White-collar crime

Travelling internationally? Planning on doing a bit of document mark-up on your way? Don't take a Herbert Smith pen - they explode.

Yes, the exploding pen is the latest must-have accessory for Herbert Smith lawyers, or any guests foolish enough to pick one up from the conference room.

A Herbert Smith Asia partner related to Tulkinghorn with great stress his dismay at the ruination of several (assuredly high-quality) business shirts thanks to Herbert Smith-branded pens that had exploded on him mid-flight.

"Exploded?" enquired a curious Tulkinghorn.

"Yes, just burst open, exploded and sprayed ink all over my shirt," confirmed the
The appointment of a record number of new QCs last month had an unforeseen knock-on effect. There weren't enough limousines to go around.

Come October 175 barristers and their families will need transportation to the silk appointment ceremony and the limos are already booked up.

Chambers a little slow off the mark have chosen to look elsewhere for their members' transport. An unlikely, but apparently successful, option has been to call funeral directors - after all, they have posh cars aplenty.

The other sector to benefit from the appointments is the rather esoteric robemaking industry. Indeed, Ede & Ravenscroft ("Robe Makers & Tailors since 1689") has now found itself having to juggle the production of robes for the English and Welsh silks with robes for Nigeria's first-ever senior advocates, whose appointments were announced the same day. It's a bonanza.