As well as the cutesy calendars (left), the annual calendar from City firm Gouldens has now been augmented in its creativity by the merger with US firm Jones Day, leading to the 2004 Legal Olympics calendar.

Each month depicts a different 'legal sport' with an accompanying cartoon.

Among the better ones is synchronised shredding (cartoon: 'Of course, we lawyers will never be as good as this as the accountants'), marathon completion, passing the buck, question dodging and case lifting, with the tag-line 'You think that's heavy? Try lifting my wallet'.

The cartoon has one character asking 'Do these guys charge by time or weight?' and the other replying: 'Usually an exponential multiple of both.' The danger that some clients may not be convinced it's a joke probably explains why the firm is at pains to point out that it is all very much tongue in cheek.

[This article refers to images that appear in the printed edition, see [2003] Gazette, 19 December, 8]