Happens to us all.
A dispute resolution partner at Mishcon de Reya has apologised after he used his Twitter account to call Conservatives 'turds', 'knobs' and 'racist bigots'.
Louis Flannery QC, an arbitration expert, made the colourful comments while venting his frustration with his ideological opponents.
"You utter knob. You have zero understanding of constitutional law", the solicitor advocate told a member of the public who commented on the Supreme Court's ruling in favour of Gina Miller, a Mishcon client.
"What a nice person", responded the man. "Apparently a lawyer, so God help any clients if this is the attitude displayed."
Flannery told the whinger, "No mate. Just someone irritated by a goonish sycophant like you sucking up to a corrupt and inadequate PM and spreading drivel without bothering to check the facts or enquire what the judgment in Miller 2 was about. Anyone has the right to call you a knob in those circumstances".
The firm told RollOnFriday that an individual complained to Mishcon de Reya "after some tweets were sent by Louis Flannery QC in a personal capacity", but that the partner deleted them before the complaint was even made.
"As soon as he was aware of the complaint he apologised unreservedly, which was then accepted by the individual who was involved", said the firm.
Flannery turned his sights on Conservative voters in general during the Hartlepool by-election in May. When a poll showed the Tories taking the lead, left-leaning radio presenter James O'Brien asked, "What fresh hell is this?"
Flannery responded, "No fresh hell. Same old purgatory, full of thick selfish racist zenophobic [sic] bigots".
The Mishcon partner could have done with some more zen himself when Steve Baker, an MP and prominent Brexit cheerleader, tweeted, "I'm delighted after years of fighting for it we have axed the hated #TamponTax".
The QC retorted, "You really are an unspeakable piece of turd. Disgraceful".
Flannery was similarly disparaging when another Tory MP, Joy Morrissey, strayed into his timeline.
She tweeted last June, "I just want to say I’m proud to be British, proud of our history, of the Queen, our democracy and the opportunities given to people from every background. How many immigrants are Members of Parliament in other European countries? Not very many. This is the country of opportunity".
"What an utterly imbecilic tweet" replied Flannery QC. "You really need to step outside of your Beaconsfield bubble woman."
From flâneur to furious.
Litigation clients may pay Mishcon good money for pointed prose, but it is a sensitive time for the firm as it seeks to present a squeaky clean image in readiness for a planned IPO.
Even though Flannery's tweets lend support to the firm's tagline, "It's business. But it's personal", some of his more intemperate zingers have been erased, and the firm told RollOnFriday he was sorry.
"Mr Flannery recognises and regrets that his tweets have caused offence and apologises to those that have been affected", said Mishcon.
Comments
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Legend. I appreciate it's not a great look for Mishcon, but kudos for speaking your mind.
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Call me old-fashioned, but I think people do expect lawyers to maintain a civilised discourse. These sorts of dumbed-down outbursts on social media are hugely damaging to the profession.
What's more, Joy Morrisey is regarded by politicians on all sides as a caring, diligent constituency MP and a jolly nice lady. The last thing society needs is for more good people (especially women) to be deterred from politics by foul-mouthed, overpaid trolls who should know better.
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Law and politics shouldn't mix.
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Like him or loathe Him, old Louis is one of those characters that makes the legal landscape a bit more interesting.
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The changing attitude to the Conservative Party amongst City lawyers is interesting. The constant attacks on the rule of law and the maladministration of the current Government make almost socially unacceptable to be a Conservative supporter.
Its a sad outcome but probably not one that is going to be fixed by people like Joy Morrisey stoking culture wars with faux patriotic requests for every business to put a picture of the Queen on their walls...
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omg, we have a "corrupt and inadequate PM"?!?
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Good for you Louis, you absolute legend. The world needs more people like you.
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Someone wasn’t paying attention to the risk and compliance training, were they, on the dangers of social media ?
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It's one thing setting the world to rights down the pub to your mates. Why can (otherwise very, very bright) people not get it into their thick skulls that putting stuff on twitter is publishing? The turd references must have been edited out of the latest edition of Merkin & Flannery...
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None of these tweets are witty or interesting. This is just straight up, at times borderline illiterate, trolling. I would expect more from a spotty-faced high school student tweeting out of his mother's kitchen.
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If Mishcon haven’t already reported, Flannery should self-report to the SRA. This sort of conduct is likely to undermine trust and confidence in the legal profession.
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Seriously, a QC publishes that kind of abuse and expects to get away with it?! It’s surely a matter for the BSB.
if an associate had done this they’d be out of the firm immediately.
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Louis is not a barrister, RoF. He’s a solicitor. With a 2.2 from Southampton, the Bar was hardly an option.
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Anyone who's ever met Louis would not expect anything else - and, indeed, a whole lot more frankly!
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Thanks, Bar.
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Are there many lawyers on the right who are so 'open' with their contempt for Labour? I wonder if it's easier to be led into taking crude potshots when your team dominates the cultural landscape in London, and is convinced of its moral superiority.
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What a picture, really made me laugh.
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Was he factually wrong with anything he said?
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Sorry not sorry.
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Clearly this person is foul mouthed and if used this language against someone in person would expect to receive a severe response for such appalling discourtesy and rudeness. I would never instruct a lawyer who can only resort to name calling rather than intellectual discourse to debate a point of principle. Git.
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Louis is a QC. One of a handful of solicitors who were made QCs. He's an insanely bright guy, irrespective of his 2.2. And a legend.
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Alphas gonna alpha.
What, you want to live in a beige landscape with beige intellects?
Take the rough with the smooth. I bet he's shit hot on - and passionate about - the cases he takes.
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Not sure why his 2.2 is relevant as a QC.
That's just trying to diss someone for no good reason. Jealousy.
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"One of a handful of solicitors who were made QCs." A "handful"? What on Earth are you talking about, son. These days they're making up any donkey who can read words from a sheet of paper.
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Louis.
I like you.
If you think you can handle it I'll let you be my second next time I'm doing a TV Licence case.
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Absolute Legend!
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@09:51 - judging by the quality of these tweets I can't help but think that Mr Flannery's intellect may have a touch of beige about it...
I mean, I do hope that what you say about him being 'shit hot' on the cases is right, because there's really not much evidence of the 'hot' bit when he takes to online discourse.
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Met this guy once, many years ago, in an encounter he absolutely would not remember at all. I was an unexceptional trainee at a firm that no longer exists. Interesting fellow. Quite impressive.
And he's right. Tories are the worst. I know they'll all clutch their pearls any time anyone says that, but I'm not sorry about it. A bunch of odious, self-absorbed, "I'm alright, Jack" ghouls, the lot of them. Their whole ethos, as far as I can see, is "**** everyone and run". Forgive me for having absolutely no interest in pandering to the idea I'm supposed to respect that position.
Despite this, and as infuriating as the current political landscape ought to be to any sane person, some of the language used in these tweets is clearly inflammatory and properly undermines the points being made. I think the problem with Twitter (and other social media platforms) it the way it actively encourages people to blurt stuff out as soon as it enters their head, without really considering it. It could have been a great invention, but I think it's done civilised discourse across the globe a massive disservice.
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"It could have been a great invention, but I think it's done civilised discourse across the globe a massive disservice."
What they said!!
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Irish Potato has this one right - the most embarrassing thing about this incident is that, if you couldn't see his profile picture, you'd assume that these tweets were written by a slightly dim adolescent posting from a sixth-form common room. It's genuinely juvenile stuff - if someone had sent it to Marcus Rashford we'd be wringing our hands about vulgar online harassment.
The idea that supposedly reputable middle aged lawyers are choosing to engage with politics with that level of sophistication, knowingly and in public, is just embarrassing.
Anyway, let's all go back to wondering why we progressives can't win a national election, and why those dreadful oiks think that we're all sneering, condescending metropolitans who they stubbornly refuse to look up to as their intellectual superiors. It's such a puzzler.
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Imagine being a Tory at Mishcon…
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Damn you shambling cretins, RoF, if you'd extracted your ink-stained thumb from your voluminous burnt orange rear and published this tasty scoop last week, I would have snared Batley & Spen. Cripes!
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"I know they'll all clutch their pearls any time anyone says that, but I'm not sorry about it. A bunch of odious, self-absorbed, "I'm alright, Jack" ghouls, the lot of them. Their whole ethos, as far as I can see, is "**** everyone and run". Forgive me for having absolutely no interest in pandering to the idea I'm supposed to respect that position."
Sure, but don't expect them to take your own 'pearl clutching' that seriously when you go on to mourn the loss of civilised discourse. You're leaping thigh-deep into the gutter while bemoaning its existence.
Anyway, for what it's worth, you should hear what all of your former voters say about you...
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Back in my day the BSB wouldn't have cleared him...
...to take silk.
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They all need to stay off twitter. It is best if people do not see views. Also what if someone from Sunderland who votes Tory wants to apply to Mishcons - they are now going to think it is a left wing only firm - not much diversity if that is so.
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@ anon 10:25
"Imagine being a tory."
Fixed that for you
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"what if someone from Sunderland who votes Tory wants to apply to Mishcons - they are now going to think it is a left wing only firm - not much diversity if that is so"
Steady on there Lydia, diversity of opinion isn't something we want to be too hasty with.
So long as the intake all look a bit different to each other, and we can credibly suggest that a few of them are homosexuals, then that's all of the boxes ticked and we can expect the Diversity Dividend to start rolling in. Sound business, pays for itself. The external consultants all say so and look how well they're doing.
But the idea that bringing in a wider range of views and opinions might lead to us challenging our own erroneous but entrenched views and opening up new perspectives is dangerous stuff. There's a strong chance that if we start doing that then we might end up having to actually change something that matters. And we can't be having that.
Now, pipe down and let me finish filling out this Stonewall form.
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Not the worst internet behaviour from someone on the Mishcon books. #Coleclough
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A friend to the animals, though https://www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/mishcon-de-reya-sacks-tax-lawyer-child-porn-and-bestiality-pics
A bit too much of a friend
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You need your head read 02 July 21 10:04: quite. It is well known that the quality of these solicitor silks who get appointed purely for arbitration work is low.
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Anonymous 02 July 21 10:04: a 2.2 from Oxbridge would be one thing. But from Southampton? Not indicative of intelligence.
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This is the same Louis Flannery who is a member of Annabel’s, the exclusive Mayfair nightclub, where the annual fee is over £2k a year and the food and drink is equally expensive, and where he has often been seen quaffing champagne. But the Tories? A despicable bunch who are only for the privileged.
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@10:50 Friends with benefits
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....
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Stop dissing the man.
He's ready for a step up and he's agreed to second me at the magistrates court in Devizes. He knows The Magna Carter and tells me he's even read the Japanese translation, the Manga Carter.
He's bringing his own birth certificate (these days I tend to rely on someone else's what with the vexatious litigant thing) - a clear mark of his quality.
We should win this thing at a canter.
Might even re-write the whole law of tellyvisuality.
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Puzzled 02 July 21 11:03
This is the same Louis Flannery who is a member of Annabel’s, the exclusive Mayfair nightclub, where the annual fee is over £2k a year and the food and drink is equally expensive, and where he has often been seen quaffing champagne. But the Tories? A despicable bunch who are only for the privileged.
Let me clear it up for you.
You can have and do nice things and want other people to have the same opportunities.
It's not complicated - except maybe for those of limited intelligence and imagination. I expect that's why they're TORY SCUM.
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Good lad. He spake the truth.
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@Roll on Friday: DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE PUBLISHING:
Steve Baker MP famously voted AGAINST the scrapping of the tampon tax:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tampon-tax-here-are-the-mps-who-voted-against-the-amendment-to-scrap-it-a6711606.html
Louis' insult has been taken out of context:
https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/18983664.wycombe-mp-steve-baker-forced-defend-accused-lying-opposing-tampon-tax/
Everyone knows the dangers about getting the facts wrong - it can be very damaging to the people concerned. It might be worth amending your "exclusive" article and you should apologize for painting a misleading picture.
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This bloke is almost as bad as that virtue-signalling drinking buddy of his who made it on here several months back.
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Wonder if “legend” status would be afforded to this tool if he were a woman
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Rof didn’t quote him out of context, Angry bold all-caps man. That is the tweet Baker wrote, and it is what Louis responded to (they even put the exchange in the picture).
See also Baker justifying his tweet:
https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1345343913964560384?s=21
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Haha at the furious person trying to justify a QC calling a man ‘an unspeakable piece of turd’ in this instance
AMEND YOIR STOREE ROLLONFRIAY ah DEMANDS IT
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I’m on #teamFlan
who’s with me?
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But he ain’t wrong….
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@whatever I always think this is the best argument against the claim that women have achieved equality. A woman who posted this (and by that I mean an actual biological female) would be crucified - the usual terms thrown - she is “hysterical”, “delusional”, “deranged”, “bitter” etc. I will know we have real equality when our natal woman prime minister has numerous children by numerous different fathers, some born outside marriage as a result of various affairs, some she doesn’t see or pay for and she can get away with the regular regurgitation of absolute bolleaux in lieu of any facts or specific details.
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Mm. I would not be averse to commencing a relationship with Mr Flannery.
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"Wonder if “legend” status would be afforded to this tool if he were a woman"
... or if he were saying the same kind of thing about Labour or Lib Dem members of Parliament.
The venn diagram of people who can act like this, and get applauded for it, is very small. White, rich, not-Northern, and 'progressive' are the minimum requirements for entry.
Just imagine how this incident would be covered if it was a Yorkshire bricklayer calling, say, Stella Creasey a piece of turd online.
The idea that there would be people here trying to defend that as a legitimate addition to the debate on the basis that Stella and/or her ideology was indeed a piece of turd is laughable. Saying it was all ok because she was "odious and self-absorbed" would be rightly shouted down. But the echo-chamber effect has an incredible number of Londoners so totally convinced of their own self-righteousness that they'll not only look the other way, but actively go in to bat for this kind of thing.
TLDR: If it was 'our people' on the receiving end we'd have no trouble recognising this kind behaviour as being completely crass and stupid.
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anon 8.58 AM.As if city lawyers give a short sharp shit about the rule of law. It is the £ and the $ (and the watch as it is rof)
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Let’s move on to things that matter. Insulting the Tories and the Tories (the Oxbridges having a go at the 2.2 Southamptons for not reaching their level of intelligence) feeling hurt by the insults is nothing that matters, really. We have more serious things to concentrate on in this country and this profession. Thanks to ROF for the distraction.
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Man be spittin' facts tho.
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I've been pondering this for 2 days now: I'm not sure that "turd" is divisible, as an insult.
So, while Louis has, perhaps, to be given credit for the force and inventiveness of his invective, I can't help but feel that that one phrase was badly conceived and, ultimately, is unlikely to be repeated or more widely adopted.
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Here you have a QC trolling. Simple. Many senior members of the firm followed him on Twitter. His comments have been on there for years and they are not the product of a moment of madness. No one did anything until someone complained. He took down some tweets and only deleted his profile when ROF went to press. I doubt the firm will self report to the SRA and I doubt any disciplinary action has or will take place. He is a ‘big hitter’ and brings in work and thus he will be protected. As if his views have changed in all of this. Unless you vote Labour, don’t dare bring up your politics in the office or else your career will stall you thick bigot! As the comments suggest, this likely the tip of the iceberg.
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ShootyOriginal - his timeline was filled with insults and one of his faves was to call someone a turd. His Twitter profile has gone so no chance for you to check.
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Jamie, that photo - pure artistry.
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Wait, he apologised for this? The man is a hero!
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In vino veritas.
My foot can or should he be disciplined. He’s telling the truth - albeit in an undiplomatic and undignified manner.
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love that there’s some property paralegal getting excited about his academics in the comments
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There's a degree of irony that someone is being criticised for posting commentary on social media by people posting commentary on social media.