Clayton Utz Clutzes Walk into Revolving Door at New “Suicide Proof” Sydney Eco-Office

Clutz was big on the eco-branding when it invited legal media and key clients to a soiree celebrating the christening of its new Sydney offices at 1 Bligh Street.  As you may recall from a Rear Window column in late June, they pulled out all the stops:

“Can I tempt you with an organic cocktail?” was how Rear Window was greeted at the christening of swanky sustainable premises of law firm Clayton Utz this week. A hazelnut mai tai, no less. In the background an orchestra played as a tray of tofu rice paper rolls drifted by. All the while digesting the delight that is Clutz’s art gallery-esque entertaining deck.

But the building is making news again this week, as it seems some clumsy Clutz partners are injuring themselves by walking into the building’s revolving front door.  Our tipster says:

we hear more than a few Clutz senior partners and solicitors – and even clients – have had a run-in with the massive revolving door at the entrance of the office. … at least two partners have sustained injuries when the state-of-the-art door stopped dead, and complains are now flying between the venerable firm (and prime tenant) and the owners, Dexus…Not a happy start to a long and no doubt expensive relationship as the environmentally sustainable wonder is turning into a health hazard…It brings a whole new meaning to the old phrase “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”.

Not to mention the obvious snipes about the revolving door that is Clutz’s staff turnover these days…  They lost another IP partner last week to Minter Ellison.  “Venerable” is probably not the best word.  Meanwhile, one Clutz partner was boasting of the building’s more “asinine features”:

The deck was open to the outside world, something their former landlord would not allow. The new verandah has a double layer of glass with a small chasm of air in between: “So if you want to jump, you really have to want to jump,” remarked one Clutz partner.”

One tipster pointed us to this remark, asking: “Who makes a joke like that? And to a journalist?”  Fair game or tasteless?

Clayton Utz Clutzes Walk into Revolving Door at New "Suicide Proof" Sydney Eco-Office, 5.0 out of 5 based on 7 ratings