing 40 fee earners and support earners.”
“Usual commercial prop or is it wider?” Muttley asked, his eyes flicking between three computer screens on his desk and the bank of CCTV monitors on the wall to his right.
“Wider.” Eva Braun replied “Although the CEO went on to say ‘The numbers of people affected by this programme represent a very small proportion of the firm, and our priority must be to safeguard the long-term interests of Clarke Willmott.’
Matt Muttley sat back in his chair, laughed and said “Hey… at least the guy understands the need to protect the firm. How many associates are we saying “Ciao” to this week?”
“Two who didn’t make the cut at last review and one guy you felt was not made of the ‘right stuff’ because he was critical of The Bullingdon Club.”
“Ah… yeah… I listened in on one of his calls to a client…. for training purposes, of course, and heard him say that he thought that the guys in the Osborne Bullingdon Club photo were all tossers. Well I’m sorry, Eva…. six of the eight senior partners on our special executive board are members, as indeed was I, so….. if we’re not good enough for him… he can bugger off and work elsewhere. I’ve half a mind to trash his room with Dastardly later.”
“Yet another of your good ideas, Matt….. save it for your next trip to Corfu…. we don’t need the publicity”
Muttley laughed, lit a cuban cigar, downed a shot of ice cold Absolut vodka and said “Cameron was a member of the club you know. No idea whether he did the drugs. He never comments on his post Eton spliffing days…. but, in any event, The Bullingdon didn’t really approve of cannabis and other happy drugs… interfered with the desire of the chaps to trash restaurants….. so not ‘de rigeur’.”
“So… Matt.. how do you think we are shaping up with the credit-crunch?”
“Good, Eva…. good. We’re picking up CDS stuff, good quality Lehman fallout, a high level of good quality insolvency work, our banking partners are working their associates into the ground….. and we got out of property and low end private client work some time ago. Need to build up litigation for a few years… but some good lateral hires coming out of New York… so no problem.”
Matt tapped the keyboard for the computer screen on the right, read intently and said “Eva…. this is is great…. Law Schools are being flooded with bankers… and finance people re-qualifying. Didn’t Dr Strangelove tell us that law schools could be in trouble in the next few years… doesn’t look like it from this.”
“The crazy Dr did say that and he’s right…. this is just the GDL, Matt… the BVC is a different matter altogether… and there is no way the profession can sustain present levels of recruitment in the short to medium term…. so young lawyers are going to be flipping burgers again soon.”
“Excellent” Muttley shouted…. “Bloody marvellous….. maybe we should look at setting up a law school ourselves? Some law schools are raking it in.”
“No, Matt… that is another of your not so good ideas…. I’ve already called several law schools to look at their pricing structures. They seem a bit high to me….. buyer’s market now…. we pay the piper, so they can play our tune… and our tune is “Birdie, birdie, Cheap cheap.”
“Jesus… Eva… you are right. We should make you a partner.”
“I am a partner, Matt. I do banking work here and that includes our banking. I know every detail of the finances here, as do you.”
” Eva…. only joking…”
“We understand one another, then…” Eva said with an amused smile
“We do. Fancy dinner in The City…somewhere exuding style, sophistication and dribblingly delicious concoctions? See if anyone is jumping tonight?”
“Let’s go.”
Superb stuff. Has Matt thought of running for Law Society President? We could do with him.