Law firm admits leaking JK Rowling's secret

Niche entertainment firm Russells Solicitors has admitted it was responsible for exposing JK Rowling as the author of The Cuckoo's Calling.

The Harry Potter author wrote the crime novel under the nom de plume Robert Galbraith. Until last week no-one was aware that the book, which received favourable reviews, was her work. Rowling says she wanted to keep it that way. But her lawyers have ruined it. Russells partner Chris Gossage told his wife, who told a friend, who tweeted it to the Sunday Times. Whoops.

Expecto ballsup

Rowling is fuming. She says she thought she "could expect total confidentiality" from Russells. "I am very angry that my trust turned out to be misplaced," she said. "To say I am disappointed is an understatement". Russells, after failing to locate a Time-Turner, apologised "unreservedly". But rather ungallantly it then tried to deflect blame on to a muggle, Mrs Gossage, saying "Whilst accepting [Chris Gossage's] own culpability, the disclosure was made in confidence to someone he trusted implicitly".

Rowling has at least benefitted from a 6000% increase in sales of her new book (not that she needs the extra cash). Gossage can look forward to the loss of one mega-wealthy client, a lot of bad PR, and possibly even the stern attention of the ~~Dementors~~ ~~Ministry of Magic~~ SRA.

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Shamefully incompetent. Even Bond Dickinson are capable of keeping a secret.

Not so long ago the partner responsible would have felt obliged to resign. No chance now.

Wouldn't surprise me if this was planned! Although the book was a success before it was revealed that JK Rowling wrote it; since this disclosure, sales have clearly rocketed...

They should be demanding a success fee. Whether she needs it or not a 6000% increase in sales isn't too shabby

So unethical! How dumb do you have to be to breach confidentiality of that nature!

@ anonymous user 19/07/2013 09:20 - Niche firm of solicitors which, by the nature of its client base, is probably privy to a large amount of embarrassing information on its clients (not that this case concerns such information) agrees to a PR stunt which makes them look unable to keep a secret?

I suspect not. Particularly given that the result was limited to an uplift in sales on behalf of a client that isn't shy for a bit of cash and wanted only to keep her secret, well, secret.

It makes the firm look even more incompetent by the fact they are trying to justify disclosing the information to someone the partner trusted, and then trying to pass the blame onto that third party!!

Anyone else got any good gossip?

Another legal angle is that the lady who tweeted the secret is married to a London partner of US firm K&L Gates (..should have known better, perhaps?...), as picked up by the Standard, though they were a little over-eager and thought that K&L Gates might have been the law firm involved. Of course, as we all know now, it was that exemplar of client confidentiality: Russells

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/unmasked-by-a-suburban-mum--but-why-the-jk-rowling-plot-thickens-8714109.html

Given the SRA demands all firms have policies such as confidentiality and data protection, can ROF please ask Russells what actual action they will be taking against the partner?

As for waiting for the SRA .... good luck...

Brilliantly written article - I'm laughing at my desk!

What a great defence by Russell's - basically, "We can keep a secret....its just the people we tell who can't!"

As for telling his wife, he ought to have known that a secret that juicy would be passed on to someone his wife "trusted implicitly" and so on down the line until... What an idiot.

why what has it done? My desk is quite dull, just sits there not doing much, I would like a hilarious desk

Heh @ the suggestion by the firm that "telling someone in confidence" is the same as keeping your bloody trap shut.

I think you may need to correct the story. The press today say he told his wife's friend (not that his wife told her friend). We must not defame the wife if it was her husband to blame.

These things are very important. Plenty of us to no chat to friends about work matters or even name a client. Are they even allowed to tell a relative they act for JKR? Even that alone could be wrong unless it's been announced.

Demonstrates that not everything can be cured by money. JK Rowling obviously wanted more to be Robert Galbraith than to make a bucket load more money.