OUT OF TUNE

You would think Gazette staff would know better by now than to repeat without checking the claims of law firms to be the first at something.

But, nafs that we are, we were happy to report that London firm Collyer-Bristow's claim to be the first law firm to exhibit at MIDEM, the music industry convention in Cannes (see [2002] Gazette, 24 January, 6).

Suffice it to say from the many outraged calls and faxes of historical convention brochures that it was not - by any stretch of the imagination - but we have particular sympathy with Robert Allan of Denton Wilde Sapte, who promises us faithfully that he was the first solicitor to attend: a mere 28 years before Collyer-Bristow.

He tells Obiter that when he saw the article, 'it somewhat made my eyes water'.

Poor chap; obviously cruising the Croisette has made him overly emotional.