Allen & Overy has confirmed that one of its partners and counsel visited a notorious club in Singapore with some banking clients.
The group went drinking at the club on Outram Road in Singapore, for which a polite description would be a "hostess bar". A more accurate one would apparently be a "knocking shop". RollOnFriday's man on the ground in Singapore says it's well known as a place where businessmen sing a little karaoke, spend $500 on a bottle of whisky and then engage in "very high end sucky sucky" with the hostesses.
It appears to have been a genuine mistake. The two lawyers were on a flying visit from another office, the client suggested that they meet up at the Lido Palace, and the partner thought it was just a karaoke bar. Apparently whilst there were a lot of women around, they were all fully clothed, and there was definitely no sucky sucky for any member of the partner's group at any time.
A spokesman for the firm said that it had a policy of not visiting such establishments, but the partner had been told to go there by the client and was unaware of its reputation.
Tip Off ROF
The group went drinking at the club on Outram Road in Singapore, for which a polite description would be a "hostess bar". A more accurate one would apparently be a "knocking shop". RollOnFriday's man on the ground in Singapore says it's well known as a place where businessmen sing a little karaoke, spend $500 on a bottle of whisky and then engage in "very high end sucky sucky" with the hostesses.
It appears to have been a genuine mistake. The two lawyers were on a flying visit from another office, the client suggested that they meet up at the Lido Palace, and the partner thought it was just a karaoke bar. Apparently whilst there were a lot of women around, they were all fully clothed, and there was definitely no sucky sucky for any member of the partner's group at any time.
 |
I thought it was a karaoke bar, m'lud |
A spokesman for the firm said that it had a policy of not visiting such establishments, but the partner had been told to go there by the client and was unaware of its reputation.
Comments
70
62
78
73
This would be a policy they don't enforce very well!
I have personally visited several of Bangkok's more interesting nightspots in the company of A&O partners. They never mentioned anything about an off-limits policy.
61
86
78
84
76
80
Lawyers and dodgy establishments go hand in hand (there's probably a joke there, but I won't make it). Probably something to do with the thrill of the transgression, or alternatively having to keep up appearances all day in the office...
66
72
Secondly, I agree with whoever said, above, that it's dumb any law firm having a policy that its staff shouldn't go to brothels or strip bars. Even dumber is the fact that Allen & Overy dignified this "news" story with a comment. What on earth were they thinking? This is what "decline to comment" was made for.
Thirdly, who doesn't visit a knocking shop from time to time when on a business trip? What is so remarkable about it in this day and age?
56
78