There was a 10-minute paean to outgoing Linklaters managing partner Tony Angel at a recent awards ceremony, the latest of many that no doubt will be given in his honour between now and the end of 2007.
Among the earnest comments, however, all of which are available for viewing on YouTube if you search hard enough, there were some shining moments from capital markets partner Stephen Edlmann.
“If you spoke to his wife,” he said, “I don’t think she would think that he’s done anything other than devote his time and attention to his job.” Never a truer word was spoken.
But special praise must go to Allen & Overy managing partner David Morley, who at least managed to have a sense of humour. “He’s highly competitive,” he said of Angel. “He’s got a fierce intellect and he’s very good-looking – and those are just some of the things he says about himself.”
Tulkinghorn understands that Morley’s preparation involved googling ‘Angel’. He found a mid-1990s sequel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
He said: “I think it was about Tony because I understand that the character Angel was a ‘vampire with a soul’.”
