A scare for a couple of Australian firms in Hong Kong last week. Three lawyers, understood to be from Mallesons and Allens, decided to head on down to nearby Phillipines for a weekend away.

They arrived in one piece, but soon set about changing that scenario with a bit of open sea jet skiing.

We’ve been told the trio were gearing up for a stunt, despite the fact they are qualified lawyers. The end result, we are sad to report, resembled a sandwich rather than a spectacular.

Badly injured after a horrendous collision, the threesome were left out at sea nursing injuries. It’s not yet clear exactly how they were rescued and brought safely to shore.

Once they got there, however, the dramas continued. Several days were spent in hospital and stories have emerged telling of money being asked for priority treatment in spite of their cumulative horrendous state, which included a broken ankle or two.

The lawyers have since returned to HK, but last week only one was fit to resume professional duties.

Fashion the mode

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What is it about fashion and Queensland solicitors? On first inspection the two just don’t seem to mix …

Following on closely from ClaytonUtz’s winter wardrobe extravaganza, which brought tweed and cufflinks up close and personal, top-tier counterpart Minter Ellison has hopped onto the catwalk.

Courtesy of Southport lawyer Kirsten Griffin, who laid all bare in The Gold Coast Bulletin this month, lawyers should be armed with a better idea of what to … or perhaps more aptly … what not to wear this summer.

“You can’t expect to be taken seriously if you walk into a meeting in a singlet and a mini skirt, especially in a profession that commands a certain dress code,” she was reported as saying.

Does that apply to men as well? Well, if her following comments — which starkly confront the glass ceiling — are anything to go by, we thinks not.

“I deal with a lot of men and it can be confronting for them to liaise with a young female on a regular basis.”

Now what would make Ms Griffin say such a thing, Folklaw wonders? Aren’t male lawyers getting enough?

On yer bike

The big question: will we see any Lycra?

According to our mail that’s the word on every lawyer’s lips in Melbourne as the annual ‘Around the Bay in a Day’ bike ride approaches.

Four top-tier firms — Mallesons, Freehills, Blakes and Allens — are already known to have submitted teams and if past events of a sporting ilk are anything to go by, the competitive flame is set to burn intensely.

Training must have commenced already, too. Folklaw has been absolutely inundated with reports of lawyers being confused for bicycle couriers on their way into the office each morning.

Conveyancing bummer

As if this month’s decision to deny conveyancers access to Queensland’s market wasn’t enough of a pain in the backside for Dale Turner and his non-solicitor mates.

Part of the reason why the NSW-based conveyancer ended up behind the eight ball before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal was because of testimonies submitted by a pair of crack experts.

Oral evidence tendered by Professor Peter Butt and Ms Margaret Hole turned out to be a right royal bummer for Turner, who had the hide to challenge the solicitor’s monopoly last year after being denied a restricted practising certificate by the Queensland Supreme Court.

Coming up roses

Spotted lately in the vicinity of the Women’s Correctional Centre in Brisbane was none other than former Queensland chief magistrate Di Fingleton.

The former jail bird has been transferred to a halfway house and as a result is finally privy to some of the perks life in custody has to offer.

For starters the drab prison grey tracksuit is definitely out. Along with working her way back into society after a couple of months ‘on the inside’, Fingleton is also becoming re-acquainted with her wardrobe. The wig and gown is not ready to come out just yet, but a fitting pink blouse — perfect for spring — was a refreshing change.

The change of season certainly wasn’t lost on Fingleton’s minders either. They watched on as she picked a bouquet of flowers.

Maybe she’s planning to give them to her replacement, Marshall Irwin, as a congratulatory gift.

A vegetarian’s delight this week as we venture to the Commonwealth jurisdiction to discuss legumes. Go nuts fellas.

VFAB v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2003] FCA 872

[Tribunal Member]: When you said you were shot, what sort of weapon were they using?

[Applicant]: I don’t know. After that, when (indistinct) this pellet was removed. It was known as cartridge pellets of a 12-bore shotgun.

[Tribunal Member]: How big was it?

[Applicant]: Sorry?

[Tribunal Member]: How big?

[Applicant]: I don’t know. It was something like chickpea size.

[Tribunal Member]: Can you draw what size it is and give me an idea? That’s bigger than a chickpea, isn’t it? What size was it?

[Applicant]: I said chickpea. I did not mention lentil.