Baker McKenzie has given a summer scheme placement in the US to a man who saved one of its partners from a vicious mugging.

Bakers litigation partner John Rowley was stepping off a train in Washington DC in May when he was shoulder-barged by one of a group of people on the platform. “The person clearly tried to knock me down”, Rowley said. “What happened from that point on is still very fuzzy to me”. Witnesses said that five or six youngsters pushed him over and began kicking him in the face, pushing him towards the train he had alighted as it began to pull away. When Rowley put out his hand to protect himself, it broke against the departing train.

The attack continued until Andrew Miller, a 23-year-old law student from George Washington University, leapt in to help. The distracted attackers abandoned Rowley and punched Miller twice before running off, leaving him concussed. As they waited for the police, Rowley noticed that Miller was carrying a french philosophy book called 'The Law'. “I asked him if he was a lawyer and he said he was a law student,” Rowley said. A week later, after corresponding via email, Rowley called Miller and offered him a place on the firm's summer scheme. “I've practiced law for quite a while now and, frankly, natural leaders are hard to find”, said Rowley. After reflecting on Miller's courage for jumping in, he decided "he was the kind of person that we wanted to have here at the firm this summer”.

    "Ok guys I'm ready, mug him...now" 

Miller, who started his scheme on June 12th, said that he was struck that Baker McKenzie would take a chance on him on the basis of his strange introduction to the firm. Meanwhile Rowley has submitted testimony to the Senate in an attempt to compel it to improve security on DC's subway. “Frankly", he said, "I’d like to find a way to have some good come out of this very disturbing incident”.

Bakers' London PR team did not confirm or deny that saving one of its City partners guaranteed an interview to non-employees, and an ice cream for current staff.
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Comments

Anonymous 23 June 17 10:56

Andrew Miller - you have a pint with your name on it whenever you come to London. I truly hope you become managing partner of a large firm. Those firms need - and are desperately short of - people with your courage and compassion. Cap doffed, plaudits offered.