Sugar-free

Junkies of the cult series The Apprentice can get one last fix of this year’s contenders next Wednesday when Allen & Overy hosts an evening with Lee McQueen (the winner, who called in sick on his first day with Sir Alan Sugar), Lucinda Ledgerwood, Helene Speight, Claire Young and Alex Wotherspoon and Michele Kurland, the executive producer. The event is headlined The Hired and the Fired although the manic looks on their publicity photos suggest it is more a matter of The Wired and the Tired. Thanks to a brilliant deal negotiated by this column, ten lucky readers can claim free tickets merely by calling Lehmann Communications on 020-7266 3020, mentioning In the City. For those Apprentice groupies who get up too late to qualify for this special offer, the alternative is to pay £35 (profits go to the charity Norwood) via www.norwood.org.uk/enterprise

Right Herberts

Seeking a spot of normality after those Apprentice publicity shots I turned to the promo material for next Tuesday lunchtime’s live audio webinar from Herbert Smith on business opportunities in India. But here again I was confronted by a quartet of distinctly shady mugshots featuring Chris Parsons (chairman, India group, partner, Herbert Smith), his colleague Richard Lewis, Ian Gomes (chairman, new and emerging markets group, partner, KPMG) and Akshay Chudasama (partner, JSA, India). Of course, I wondered what the outspoken Sir Alan would make of this line-up? As Trevor Nelson, the official Radio 1 Apprentice pundit, might say: “The task set for our finalists is to design and pitch a brand of legal service in a country that prohibits foreign law firms. In a profession full of competition, finding a unique angle is important — but, business brains, making sure it is commercially feasible will be the No 1 thing.” Sign up at http://mediazone.brighttalk.com:80/event/Herbertsmith/ c913303f39-1464-registration to find out whether they cut the mustard.

Bowled over

One group of lawyers who seem to have cracked India are the barristers of 39 Essex Street whose theme for their summer party next Wednesday in the Inner Temple garden is Bollywood. Quite whether we can expect a troupe of dancers and lots of swirling gowns I’m not sure, although I wouldn’t put it past the members of 39 to get down and boogie to a bit of kathak and bhangra. By contrast, I’m sure that the chambers of Richard Tyson (the Winchester outpost of 3 Paper Buildings) will be much more restrained when they host their reception this evening on the cathedral lawn amid a contemporary arts fair. And some of them, I can assure you, are as pretty as a picture.

Apt title?

Talking of pictures, I trust that last evening’s private view at Collyer Bristow went well for its Cantilever exhibition. One of the works on display was called Conversations + Witless Remarks. I hope this had no bearing on the level of discussion.

edward.fennell@yahoo.co.uk

Times Recommends

• BGC 'set aside £40m to lure Tullett brokers'
• Legal aid review to ensure value
• Fears as 21 magistrates' courts face closure