Partnership Agony Uncles Mark Briegal and Paul Bennett are lawyers specialising in professional partnerships and have helped many lawyers with their partnership problems.

Here they continue their irregular series of answering partners’ problems.

Dear Mark & Paul

Every few years the firm runs its sports day at a different office.  It is a very prestigious event and most offices are very keen to host it.  The last one was in southern Africa; next year we're at one of our Eastern European offices and then, after that, we're off to the Middle East.

There have been rumours flying around that the Sports and Social Committee have not been honest when deciding which office is going to host it and that it will be far too hot for the egg and spoon race in the middle east, with a risk of the eggs cooking.

The internal audit department is investigating the Sports and Social Committee’s budget and the current chairman has been refusing to take any responsibility.

What can I do?

Greg

Dear Greg

Paul:  Firstly I think you need to ensure that fresh nominations are put forward for the Sports and Social Committee and co-operate with the internal audit team looking at the expenses.

Mark:  It’s tricky as I understand some of the smaller offices have been offered new table tennis tables for their staff rooms and therefore feel beholden to the Sports and Social Committee and support their decisions even when they don’t seem right.  Law firms, like any other organisations need to consider the Bribery Act 2010: “Do the table tennis tables seek to influence the individual or organisation?”

Paul:  The Management Committee had similar problems in the past when it organised the annual partners’ conference in Salt Lake City.  They managed to put new governance in place, so let’s hope the Sports and Social Committee gets a strong new chairman.  It is tarnishing the sports day’s reputation and there is a risk the executive committee will withdraw its sponsorship of it.

Mark: Clear ethical values help organisations avoid this kind of thing.  Paul and I draft and advise firm on these but ultimately it comes down to training and monitoring.  Much work lies ahead of you Greg if you are committed to getting this right.