Allen & Overy

A&O Variety!

7 July, 2008

Blogees!  Its been a long time - six months.  I am a (and in) disgrace for not doing this sooner.  I cannot get my head round the fact that 2008 is more than half over - it only just started didn't it?  I see why people do their blog every day or so - otherwise you completely forget what you have been doing.  It is no excuse of course but I have been truly madly busy on a project.  It was a collaboration between our client UCB and a Japanese company called Otsuka for the development and exploitation of two different pharmaceutical products in Japan - Cimzia for Crohns's disease and rheumatoid arthritis and Keppra for certain epilepsy conditions.  If you are interested have a look at the press release on UCB's website.  As it is really two separate deals (one for each product) it was full on for several months.

It's a very international deal involving people in Brussels, Tokyo and Osaka, New York and Seattle, as well as London.  If you find yourself in London involved in a deal where one part is in Seattle and another is in Tokyo (and the others in between) it means you never escape because of the time differences - you are on the phone late with Seattle people and early with the Tokyo people (and there were lots of lengthy conference calls on this one).  We had a couple of trips to Tokyo (and to Brussels) which was all very exciting.  It also involved a cancelled holiday - and a missed Bjork gig - which was slightly less exciting (but hey-ho - that's life in the big City!)

I had never been to Tokyo before and found it fascinating.  The London associate that worked with me had spent 6 months in our office when he was a trainee so he knew the ropes.  Also - the associate from my group who is currently on secondment to our Tokyo office worked on the deal as well, with our Bengoshi providing Japanese law advice.  It was really convenient to have him there as most of the people from our client and from the other side that were involved were based in Japan.  On the second trip to Tokyo we stayed in THE (bar none) whizziest (in terms of gadgets etc.) hotel I have ever stayed in.  It was amazing (it is just a shame I spent so little time in it).  Just a few of the delights in the room: espresso maker, 'pan style' rain shower, TWO flat screen TV's (one in the bathroom at the end of the -very long and deep - Jacuzzi bath); 3 different lighting levels (including 'mood' - AND if you set it to 'mood' in the bathroom you got rainforest sounds), not only temperature but also humidity controls; the usual internet, voicemail, hands free phone in every room (including controls on the bathtub - which I found very handy!).  It also had a mobile phone you could take with you that automatically transferred calls made to your room; AND the toilet was unbelievable - apart from being heated it did everything you needed by sensor so you did not actually have to touch anything - and there was a raft of additional controls where you could have it do more.  (Generally speaking the toilets in Japan are absolutely amazing.  Just one example - most public toilets start to gurgle loudly when you go into the cubicle so as to not cause anyone offence if there are unpleasant sounds).  The hotel also had an extremely flash bar - it was on the 35th (or thereabouts) floor (fabulous views) and was very dim but glittered with silver leafed trees and coloured floor lighting reflected off glossy floor surfaces.  Sadly, apart from the amazing hotel room (and hotel bar) I did not get to see much of Tokyo, other than on our arrival - before the meetings started - we walked around for a couple of hours feeling like refugees from 'Lost in Translation'.  We also squeezed in a couple of meals in traditional Japanese restaurants (the food is wonderful).  It has whet my appetite for more things Japanese and I am definitely going back some day for a holiday.

I also managed to complete a few other client matters during the past few months.  One of note involved 'A Place in the Sun' (you know - the TV programme).  We acted for the producers of the programme (Freeform Productions); they licensed the brand and domain names to an internet overseas property aggregator.  This brief description (cannot give more details I am afraid) does not fully communicate how complicated the deal was, but well worth it because working with the Freeform people was fantastic - a lot of fun.  Now every time I see the show I think 'I know something about that'!

A big event that recently occurred in our group was that we made up a new partner (Jim Ford) as of May 1 (which is the beginning of our financial year and when all the new partners are admitted.)  Jim has been with us since he was a trainee and we are as proud as new parents.  He is a very talented lawyer and has worked hard to sit is truly well deserved.  The process itself is also extremely demanding so he has had a tough year.  I can confirm that the odd glass of champagne was consumed celebrating his elevation.  It also presents a good excuse for a road trip to the US (and elsewhere) to visit his clients and introduce him to some others (not that one really needs a specific reason to visit clients), and we are currently planning that for early Autumn.

Unfortunately, my deal kept me away from our bi-annual partners conference in Barcelona, hosted by our then brand new Senior partner and Managing partner, but I am told it was a big success.  (I was in meetings on my UCB deal.)  AND I missed the INTA conference that immediately preceded that.  (Oh well - I'll get to the next one.)  However, I happily managed to complete all the appraisals I was allocated - no mean feat given I was away on business much of the time.  Only my own left now (oh yes - even partners get appraisals ... There is no escape ...)

It was not all work and no play however.  Although I had to cancel the holiday that was supposed to follow it, I did manage to fly to Canada for a long weekend to help my father celebrate his 80th birthday (couldn't miss that).  He had a big party - invited all his friends and relatives - and the place was packed.  I hope I have that many friends when I am 80!  He seemed to enjoy it a great deal (which is the main thing) and I got to catch up with a lot of people I had not seen for years and years and years.  Well worth the jet lag!  I also managed to keep my place with the A&O Singers: We (with some additional soloists) performed our second Gilbert & Sullivan - HMS Pinafore.  This time we were more ambitious as we sang with a staff and alumni orchestra and did a bit of 'acting' as well as singing - which is more difficult than it sounds (especially as we had only 14 hours of rehearsal and only 2 hours with the orchestra!)  We also supported Christchurch School (a school in Tower Hamlets that A&O supports on a range of activities) in their performance of a specially commissioned work to celebrate their 300th anniversary.  The children were wonderful - so enthusiastic even though prior to this they had done very little singing or performance of any kind - and so cute.  (Some were only 4 years old.)  It was a very special experience.  And we are currently preparing for our next concert at the end of September!

Apart from that I did not do much these past six months - I had a few days off at Easter (walking in Herefordshire) and a week in Orkney in June (walking and historical sight seeing) after the deal signed, a couple of long weekends.  (BTW Orkney is a great place - it has the oldest Neolithic sites in Western Europe.  And all kinds of birds.  Everyone should go there at least once.  Though it must be said that the weather is not the greatest.)  I also saw Radiohead - twice - once in London and once in Manchester.  They were as awesome as you would expect.  (I'm not worthy ...)

You no doubt have seen in the press that we just announced last year's financial results - and we had a fabulous year - Hurrah!  (Our year end is April 30 and we only announced our results yesterday.)  That was very cheering, despite everyone continuing to feel the effects of the credit crunch.  Although there is still a lot of work around, things are not at the same frenetic level they were 12-18 months ago, and the 'feel good factor' has definitely left the City.  And the economic situation remains uncertain.  Happily other areas of the firm - particularly our offices in the Middle East and Moscow - are booming in tune with the economies in those regions.  In fact one of the young partners in our group will be relocating to our Abu Dhabi office come September, which is a very exciting opportunity.  Although we will miss him here in London it is important for the practice as a whole that we grasp these opportunities and make the most of them.  A new partner arrives - one goes - ALL CHANGE!