Daily Diary

A&O spikes it lucky

Posted 22/03/2007 by The Daily Diary

As partners at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer continue to find out the hard way that ‘P45’ does not refer to a new brand of hand-cream, Allen & Overy (A&O) has found alternative ways of motivating under-performing fee-monkeys.

Not unlike the grisly sight that once awaited condemned prisoners at Traitor’s Gate, the firm has installed a series of heads on spikes in its New Chance reception (pictured below).

The initiative is part of the firm’s Artbeat pro bono project, which supports the work of Bethnal Green Technology College, Morpeth Secondary School and Tower Hamlets College.

Judging by the heads' rather pained expressions, however, The Diary is tempted to wonder if they are not modeled on project finance lawyers after yet another drop in the US dollar.

Trophy client: A&O warns off the headhunters by displaying vanquished enemies

A projects partner, yesterday