Personal TechJune 17, 2005 How a few ketchup splashes, a £4 bill and an e-mail have become the talk of the City By Jon Ashworth and Martin WallerA CITY lawyer who made an office secretary pay £4 towards a dry-cleaning bill after she accidentally spilt ketchup on his trousers was paying dearly for his actions last night.Richard Phillips, a senior associate with Baker & McKenzie, the world’s fifth- biggest law firm, sent an e-mail to Jenny Amner, a secretary at the firm’s London office.Mr Phillips earns a reputed £80,000 a year, while Ms Amner earns about £25,000. The average profit share of a partner, one step up from senior associate, is £364,000.“Dear Jenny,” he wrote. “I went to the dry-cleaners at lunch and they said it would cost £4 to remove the ketchup stains.” He wrote that it would be “much appreciated” if he could have the money back.Ms Amner replied: “I must apologise for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother’s sudden illness, death and funeral I have had more pressing issues than your £4.” She went on: “I apologise for accidentally getting a few splashes of ketchup on your trousers. Obviously your financial need as a senior associate is greater than mine as a mere secretary.”Ms Amner’s colleagues offered to hold a collection to raise the £4 but she paid the sum herself — while copying her colleagues in on the e-mail exchange. It has since been widely circulated on the internet. A tabloid newspaper was offering to pay £2,000 last night for a photograph of Mr Phillips. Among many unanswered questions is how the ketchup came to arrive on Mr Phillips’s trousers.Baker & McKenzie failed to see the funny side last night.A spokesman said: “I can confirm we are aware of the incident. This is a private matter between two members of staff that clearly got out of hand. We are investigating so as to resolve (it) as amicably as possible. As I am sure you understand, we respect the privacy of our staff.”Others were less guarded. One staff member confided: “She (Ms Amner) copied it to the whole floor and everyone was in stitches. She had come into work this morning to find a Post-it chasing her for the £4 after having the funeral the day before. He’s so tight.”Mr Phillips’s areas of expertise include IT and media. He now finds himself even more intimately associated with both. As the e-mail exchange circulated last night, comments such as “great advert for lawyers”, “great PR” and “remember to be nice to your secretaries” were added. Another adds: “This chap should emigrate.”Mrs Amner’s husband and neighbours were not surprised to hear of the e-mail exchange. One neighbour said: “That’s just like Jenny.” When shown the e-mail Mrs Amner’s husband Colin laughed and told The Times: “That’s really good. Eleven marks out of 10 to her!” Mrs Amner, a slim bespectacled blonde in her 50s, looked embarrassed and declined to comment, directing all enquiries to Baker & McKenzie.
Personal TechJune 17, 2005 How a few ketchup splashes, a £4 bill and an e-mail have become the talk of the City By Jon Ashworth and Martin WallerA CITY lawyer who made an office secretary pay £4 towards a dry-cleaning bill after she accidentally spilt ketchup on his trousers was paying dearly for his actions last night.Richard Phillips, a senior associate with Baker & McKenzie, the world’s fifth- biggest law firm, sent an e-mail to Jenny Amner, a secretary at the firm’s London office.Mr Phillips earns a reputed £80,000 a year, while Ms Amner earns about £25,000. The average profit share of a partner, one step up from senior associate, is £364,000.“Dear Jenny,” he wrote. “I went to the dry-cleaners at lunch and they said it would cost £4 to remove the ketchup stains.” He wrote that it would be “much appreciated” if he could have the money back.Ms Amner replied: “I must apologise for not getting back to you straight away but due to my mother’s sudden illness, death and funeral I have had more pressing issues than your £4.” She went on: “I apologise for accidentally getting a few splashes of ketchup on your trousers. Obviously your financial need as a senior associate is greater than mine as a mere secretary.”Ms Amner’s colleagues offered to hold a collection to raise the £4 but she paid the sum herself — while copying her colleagues in on the e-mail exchange. It has since been widely circulated on the internet. A tabloid newspaper was offering to pay £2,000 last night for a photograph of Mr Phillips. Among many unanswered questions is how the ketchup came to arrive on Mr Phillips’s trousers.Baker & McKenzie failed to see the funny side last night.A spokesman said: “I can confirm we are aware of the incident. This is a private matter between two members of staff that clearly got out of hand. We are investigating so as to resolve (it) as amicably as possible. As I am sure you understand, we respect the privacy of our staff.”Others were less guarded. One staff member confided: “She (Ms Amner) copied it to the whole floor and everyone was in stitches. She had come into work this morning to find a Post-it chasing her for the £4 after having the funeral the day before. He’s so tight.”Mr Phillips’s areas of expertise include IT and media. He now finds himself even more intimately associated with both. As the e-mail exchange circulated last night, comments such as “great advert for lawyers”, “great PR” and “remember to be nice to your secretaries” were added. Another adds: “This chap should emigrate.”Mrs Amner’s husband and neighbours were not surprised to hear of the e-mail exchange. One neighbour said: “That’s just like Jenny.” When shown the e-mail Mrs Amner’s husband Colin laughed and told The Times: “That’s really good. Eleven marks out of 10 to her!” Mrs Amner, a slim bespectacled blonde in her 50s, looked embarrassed and declined to comment, directing all enquiries to Baker & McKenzie.