Last week, Weil Gotshal & Manges came up with the absolutely wonderful idea of showing the new Bond movie at its press party – for which The Lawyer reporters are eternally grateful. Other than Halle Berry’s emergence from the sea, the undoubted highlight of the night was the introductory speech by a rather embarrassed Mike Francies. The London managing partner blamed the whole speech on his PR man and made three reluctant attempts at Bond-style puns before beating a hasty retreat to the safety of the stalls. The evening was nonetheless a huge success, not least for getting one over on the firm’s US rival Sidley Austin Brown & Wood. Sidley had also sought to take advantage of the launch of the new Bond film, with its own themed night. Unfortunately, while Weil Gotshal’s guests relaxed into comfy chairs to enjoy the film itself, Sidley was offering the rather less glamourous opportunity of a tour of the James Bond exhibit at the Science Museum. No contest really. Not least because Sidley’s invites omitted to tell us on what day its event was taking place. Ooops.
