SO how long do you give DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary UK LLP? Not the firm — the name, which is the result of a three-way transatlantic merger that took effect a month ago. The honour of the whole trio had to be satisfied, but the new moniker is clearly not going to last. A recent meeting with some DLA partners revealed that all were struggling to recall the full title. Asked how long it would take before the tailenders were dropped, they reckoned a year.

But it may be quicker than that. Midwife to the merger was the US consultancy Altman Weil, and in its announcement last week of its new partnership with Jomarti (the consultancy vehicle of Tony Williams, former boss of Andersen Legal) even it omitted any mention of Gray, Cary etc. My recommendation to Nigel Knowles, the DLA boss, is to be ruthless now. Prolonging the agony only makes it worse. Just three clicks of the delete button and you can get on with your lives as DLA Piper (Rudnick, too, will have to go). Go on — off with their heads.

American gigolos

GIVEN that transatlantic dating between law firms seems to be all the rage, I would recommend ALM Research Online, a service started last week that provides everything you could possible want to know about that potential new firm in your life. Survey results and rankings are all available so you can check out the truth behind the seductive claims made by those American gigolos. For more information go to www.almresearchonline.com.

The alternative, of course, is speed-dating events in which US and British managing partners get together for a series of two- minute encounters to assess whether the personal chemistry is right. It would certainly save a lot on consultancy fees — and who’s to say the results wouldn’t be better?

Prescott’s got the clout

NO DOUBT that, with an election looming, John Prescott is down the gym perfecting his right hook in readiness for encounters with voters out on the stump. Meanwhile, his department is weighing up the possibility of “outlawing” the use of upward-only rent review clauses in commercial property leases.

So startling is this departure that SJ Berwin is hosting a seminar next Thursday, led by Charles Follows, research director of the Investment Property Forum, to make sense of it all and present some recent research into upwards-only rent reviews.

Anything with a hint of Prescott in it, however, seems bound to come with a meal-tray attached, whether that be fish and chips at Loch Fyne or dinners with Gordon and Tony to sort out the leadership. It’s no surprise then that the principal feature of the SJ Berwin seminar is food. Or as the programme puts it: “08.30 Registration and breakfast . . . 10.15 Seminar ends (more refreshments).” All it needs is for the Deputy PM to roll up and serve the coffee to turn it into a landmark occasion in the formulation of government policy. For details of the menu contact maria.scudder@sjberwin.com.

In memoriam

AS PART of the events marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz the distinguished Holocaust survivor Gena Turgel MBE (who escorted the Queen at the memorial service last week) will be telling her story tomorrow at 4pm in the law lecture theatre at BPP in Holborn. For more information: turgeld@bpplaw.co.uk.

Edward Fennell
edward.fennell@virgin.net

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