16. I Will Survive
It was Thursday, 1 October 2009. I was back in the lion’s den. I stood in the lift and pressed the button for the reception floor. My hands were trembling. I didn’t know what to expect. For sure the P&W partners were livid with me after the negative press coverage. My name had not been mentioned anywhere - that was not allowed - but as soon as the judgment had been made public the legal press, as well as the Financial Times, had a field day. None of the lawyers who had been made redundant, during the banking crisis, had dared to sue their firm and see it all the way through. All other cases had been settled prior to judgment. This was new and, most importantly, it was a sensational slap in the face of one of the most powerful law firms in the world.
My knees were still trembling when I was shown into a meeting room - the same I had been hired and fired in - and I looked into the stone cold faces of Michael Stone, Krystle Cann and Henry Struther. I had met Henry the previous year at a European associates’ meeting where he had declared to me that P&W better make him a partner soon or they would lose a major client. That obviously worked because here he was, as Tracey’s successor and my new boss.
“Good morning, Mrs. Krakowski,” Michael said stiffly. “Take a seat.”
I managed a small smile. “Good morning.”
“We want to establish some rules,” Michael began.
I waited. My heart was pounding.
“We want to monitor you, so that we can see what you do and for you to know what you are allowed to do,” he continued. “One. Any work you accept from within the office needs to be cleared with Henry. All partners will be notified of that.” He paused as I took out a notebook and pen and started making notes.
“Two. Any delegation of work is to be cleared with Henry. Three. To the extent you do German law work you need to clear with Henry and a German partner who the supervising partner will be. Four. There will be a monthly review and analysis of your activities. We may decide at any time that a more frequent review meeting may be necessary. Five. Any marketing activity or participation in training has to be cleared in advance with Henry. Six. We will monitor your busyness. You will fill in and submit your time sheets daily. You will submit a weekly summary report about your activities to Henry. Seven. If you’re allowed to undertake a specific marketing activity, provide a short summary afterwards to Henry. Eight. There has to be a new agreement on objectives.”
“I do not have any agreement on objectives. I never had one, because my salary does not include a variable bonus element,” I interjected slowly.
“Prepare a first draft before the end of the week - before Thursday if possible. Nine. We will treat you in compliance with our legal obligations. We will perform our side of the contract. If you feel treated unfairly, tell Henry or myself. Any questions?”
“No. I only want to make one thing very clear. I never contacted the press.”
“Noted. You can go to your office now. Reception will give you a key card.”
I got up and left the room without any further word. Enough had been said. I collected my key card from the receptionist, travelled up two floors and walked past some secretaries who stared at me with round eyes.
“Chloé!” A friendly and familiar voice made me turn around. Jerome was quickly walking towards me, his smile in stark contrast to the cold faces I had been stoically looking at earlier. I gratefully accepted his hug.
“It’s so good to have you back! I saw you had a meeting with Henry, Dr. Stone and Krystle Cann. Are you OK?”
“Sure, Jerome. Good to see you, too. I assume nothing has changed around here?” I walked into my office and noticed a small bouquet of flowers in a vase on my desk. “Flowers?”
“These are from me actually. A little welcome present,” he replied with a bashful smile. “Yes, it’s all the same. Except of course that Tracey is back in London and Henry is in charge here now.”
“Thank you so much, Jerome. And? How is he to work for?”
He turned to see if anybody was listening. “Actually, so far so good. He is very organised, polite and keeps reasonable hours.”
I raised my eyebrows and nodded. “Right. Well - I better get started. As far as I’m concerned nothing is the same. I’m back now but I have a new boss and I intend to make the best out of it.”
“I’ll leave you to it then. Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”
“Thanks, Jerome. I really appreciate it.”
Once I had settled in and started my computer, I opened my inbox and waited, for the over 1,100 unread emails which were shown, to load fully.
My thoughts went back to the previous Friday - my last weekend of freedom - which I had spent with Isabella in Berlin. Noëlle and Marie had still been with Jean and his parents in France, for their half term autumn break. Jacob had stayed at home. Isabella had booked us an early dinner at the Grill Royal, our favourite restaurant in Berlin.
We’d just finished our main course, the waiter having cleared our plates. The table next to ours was being set for the next guests. As I poured Isabella some water I looked up and saw two men walking towards us, being led by the headwaiter. I recognised one of them.
“Shall we ask for the bill then, sweetie?” Isabella asked me.
“Uhm - not yet. I know this guy.” I widened my eyes and rolled them to indicate there was something behind her. By then the waiter and the two men had arrived at the table next to us.
“Here you go. Enjoy your dinner,” the waiter said to them and handed each of them a menu.
“Oh my god, it’s Chloé!” The man exclaimed when he saw me. I got up to shake his hand. He blew me two kisses left and right.
“Giles! What a surprise! I haven’t seen you for ages! Isabella, this is Giles Rocher. He is a partner at Olsens - so, a colleague, and his father is French in case you are wondering about the accent. Giles, this is my best friend Isabella Moyer. She is a jewellery designer.”
“How fabulous! Enchanté! Ladies, this is my husband Marcel. Marcel is a fashion designer,” Giles said with his slight French accent.
“So, how do you two know each other?” Marcel asked.
“Darling, you remember the film financings where I represented the Hollywood studios? Chloé was nearly always the bank’s lawyer,” Giles explained.
“Oh, how I miss those first class trips to L.A.!” I sighed.
“Well, yes - no more of that in this horrible economy!” Giles said. “So, how are you these days?”
“Oh - I’m fine. I’ve been at Pratt & Wonkey for a few years now. And I got remarried last year.”
“Congratulations! That calls for some champagne!” Giles signalled the waiter. “However, that’s not good news for me.”
“Why? You can hardly mean that you want to switch allegiance!” I winked and pointed at him and Marcel.
“Of course not! Chloé, you are the most glamorous lawyer I know, but no,” he laughed. “I was hoping you’d tell me you’re unhappy so I can finally lure you to come and work with us in Berlin.”
Isabella exchanged a quick glance with me. “I think that sounds really interesting. Who knows? Perhaps Chloé will think about it,” she said.
“I like this woman!” Giles exclaimed and clinked glasses with Isabella. “Yes, do think about it, Chloé. The offer stands. I will send you a signed contract with all details and whenever you are ready you just sign it and send it back to me.”
Eventually, we agreed to get the bill and leave Giles and Marcel to enjoy their dinner for two. As we stood outside, waiting for a taxi, I sighed. “Thanks for not saying anything, Isabella. I mean, Giles is a sweetie and such a rare gem in our world, but I wasn’t ready to tell him about my failed job and my failing marriage.” I held up my right hand with the beautiful Cartier engagement and wedding rings.
Isabella squeezed my arm. “I know! However, this was such a chance encounter - who knows what it’s good for? At least you know there is a plan B if everything fails.”
“Yes, you’re right. For now, though, I have to go home and face my husband on Sunday and then the lion’s den on Monday.”
A knock interrupted my thoughts. Jessica was standing in the doorway, holding two lever arch files. Over the last six months I had not had any contact with her or anybody else from P&W, even including Patricia Stone. “Hi Chloé,” Jessica said stiffly. “How are you?”
“Hi Jessica. I’m fine, thanks. And you?”
“Fine, thanks. Henry asked me to bring you these files. We have a big refinancing transaction for the Plastic Group with subsidiaries in fourteen jurisdictions providing security. It’s Tracey’s deal but Henry is running it day to day. Joanna, my trainee, needs help with coordinating CPs and security documents.” She placed the files on my desk.
“So I am assisting Joanna?” I asked calmly.
She seemed embarrassed. “Henry told me to ask you,” she repeated. “Look, Chloé, I am sorry. I am not supposed to talk to you about anything other than active work matters.”
“Sure. That’s fine. No problem. I will look at this straightaway.”
“Thanks. If you have any questions, you can ask Joanna - or me, of course. Oh, and we are supposed to record our time generously. Apparently we made a loss of about thirty per cent. on the initial financing but we don’t have a fee cap now so now Tracey wants to make up for it. Sorry, I can hear my ‘phone - I’ll see you later.” She left.
I frowned. Recording time generously? I knew what that meant. Whilst under pressure to meet, or even to exceed, their billable hours target some lawyers have developed the habit of recording their time on client matters for every minute they were in the office, whether they actually worked on such matters or not. However, a direction from the file partner to record more hours than the actual time spent was not something I had heard of since that scandal in the late nineties when a Wall Street firm was exposed for “padding” bills. That was very odd. Tracey knew that this was in effect fraudulent. Maybe it was a trap. I certainly would not fall for it.
Ping. I looked at my screen and my stomach churned. A new email had arrived. Sender: Tracey Taylor. I opened it.
From: Taylor, Tracey
To: Krakowski, Chloe
Cc: Struther, Henry
Re: Review of security document
Chloé,
Please review the attached security document and send me your comments on any deficiencies (and your suggested corrections) by 2 pm CET today. If you require any other documentation please let me know.
Kind regards
Tracey
I opened the attachment and scrolled through the document. The recital explained that a company was to provide security, on the same terms as certain chargors under an existing security agreement, by acceding to that security agreement, although there was no accession mechanism in the original security document. The definitions section and other provisions cross-referred to other documents. I clicked on reply all.
From: Krakowski, Chloe
To: Taylor, Tracey
Cc: Struther, Henry
Re: Re: Review of security document
Dear Tracey,
Thank you for your email.
Of course I am happy to review the attached document. I assume this takes priority over the work I have been asked to do for Henry on the Plastic Group transaction. I would be grateful if you could arrange for the following documentation to be sent to me: Senior Credit Agreement, Restructuring Deed, Security Deed, Intercreditor Agreement, Accession Documents. Alternatively, perhaps it would be easier to grant me access to the virtual file (is it the number on the front page?) so I do not have to bother you with further requests.
Kind regards
Chloé
From: Taylor, Tracey
To: Krakowski, Chloe
Cc: Struther, Henry
Re: Re: Re: Review of security document
Chloé,
I attach the Security Deed, which is the only other document I currently have access to. Given the timing, please note in your mark up which precise terms require review of other documents.
Kind regards
Tracey
Fine. That would have to do. Peter Weaver had warned me that P&W would probably try to provoke what they would regard as misbehaviour in order to collect reasons to fire me properly this time. He had briefed me that I should stick to doing the work I was asked to do, undertaking reasonable efforts - judged by the standard of someone of my level - and within reasonable business hours. They wouldn’t be able to fire me if I didn’t adhere to (unreasonable) deadlines or even if I made a mistake. Nonetheless, I was going to be careful stepping around this minefield. I was going to do my best and adhere to prescribed timeframes, even if the task was clearly designed for this purpose only or even completely fake and came from a partner who was not only no longer my immediate supervisor but not even in the Frankfurt office.
While I was working on the security document, Tracey sent me another email requesting a report on the satisfaction of conditions precedent for a real estate finance transaction that we had closed two years ago, giving me a deadline of close of business the next day. I automatically panicked at first, thinking maybe I did something wrong then; they have found something against me and now they are trapping me. I tried to remain calm, which was not easy. I inhaled and exhaled slowly. It was only half way through the day and I was already a nervous wreck. I briefly replied to Tracey that I was of course happy to start with this after 2 p.m. CET and continued on the first assignment.
I sent Tracey my mark-up two minutes before 2 p.m. The document had contained obvious mistakes and was badly drafted, even using different defined terms to describe the same thing.
I recorded the time I spent on it to the exact minute on the number I had found on the cover sheet of the document. Tracey had not said anything to the contrary.
I then started on the next assignment. My door was firmly closed. I didn’t want to speak to anybody, let alone Jacob who, in my absence, had conveniently moved to an office down the corridor and further away from mine. By 7 p.m. I had made good progress and decided there was no reason to stay late for any of this. Just then I received another email from Tracey.
From: Taylor, Tracey
To: Krakowski, Chloe
Cc: Struther, Henry
Re: Client bulletin
Chloé,
We require a client bulletin on common structuring issues in acquisition finance in Germany and an update on market developments, covering recent legislative changes and court decisions as well as any other topic you identify in this area. Please research those issues and draft a memo of not more than six pages. This is not chargeable so please manage this around your client chargeable commitments. If you think you need to obtain input from colleagues please let me know and I will ask the German banking partners whom you may contact. In the meantime please base the memo on your own research. The deadline is close of business this Thursday.
Kind regards
Tracey
I shook my head slightly. This wasn’t the sort of thing I should be asked to do, or indeed, the most appropriate person to be asked. The entire tone of the email was very artificial. What was going to be next?
I realised the battle had just begun.
* * *
Over the next few days I was kept busy by my newly dedicated supervisor, Jessica’s trainee solicitor Joanna. I’m not sure she enjoyed her task, which was to ask me to assist her. I didn’t really care, at least it was not fake work and it didn’t come from Tracey. My suspicions, in respect of fake assignments, was confirmed when I received an email from a London associate querying why I had recorded time on a matter number which I recognised to be the one I used for the review of the security document Tracey had sent me on my first day back in the office. I responded to her.
From: Krakowski, Chloe
To: Granger, Georgina
Re: Re: Project ABF
Dear Georgina,
Thank you for your email.
I recorded time on this matter because I was asked by Tracey Taylor on that day to review, comment and mark up a security deed. I assumed you or the matter partner knew about this and I was asked to assist because of lack of capacity. Was that not the case?
Kind regards
Chloé
From: Granger, Georgina
To: Taylor, Tracey
Cc: Krakowski, Chloe
Re: FW: Project ABF
Hi Tracey,
My name is Georgina Granger and I am in charge of sending out weekly invoices for Project ABF. We have 3.2 hours of Chloé’s time recorded on this matter. I think this must have been mistakenly charged to Project ABF. The file partner, Dave Miller, asked me to confirm this with you.
Many thanks
Georgina
From: Taylor, Tracey
To: Granger, Georgina
Cc: Krakowski, Chloe
Re: Re: FW: Project ABF
Thanks Georgina, I will speak to Dave.
Tracey
Gotcha, I thought. She hadn’t thought this through, even when I had asked about the matter number. My little victorious moment was short-lived. I should’ve known - we weren’t in court anymore, where justice and the law protected me. I was back in her territory where she had all the power. Tracey’s revenge came two hours later.
From: Taylor, Tracey
To: Krakowski, Chloe
Cc: Struther, Henry
Re: Major client standard documentation
Chloé,
Please can you prepare a standard form real estate finance credit agreement for use with UK or non-UK borrowers and/or guarantors, UK or non-UK real estate, with options for fixed or floating interest rate and including all recent developments under English law and recent changes to the LMA standard documentation and addressing the issues that have resulted from the banking crisis. The deadline for the first draft is opening of business on Monday. If you require any further information or you think that you require additional time to complete the task, please let me know today. Please use the client marketing file number and let me know how many hours you spent in total when you send me the draft.
Kind regards
Tracey
That would be a mammoth task! I knew I would have to collect, and review, material on all legal and Loan Market Association developments that had happened while I was away from the office - and the market - over the last six months. I should be able to do this research but there were over thirty emails containing know-how from that period alone. I replied to Tracey, saying that considering the volume of know-how to be reviewed and taking into account the chargeable work I had been given to do, I estimated that I would need five to seven business days to complete a meaningful first draft. She replied in turn, granting me three more days.
Meanwhile, I submitted the acquisition finance memo a few minutes before 6 p.m. The entire afternoon she kept sending me emails with further nagging, cross-examination like, questions on the CP report I had sent at the beginning of the week. It was quite obvious what she was doing. I sent her my polite and concise answers, careful not to step into any trap, always asking innocently which assignment was taking precedence and, of course, always copying in Henry. With each email from her I was getting more wary. I knew these were her tactics - if they couldn’t fire me they would wear me down until I would be ready to leave voluntarily.
By the end of the working day on Friday, I felt physically and mentally exhausted. I had been going into work every day like I was going into psychological warfare. Dealing with those emails from Tracey, working as the trainee’s assistant, encountering administrative hurdles, facing the cold atmosphere in the office - all of that showed me clearly that I was regarded as the enemy number one. In their eyes I should’ve accepted the dismissal and taken any settlement they had offered. They didn’t care what consequences that would have had for me and for my family. Now I still wanted to keep my job but I was not going to swallow it all. In compliance with ‘The Rules’ I prepared an email to Michael and Henry.
From: Krakowski, Chloe
To: Stone, Michael; Struther, Henry
Re: Weekly summary
Dear Michael and Henry,
Please see below for a summary of my activities this week so far.
1. Conditions precedent/Plastic Group transaction for HS -- 31.4 hours
2. Project ABF security agreement for TT -- 3.2 hours
3. 2009 transaction closing report for TT (non-chargeable) -- 4.3 hours
4. Acquisition Finance client bulletin for TT (non-chargeable) -- 7.7 hours
5. Standard form real estate finance agreement for TT (non-chargeable) -- 2.2 hours
6. Administration (Monday: going through 1100 plus emails) -- 2.1 hours
7. Preparing draft agreement on objectives -- 2.6 hours
Please find attached the draft agreement on objectives as requested.
For the avoidance of any doubt, I take the liberty to summarise the rules you informed me of in our meeting on Monday morning.
1. Any work I accept needs to be cleared with Henry. All partners will be notified.
2. Any delegation of work is to be cleared with Henry.
3. To the extent I do any German law work I need to clear, in advance, with Henry and a German Partner who the supervising partner will be.
4. There will be a monthly review and analysis of what I have done. If necessary, the review will happen more often.
5. Any marketing activity or participation in training has to be cleared with Henry beforehand and Henry will decide upon it.
6. You need to monitor my busyness. I am to fill out and submit my time sheets daily. I am to submit weekly summary report to Henry about my activities.
7. If I am allowed to undertake a marketing activity, I am to provide a short summary afterwards to Henry.
8. If I feel I am treated unfairly, I may report it to Henry or Michael.
Please kindly let me know who in Henry’s absence is to take his role in this respect. Unless you inform me otherwise, I shall report to Michael during that period.
In the meantime and as for rule number 8: I am still waiting for the allocation of the parking space and on the crediting of my 19 days’ holiday entitlement for this year. Furthermore, my profile has not been re-entered on the P&W homepage. I attach the relevant correspondence below for your convenience. Please would you kindly arrange for this situation to be remedied and for those conditions of my employment to be reinstated.
Many thanks and kind regards
Chloé
I pressed the send button just before I left the office. Once outside the building, I enjoyed the ten-minute walk to the car park where, at short notice, I had been able to rent a space once I discovered that P&W was not going to re-allocate me a parking space in the underground garage of the office building.
After I had given the girls a bath, I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of red wine. I heard the key in the door.
“Hi.” Jacob walked in slowly, blackberry in his hand, briefcase in the other. He placed the briefcase on the kitchen counter, threw his coat on a chair and took a glass out of the cupboard. I watched him silently.
“This is shit, Chloé. You should have taken what they offered you. This is really shit. Three partners were in my office today asking me why I have no control over my wife. They told me that all of this might affect my position soon as well.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked at me for the first time. “This is getting too much.”
“I’m sorry. That is awful. Believe me, what they are doing to me all day is worse. It’s psychological warfare. Not just work but things like cancelling my holiday entitlement and not giving me my parking space back.”
“They have the right to do that. You’ve been away for several months - they can deduct that from your holiday entitlement for this year. As for the parking, it’s not in your contract.”
“Whose side are you on? I know about the holiday but Peter Weaver thinks the parking has become part of the contract and that we should sue.”
“Are you crazy? Do you want to get me fired as well? It’s unbelievable. I’m start to think they are right about you. Anyway, I’ve got work to do.” He shook his head and left the kitchen. That night he slept in the guest room and the night after - and after that, he moved his personal belongings in there.
* * *
A few weeks later I woke up in the morning with my head on fire. I stumbled into the bathroom, took a thermometer and two aspirin out of the medical cabinet and continued to the kitchen, the thermometer stuck under my left armpit while I made coffee. When it beeped I checked it - 39.5 degrees. Not good. I swallowed the aspirin, went back to the bathroom and took a shower. There was no way I would call in sick. They wouldn’t believe me anyway. I got myself ready, woke up the girls and helped them get dressed. When we left for school, Jacob was still asleep in the guest room.
By the time I got to the office I knew this was not just a fever. I felt dizzy, I was sweating, coughing badly - actually the same symptoms Antonio had shown the previous weekend when Jacob had brought him over from Jasmin’s house. I called Jacob on his mobile.
“Have you heard any news about Antonio?”
“Ah, yes, actually. Jasmin called. The doctor suspects it may be swine flu.”
“What? I told you it was irresponsible bringing him into our house and in the vicinity of the girls! Now I’m really sick - he might have passed it on to me!”
“Well, that is the risk we took,” he replied coolly.
“We? You mean you! Without asking me! Thanks a lot!” I put the phone down with a bang, then rang Jerome’s number.
“Jerome, I have got to go to the doctor. I’m very sick and I may be contagious with swine flu - probably got it this weekend from Jacob’s son.”
“Oh dear! OK, I understand. I will divert your phone to mine - what shall I say if somebody asks?”
“I am sick but I am working from home.”
“Understood. Get well soon - I hope it’s not the swine flu!”
“Thanks.” I hung up, packed some files in a briefcase and left.
* * *
The doctor was worried and prescribed strict quarantine at home until he had the results back from the lab. So I settled on my sofa, laptop on the coffee table, blackberry beside it, files all over the floor, tissue boxes and tea mugs around them. I felt the energy draining out of me with every passing hour. It was hard to keep the girls at a distance - Marie even saying “I don’t care if I get sick, I want a good night kiss from Mummy!” Jana stayed late every evening to give the girls their bath and put them to bed.
“So? Where is your husband?” she asked on the third night.
“Good question. He hasn’t called, he comes in late, he leaves without a word. It’s as if he doesn’t exist.”
“Oh, Chloé, I didn’t want to say anything then, but I need to tell you now. I have heard him a few times screaming at the girls. Even on your wedding day.” She looked at me with sadness.
I nodded. “I’m not surprised about that now. He has said pretty nasty things to them in my presence since.” I felt the tears in my eyes again. I was so tired of fighting. “I will not allow it anymore.”
The next morning before Jacob left the house he came and stood in the doorway to the sitting room where I was lying on my sofa. “Antonio doesn’t have the swine flu after all.”
“Great.”
“How are you?”
“Since when do you care? Jacob, I can’t go on anymore. I feel drained. I feel I have nothing left. I have been so sick and you haven’t even called me. I feel you may have even been with someone else. I am so unhappy, so deeply, deeply unhappy.” I started crying.
He didn’t move.
I wiped my tears away. “I really think I’d be rather reasonably happy on my own, than so desperately unhappy like this.”
He waited.
“Jacob, I can’t go on anymore. I think - I think it’s better we separate.”
He shifted his position. “I think that’s a good decision,” he replied calmly, attempted a smile and turned to leave. Twenty seconds later I heard the front door close.
“Isabella, it’s over.” I had called Isabella as soon as I had stopped sobbing.
“Oh no, Chloé. I know things with Jacob have been going from bad to worse, since you had to go back to work. It’s all her fault, that stupid bitch!”
“Of course it’s not her fault. Yes, I’m going through absolute hell but this is between Jacob and me. I feel embarrassed because we only got married last year! I wanted it to work. I thought he loved me the way I was and I tried so hard to become the wife he wanted me to be. I have failed.”
“I am so sorry, darling. I really don’t understand how he can let you go just like that. He is crazy! You are his wife!”
“It’s become all too much for him. This is not what he bargained for. I just feel so sad and hopeless. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just don’t know anything anymore.”
“How are the girls taking the situation at home?”
“That’s the other thing. I don’t know. They actually seem fine. I’ll tell them he is staying with his brother - which I assume is true, but who knows. At least they won’t notice at Christmas, as they’ll be with Jean in Paris.”
“What - you are going to be alone this Christmas?”
“Yes, and I actually want to be. If the girls can’t be with me, I don’t want to see anybody. We’ll have a little celebration before they leave and then they will be back for New Year’s Eve. I promised them a girly party with their friends Paulina and Louisa.”
“That’s sweet. I do have some good news for you though if you are interested.”
“What is it?”
“I went back to the Grill Royal the other day and bumped into your friend Giles again. He reminded me of his offer. I told him I’d let you know.”
“Oh - thanks. It’s good to know. Work is hell and now I’m separated. So maybe it is time to start considering this.” I sniffed and suppressed a tear. I had cried enough. I needed to be stronger than ever now, in order to find the best way out of my misery.
* * *
The months went on. Christmas had come and gone. Jacob had moved out and tried his best to ignore me in the office. It turned out that he did have a new girlfriend, as I had suspected, but I locked my pain away and concentrated on having a positive attitude to work. Shortly into the New Year of 2010, Henry became so busy with several large transactions and he realised that I could be of actual use to him and actually take work off of him, instead of being downgraded to assisting the trainee. I diligently took on every assignment and put in late hours and weekends again, running up nearly 300 billable hours every month. Winter was over, spring came and I started to believe that maybe, just maybe, this could work out, in the long run. Tracey left me alone and the monthly review meetings were short. By June I felt I had proven myself to be trustworthy again. Henry and I worked well as a team and there were moments when he seemed to forget that I was supposedly the enemy. So I thought - until the next monthly review meeting came along.
I knew something was different because Krystle Cann attended the meeting in addition to Michael and Henry. I was on high alert when I sat down opposite them.
“So, Chloé. How have things developed since the last meeting you had with Henry?” Krystle Cann began probingly.
“Fine. We have been very busy. We had a successful closing last week.”
“Right. We will get to that. I want to focus on three topics. Let’s deal with your marketing activity and your progress in fulfilling your business plan. We need to see more activity. Henry expects to be approached regularly with requests for specific client marketing initiatives. I note from the target list you have sent us that no significant progress has been made.”
“Well, I’ve been caught up in billable work but I have contacted most of them, for the purpose of setting up meetings at next week’s aircraft finance conference, where they will all be.”
“Yes. I see that here, as well as in paragraphs 2 and 3 of the business plan or your agreement on objectives as you call it. However, meetings should be set up anyway. Waiting for the conference is not necessary to re-establish contact.”
“Okay.” The less said the better. The HR lady didn’t know my business.
“So we will make a note of this. Next topic. Taking responsibility within the team.”
“Yes?”
“Apparently you left in the middle of a closing,” Michael said sternly.
I stared at him incredulously. “What? When?”
“It was the Dutchbank closing,” Henry clarified. “You and Joanna were collecting CPs in the evening. I had to go to a meeting and when I came back you had your coat on.”
“Uh, not quite - you, Joanna and I went through the CP list together; all that was missing was for us to send out our legal opinion which Joanna was about to do; I asked you if that was fine because my nanny had to leave. You said yes, I left and was online again twenty minutes later when I logged on at home.”
“There was still work to be done and the matter was not yet closed,” Henry insisted.
I exhaled and shook my head slightly. This was all wrong.
“In your position of seniority you must see what work there is to be done and not leave a trainee in charge. You are expected to assume responsibility within the team, act proactively,” Michael said.
“You are expected to perform at the level you are employed. Your own perception of what you should be doing is in no way adequate. The guidelines we provided you with nine months ago do not prevent you from taking responsibility and working proactively within the team,” Krystle Cann added.
I silently looked at all of them in turn.
“This leads to the third point,” Michael continued. “You recently seem to be keeping quite standard office hours - nine to six. Why is that?”
“I am usually in at eight thirty after I have dropped my children at school. I have childcare until seven so I try to be home by then. Once my children are in bed I log on at home, if necessary - as in the Dutchbank closing or other recent deals.”
“Standard office hours are in no way acceptable for a senior lawyer. This seems to be indicative of a general attitude issue,” he replied coldly.
“Logging on, if necessary, is not sufficient,” Krystle Cann agreed. “Your accessibility is necessary whether or not you anticipate receiving anything. We have a note of one recent evening when you did not respond to a query from the office.”
“I only saw that email after eleven o’clock as I was looking after my youngest daughter who was sick. I responded first thing in the morning.”
“Blackberrys are issued to lawyers so they are accessible at all times as necessary, especially after hours,” Krystle Cann reiterated. “We will make a note of that, too. I suggest we meet more frequently now. The next meeting should be in two weeks’ time and then we will review the matters discussed again.”
I had nothing to add.
I left the meeting room, firmly closing the door behind me. I was so livid, I thought my head would explode. I decided to walk straight to Gunther White’s office. He was the only one I could speak to openly. He was one of the most decent people at P&W and I knew that he had always liked and respected me. He looked up from his papers, when I knocked on the open door while entering his office.
“Chloé. What can I do for you?” He smiled kindly.
I took a deep breath. “Have you got a minute? I would like to speak with you.”
“Yes, of course.” He put his pen to the side and took off his glasses. I closed the door and walked towards his desk.
“Gunther, I have had enough. I have been mobbed and mentally tortured for the last nine months and yet I have worked my arse off. I have just had it. This review meeting was the final straw. If you want me to leave then make me a decent offer. Tell your partners that I know of at least one case where Tracey Taylor instructed the team to record more time against a deal than they actually spent on it! I recorded my time properly but when I saw the invoice to the client the number of my billed hours was much higher. I am quite sure the entire invoice was padded. You know this is fraud. If this has happened once, in this firm, then it has happened before.”
Gunther looked worried and alarmed. “OK, OK. I will speak to management. There is a big meeting going on anyway, here on the conference floor. Yes, they never intended to give you a chance, Chloé. Look, I’m sorry about how you have been treated. Please just don’t do anything rash.”
I stared at him. So it really was true. I guess I’d been naïve to believe anything else. I swallowed before my tears of relief could show. “Thank you, Gunther. Thank you for your honesty.”
He lowered his head and sighed. “You’ve been so brave. I really am sorry.”
I left his office and went back to mine. My whole body was shaking. I closed the door and sat in my chair, staring at the view outside.
Then I picked up my private mobile telephone, scrolled through my contacts and pressed the dial button, once I’d found the number I was looking for.
“Chloé! What a lovely surprise - I’ve nearly given up hope!” Giles sounded truly pleased.
“Giles, I’m ready. I’ll send you the countersigned contract.”
“Superbe! You won’t regret it.”
“I’ve got to go. I just wanted to let you know.”
I put the mobile back into my bag and tried to concentrate on the twenty plus unread emails that had arrived since I had left my office for the review meeting.
Ten minutes later Gunther knocked on the glass door. I waved him in.
“I have been sent to let you know, formally, that the partners have agreed to offer you a settlement worth three annual salaries including a ten per cent. bonus. The managing partner is on the phone to your lawyer now. Until the formal agreement is signed, you can take paid leave as of now.”
I nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. On a quick calculation that was nearly one million Euros! I tried to maintain a poker face.
“Oh, and something else.” He seemed to suppress a smirk. “I shouldn’t tell you this but I think you deserve to know - there will be an internal investigation into Tracey’s invoicing files. She has been suspended with immediate effect.”
“I see. Thank you, Gunther.”
He nodded with a smile. “It’s the least I could do.” He softly closed the door behind him.
When he left I bit on my lips, suppressing a grin. It was nearly too good to be true. I would finally get justice, to the tune of almost a million Euros! With a new job already lined up!
I looked around my office. Would I miss it? I had spent four years of my life in this firm and, somehow, had felt I belonged here. I took the silver photo frame, containing a picture of Noëlle and Marie - the only personal item I had brought, when I had returned nine months before - and placed it carefully in my bag. I checked my emails. There was none that was only addressed to me. That was the advantage of working in a team. If one team member drops out, the others can continue. I turned on an out of office reply and typed.
Dear sender,
I am currently out of the office. Please contact Jerome Panzer on extension 5703 or Jerome.panzer@prattwonkey.com for further assistance.
Best regards, Chloé Krakowski
Suddenly the door was pulled open with force. I swivelled around and stared at her in shock.
“Hello, Chloé.” Tracey stood in my office. Her hair was frizzier than ever, she was pale and had her hands clenched in fists.
“Tracey! What are you doing here?”
“That’s hardly relevant. How dare you blackmail the firm! How dare you elevate yourself above the partners when you should just shut up and do as you are told! I will see to it that you will never practise law again!” she hissed loudly. Her neck showed dark red blotches.
Suddenly I felt very calm. “It’s hardly blackmail if I tell your partners what you are up to. As for not practising law again, I wouldn’t worry about me.”
“Ha! We will see about that!” she snorted and turned to leave. Then she stopped in her tracks. “I know you despise me, Chloé. You think you are so superior with your morals and your principles but you have absolutely no idea who I am and what I have had to sacrifice to get to this position. You would have never made it here as a partner. You never fitted in.” She smiled haughtily. “I must admit - I have nearly envied you at times for being different, for wearing what you want and for insisting on spending time with your children. You cannot have it all. There is a high price to be paid for the privilege of making it in this firm and you were never willing to pay it.”
I smiled. “One million Euros plus your suspension feels like the right price to me.”
Her jaw dropped. She drew her breath as if to start another tirade. The she pressed her lips together, shot a deadly glare at me, turned on her heel and stormed away.
Turning back to the screen, I saved the out of office message, closed all windows and logged off. I switched off my blinking blackberry and placed it on the desk.
I took my bag and walked to the door. I slowly took in the room, the filing cabinets, the desk and the chair. Then I turned out the lights and left without looking back.