The 2004 Olympics look set to be a sponsorship bandwagon that will keep Obiter busy for the next year.

Interestingly, it is to the British sailing team - hugely successful in Sydney - that law firms are turning to at this stage.

In June, we reported on London firm Collyer-Bristow putting its weight behind Ben Ainslie, who won gold and silver in Sydney (see [2003] Gazette, 5 June, 14), and now City firm Richards Butler has, almost literally, nailed its colours to the mast of Leigh McMillan (back) and Mark Bulkeley, who race in the Tornado class, the fastest at the Olympics, reaching 30 knots.

Ranked sixth in the world, their first international regatta win was in May.

Managing partner Roger Parker said: 'Sponsoring an Olympic sailing team makes sense.

Our Greek office is doing a lot of commercial work related to the Olympics and one of our core industry sectors is shipping.'