The saga of Rooks Rider

The prize for the most tenuous connection to something vaguely glamorous is winging its way to London firm Rooks Rider this week, which has managed to find a link with the new ITV dramatisation of the 'Forsythe Saga' by John Galsworthy.

Here goes (and read carefully, there could be CPD points to be had out of this): his father, John Galsworthy senior, was admitted as a solicitor in 1838.

He later joined with his nephew, Edwin Galsworthy, also a solicitor, to form Galsworthy & Co.

In the 1930s, the firm completed a very modern three-way merger with Rooks Wales and Godwin & Co to create Rooks Wales Godwin & Galsworthy, which was later shortened to Rooks & Co.

Rooks & Co merged with Riders in 1977 to form the practice we now know and love.

It would be better still if the firm had acted for the author and his estate, but John junior ran off with the wife of one of his cousins and Edwin took the view that the family firm could not act for him because of the disgrace.

But rather than lose out on the work altogether, the firm acted for the wronged husband and the rest of the family, many of whom appeared in the saga under different names.