The Fiat Chrysler scandal has thrown up its fair share of celebrity names, with soccer star Harry Kewell scoring a free car, along with Shane Warne and Liz Hurley.
The spotlight will soon shine on former boss Clyde Campbell, when he takes the stand in the Federal Court to answer allegations he misused and misappropriated tens of millions of dollars from his old employer, but it's a member of Melbourne's legal fraternity who will likely hog the limelight.
Fiat Chrysler Australia and its law firm, Arnold Bloch Leibler, has amassed one of the most expensive teams of barristers in the city's history.
The name that jumps out is Robert Richter, QC, the man who defended Mick Gatto over the charge of murdering underworld hitman Andrew "Benji" Veniamin. Big Mick was so enamoured of his legal defender, he famously headed to a North Melbourne tattoo parlour after the court win and had the name "Robert Richter" emblazoned on his chest for posterity.
Richter, or the "Red Baron" as he is sometimes called, has built a formidable reputation as a criminal lawyer, and has been engaged to cross-examine Campbell when he is in the witness stand. With a court system struggling under a lack of funding, it should be noted they could actually sell tickets to that one.
Others on the Fiat Chrysler legal team include Philip Crutchfield, SC, a man who has run commercial litigation for the likes of BHP Billiton and Woolworths.
To add a "but wait, there's more" vibe to the heavyweight team, the company has also engaged barrister Catherine Button, who defended Essendon in its case against ASADA, and rising legal star and Harvard scholar Christopher Tran.
Word on the street is you don't get much change out of $50,000 a day from that quartet.
Not that Campbell's legal team is being headed by a "Dennis Denuto" (to borrow a line from The Castle). The former FCA boss has engaged as his solicitor the highly regarded Sam Bond, better known around town as Solly Lew's lawyer.
COME FLY WITH ME
As an advertising campaign, don't expect Alfa Romeo's plane sponsorship to grab an Effie gong at this year's industry awards.
Clyde Campbell this week defended the payment of $145,000 to his mate, photographer Andrew Vukosav, to paint his plane in Alfa Romeo livery.
According to court documents that plane "advertised and continues to advertise the Alfa Romeo brand by flying the aircraft over Melbourne, Port Phillip Bay and other parts of Australia".
If you, or anyone on the planet, has bought a new car after spotting the logo on a small plane flying overhead at 5000 feet, please feel free to contact us at The Sunday Age.
Still, at least Vukosav has been flying high of late. He scored the gig to photograph magazine shots for the Capitol Grand, the luxurious apartment building being spruiked by Larry Kestelman, and featuring Charlize Theron as its ambassador.
THE HECKLER
You have to feel for some well-heeled residents, who live in a normally sleepy street in postcode 3181, who have an annoying neighbour dumping garbage in their bins under the cover of darkness.
While the odd extra bottle in the recycling would be tolerated, one resident – a former councillor – was shocked to find certain "artefacts" in his garbage. First were some restraints – the kind law enforcement likes to use, although covered in pink and fluffy material. Second was a battery operated device fit for a rather intimate purpose. In the words of James Reyne, in the Australian Crawl song, The Boys Light Up, it might be described as "mother's little helper".
Fingers are being pointed at a neighbour who is well-regarded in political circles, who is moving house.
