Law Against Loneliness: 7 April

World Cup of Law Firms

Just four firms remain in the World Cup of Law Firms. Freshfields deny any knowledge of co-ordinated turnout but the fact remains the firm got 92% of the vote in its quarter-final against Clifford Chance. It now faces surprise semi-finalist Bird & Bird which has come through ties against much-fancied opposition including Latham, HSF and Mishcon de Reya.

Meanwhile Allen & Overy goes up against Baker McKenzie in the other semi-final. A&O has already knocked out Linklaters and Bakers has defeated Slaughter and May so this is set to be a real battle. Get voting.

It's the #WorldCupofLawFirms semi-finals! In tie one, the giants of @Freshfields meet the titans of @twobirds

— The Lawyer (@TheLawyermag) April 7, 2020

John Collins

Andrew Wilson of Park Square Barristers has delivered a tribute to John Collins, who practiced non-stop at the Bar for 64 years.

Yesterday my colleague John Collins died. Any account of John’s long and rich life will first record that he was called to the Bar in 1956 (almost 40 years before he became my first Head of Chambers), and practiced continuously from then until his death.

— Andrew Wilson (@pibarrister) April 7, 2020

Dog of the Day

Meet Winnosie Fudge (Smudge to his friends), owned by Keating Chambers’ BD director Holly Gavaghan.

Kids’ challenge

For the avoidance of doubt, I did NOT suggest the gavel. pic.twitter.com/IssA9MP3qc

— Julien Foster (@childrenlawyer) April 7, 2020

The Lawyer Listens: Ray Berg’s Ibiza bangers

With the majority of the legal market working from home, The Lawyer is curating a playlist of songs to listen to while working from the living room or kitchen.

As those who know him will testify, Osborne Clarke managing partner Ray Berg likes to head off to the White Isle in his spare time. He’s put together his 2019 Ibiza playlist: to listen to it just click on his picture below, then sit back, relax and pretend you’re the leader of a mid-sized international law firm.

Quiz of the day

Thanks to Leah Alpren-Waterman of Watson Farley & Williams for today’s quiz. Answers tomorrow.

Theme: Positives about the lockdown

1. Which Jane Austen adaptation is now available to stream, despite having only been released in UK cinemas on 14 February?
2. Each morning at 9am parents have been getting their kids to tune into youtube to do “PE with Joe”, but what name does Joe Wicks go by for his adult fitness classes?
3. Google Arts and Culture features an online exhibition with over 800 pieces of art and artefacts belonging to which monobrowed Mexican artist?
4. Tiger King, a documentary about a gay, gun toting, country singing, private zookeeper who once tried to run for President, is an unlikely hit on which streaming service?
5. The Mirror and the Light is the recently released third book in Hilary Mantel’s trilogy about which historical figure?
6. What colour is Pall Mall on a monopoly board?
7. How much is a 9 pack of essential Waitrose ultra soft toilet roll?
8. “Flossing” became popular after featuring in which computer game?
9. Which former captain of the Starship Enterprise is reading a sonnet a day on Twitter?
10. Country music star Keith Urban live streamed a 30 minute set from his home in Nashville.  His wife can be seen dancing along.  Who is she?
11. The National Theatre is streaming a play free every Thursday. Last week’s performance was “One Man, Two Guvnors”, starring which comedian, better known for singing in a car?
12. Talking of the theatre, Andrew Lloyd Webber is also streaming musicals online for free.  On Friday morning he released which Old Testament technicolour singalong?
13. The sun shone on Sunday, but in which country of the UK did the temperature hit a high of 22.2C?

Yesterday’s quiz answers

Theme: Adieu to Europe

1. Lewis Carroll
2. Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands
3. Ursula von der Leyen
4. Rijeka (Croatia) and Galway (Ireland)
5. 24
6. Christine Lagarde
7. Yugoslavia (now Slovenia)
8. Crete
9. France
10. Italy