You can never have too much legal advice, that is Obiter’s (unbiased) view. And it’s just as well. For it seems that whatever is going on in the world – be it a rise in divorce rates, or a cloud of volcanic ash disrupting flights – law firms are increasingly taking it upon themselves to deliver their take on the problem to an unsuspecting press or public. The latest event to spawn a flurry of advice from law firms is, of course, the World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow. Obiter has received an avalanche of press releases from firms advising employers on how to deal with the challenges of the quadrennial footballing extravaganza.

Stockton and Newcastle firm Jacksons adopts quite a strict approach to what it entitles ‘Managing the World Cup’ (you might have thought that was FIFA’s job). Employment partner Andrew Twineham warns: ‘Now would be a prudent time to remind employees of [holiday] policies and procedures, and, in particular, the consequences of failure to follow them or of taking unauthorised absence.’

Employers wishing to avoid a balls-up should also remember that ‘not everyone is a football fan’, and any special rules introduced for fans of ‘Eng-er-lund’ must be extended to supporters of other countries if claims for discrimination are to be avoided. What’s more, Twineham notes that the World Cup will also coincide with Wimbledon. If employees don’t want to find tennis fans making a racket about being discriminated against, they must make sure they are given the same dispensations for watching matches – particularly if there are any employees who hail from north of the border. ‘Scots may not be following the World Cup, but they may be following Andy Murray,’ he wisely points out.

London firm CM Murray, meanwhile, quips that employers must ensure that staff who are not interested in footy do not end up with ‘more than their (three) lions’ share of the work’. Boom boom!

Lisa Clark, solicitor at Lancashire firm Marsden Rawsthorn, has a practical suggestion to foster good workforce relations: provide a telly. She even hints that a drop of lager may not be entirely out of the question, as long as employees are not responsible for the welfare of others, or need to operate heavy machinery as part of their role. Since this will not apply to most solicitors, Obiter has just two words to add. Chin, chin.