Whether competing or entertaining, solicitors are often afloat, reports Jeremy Fleming
It is surprising - given the reputation of solicitors for caution - that so many of them seem to enjoy taking their life into their hands on the water.
Solicitors can regularly be found getting wet: they canoe for charity - Woolwich plc solicitor John Cugley is especially well known for this; they row for England - rower Amanda Skailes of Essex firm Kenneth Elliott & Rowe won a silver medal at last year's Commonwealth Rowing Championships; they compete in the World International Fireball Sailing Championships, or at least Shoosmiths solicitor Jeremy Davy did in 2001; and they also sail around the world, as Richards Butler assistant Cath Landale did in 2001.
There is also a Law Society Yacht Club.
Yachting is one sport in which lawyers genuinely make an impact.
Indeed, solicitors are involved in almost every aspect of yachting.
One lawyer who encompasses this is Richard Butcher, a partner with London firm Payne Hicks Beach who started sailing aged eight in Torquay, and later sailed in the university team at Southampton.
Working for City firm Macfarlanes in the 1970s, he made it into the Olympic squad to go to Moscow, but would have needed to take 13 weeks off work.
He put career before sailing, but benefited from the experience.
'Lawrie Smith [a bronze medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics] and others whom I used to sail with in the Olympic team started instructing me - and the link with sailing has grown.' Mr Butcher now acts for yachting record-breaker Ellen MacArthur.
On the event-organising side of things, Exeter-based firm Michelmores launched its Challenge Cup - an annual yacht race around Torbay - 13 years ago.
It takes place this year on 6 September, is organised into two classes of yacht and has attracted entries from a wide range of businesses including banks, building contractors, developers, accountants, local authorities, investment houses, estate agents and even a funeral director.
Senior partner Will Michelmore says: 'It has proved exceptionally popular with the corporate sector both here in the west country and beyond because it mixes business networking with intense competition and a lot of old-fashioned fun.'
Another Michelmores partner, Malcolm Dickinson, this year participated in the Around Britain and Ireland Challenge race, a slightly more serious affair which takes place every four years.
He says: 'It's more on the edge than relaxing...
there were force nine gales off the Hebrides and [legendary yachtsman] Chay Blyth pulled out.' Mr Dickinson finished third in a two-man yacht category.
But despite the less hard-core nature of the Challenge Cup, he says: 'It's an excellent corporate entertainment event.'
Mr Michelmore adds: 'With over 60 entries already, this represents upwards of 350 crew members and this year we will be laying on a hog roast and jazz band along with the traditional barrels of beer.'
Another yachting event that involves a knees-up is the Manches Cup, a weekend race in the Solent organised by Britannia Corporate Events and named after the original cup donor - the London-based law firm.
The race takes place in the second week of May each year, and Manches itself entered three boats this year, all staffed by members of the firm along with a few clients.
The Manches Cup tends to be a legal event - with many different firms from up and down the country entering boats - so the flavour is less that of networking than of bonding with other members of your own firm, or meeting other lawyers.
It is also competitive because of the number of firms, but here again the competitors let their hair down.
Jill Edwards, Manches' event organiser, says: 'On the Saturday night we always have a three-course meal in a marquee with a disco.
This year we had a "cowboys and Indians" theme and last year's was gladiators.'
Another solicitor who vouches for the team-building qualities of yachting is John Stapleton, managing partner of London and Sussex-based Thomas Eggar Church Adams.
Thomas Eggar enters a number of yachting races.
Mr Stapleton says: 'We have frequently participated in the Industry Sailing Challenge, which involves circling the Isle of Wight twice.' Apart from that race, the firm also participates in the Little Britain Challenge Club Regatta, which takes place this year in the Solent on 12 September, and for which the firm books a boat jointly with clients in the construction industry.
Mr Stapleton says: 'You get to sail with partners who you may not know and some who haven't sailed before.
It's a great way to break partners down into human beings and to mix with different staff socially.'
Naturally - when yachting - solicitors are scrupulously honest.
Despite organising the handicapping for its Challenge Cup, and entering a couple of boats itself, Mr Michelmore says modestly of his firm: 'We have yet to contrive to win our own race.'
No comments yet