In a perplexing tale from the legal litter box, a lawyer from Travers Smith, a London law firm, found himself in a hairy situation over — you guessed it — kittens. This story claws its way through a dispute that, dare we say, sheds more than just fur.
The Lawyer and His Kitties
A Travers Smith associate, whose name is being kept under wraps, bought two kittens from an employee at Inflexion, a key private equity client of the Travers Smith firm.
The Legal Implications
Eager to be the new owner of cute kittens, our protagonist claimed dibs on two of the kittens from the litter. However, he soon discovered that the kittens had fleas. Upon realizing that he got more than he bargained for the attorney promptly asked for a refund.
The seller, however, stood firm, refusing to accept the return of the kittens. Undeterred, the English lawyer escalated the matter, drafting an eight-page memorandum of his legal and statutory rights, demanding a full refund or he would have no other recourse but to initiate court proceedings.
When HR Gets Involved
What happened next only proved to heighten tensions. The Inflexion employee reported the attorney to HR at his firm, who in turn called Inflexion's legal department, who called the head of Travers.
Shortly thereafter, the firm required the attorney to apologize to the seller and suggested he donate the kittens to a charity if he didn't want them any longer. The associate refused and demanded Travers Smith pay him for the kittens.
The Consequences of Your Actions
Upon his non-compliance and demand of payment from Travers, the firm fired the attorney. To add an interesting touch to the end of this feline saga, the attorney may be without a job, but he still has the lovely flea-ridden kittens. They may be the most expensive kittens in all of London.
Choose Your Battles Wisely
As this little story shows, you can understand the nuanced intricacies of contract law while still missing the forest for the trees. Consider this cautionary tale as a reminder that choosing one's battles wisely is paramount for everyone, including those in the legal profession. Just because you can fight a legal battle doesn't mean you should.
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