Ketchup email leaves lawyer red-faced

A top London lawyer has been left red-faced after an email asking for money from a secretary was forwarded around the world.

Richard Phillips, a senior associate with Baker & McKenzie, the world's fifth-biggest law firm, emailed secretary Jenny Amner asking for £4 to cover the cost of cleaning a ketchup spill she had made on his trousers.

After returning to work the day after her mother's funeral to find a note on her desk reminding her about the money, she replied to his email and forwarded it to colleagues.

"With reference to the email below, I must apologise for not getting back to you straightaway but, due to my mother's sudden illness, death and funeral, I have had more pressing issues than your £4," she wrote.

"I apologise again 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."

Despite friends offering to have a whip-round, Ms Amner paid the money back herself. Meanwhile, the email began circulating within the legal profession before spreading to inboxes worldwide.

"This would be a tricky one for any email monitoring software to stop," said Ian Black, managing director of email monitoring company Aungate.

"The large number of responses she would have got might have provided some warning but it's difficult to screen for sarcasm, particularly in this country. "