Firm's corporate jolly goes like a train

In these days of economic uncertainty, no law firm should turn its nose up at diversification, and City giant Norton Rose last weekend gave a strong indication of where its non-legal talents lie - as a train-operating company.

Obiter was among 700 lucky souls to board the Norton Rose Express from London Paddington to Cardiff Central and enjoy the firm's sumptuous hospitality at the Heineken Cup rugby final as one of four official partners.

The firm ensured that not only did we leave on time both ways, but we arrived dead on time too - and the schedule even included time for a stop at Didcot Parkway, near Oxford, so that senior partner David Lewis could avoid having to make the trek to Paddington.

Nice to see the post still enjoys some influence.

A wet Cardiff was heavily populated by Norton Rose umbrellas.

As we walked back to the station after watching Austin Healey (above) clinch Leicester's 15-9 victory, Obiter heard one Irish supporter mutter: 'I bet these Norton Rose people know nothing about rugby.'

That's as may be, but what did we learn about Norton Rose? Former Scottish rugby star John Rutherford coaches its rugby team; it has a huge marketing budget; it also supports the Red Arrows (not that anyone, except a dallying Obiter outside, saw them as the stadium's roof was shut); and it must have ransacked every offie in London to keep the champagne flowing to the astonishing extent it did on the way back.