So near and yet so far

How frustrating is this? You bust a gut for years to climb up the very greasy pole that is partnership at a top City firm like Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, only for the glorious fruits (such as an executive telephone and key to the meeting room drinks cabinets) to be denied you for a further two years.

This is the fate of Stephen Hewes, who is set to be made up by Freshfields on 1 May.

Only on 8 April, he is being seconded to the Takeover Panel for 24 long months.

Such are the torments City lawyers are subjected to.