Unmasked: Author who exposed lawyers' antics

The author of a book that claims to lift the lid on the sexual misbehaviour and binge-drinking of City lawyers has been unmasked and his former employers thrust into the limelight.

Fish Thinking Sunday, a novel that depicts partners as sex-obsessed and trainee lawyers as photocopying fodder, was written by a 26-year-old solicitor working for one of the country's biggest law firms. The author, writing under the pseudonym Alex Gilmore, told The Independent that his work was based on events he witnessed or heard of while he was employed at a leading London law firm.

Now it emerges that his name is Paul Wragg and the law firm in question is the top-50 legal practice Hammonds, whose highest-paid partners earn salaries approaching £800,000 a year.

Publication of the novel prompted a hunt to find the firm at its centre and unmask the author. There were comparisons with Belle De Jour, the best-selling diary of a call-girl whose identity has not been revealed.

Mr Wragg, who now works for another law firm in Birmingham, was not returning calls yesterday. His publishers, Arima, said he was considering his options after being surprised by the interest in his book.

His former employers at Hammonds confirmed that Mr Wragg had worked for them but added "we do not comment on speculation".