This is the best firm in the City in my view. He points out that the firm has never lost a partner to another rival so it must be getting something right. It also has the highest number of listed clients, of any law firm so therefore its philosophy must please the punters as well. Cooke believes that Slaughters has the only true partnership left in the big City firms, and the firm's international policy of ignoring the trend towards an office and merger partner in every port is partly to preserve that. Diageo aren't going to listen to me, saying 'If you would like to use our office in wherever'.
Clients are sophisticated and they know who they want to use.
As a business adviser Cooke is slightly perplexed at the rush to merge among the firm's rivals. Synergies usually mean reducing head counts.