A Storm Is Brewing

Jade

Client confidentiality is a relationship of trust between the client and the representative. It was kind of like wedding vows; you made the promise before you knew what was to come in the hope that it paved the way for complete honesty.

The sun split the trees as I made my happy commute to work, my mind mulling over the ideas that I had for the new marketing campaign. Business was booming, but after our recent award, we attracted more corporate clients and less of the general public. It was expected; people thought that our prices would be too high for them before they even asked, likely because we were used by so many multimillionaires. Putting prices up was never something that crossed my mind. If someone needs justice, who am I to charge them double to obtain it?

The beginning of the morning had been slow, so by 11 a.m. I was glad to see a name I recognised in the diary, Jade Hull. Jade was someone that I had met a few times through Leah, an England star with a slightly different story than the rest. She had aspired to become a footballer from a young age, but after her sister's stretch in prison, she decided to give up on her dream to support her family. She was so inspired by the Euros win that she began to play again, working her way up through the ranks quickly due to her undeniable gift. Of course, to the press, Jade had simply decided to give up on her dream, reigniting it after the victory; no one had to know the real reason. It wasn't uncommon for me to see sports stars; often they would decide to make a will to ensure that their money would be managed in the event of their death.

Jade was a year older than me, and her large brown eyes were the first thing that anyone commented on when they met her. She really did light up any room that she went into, and her hearty giggle echoed around the restaurants and bars that we had met in. She and I had quite a lot in common; we both studied the same subjects for A Level, and we both had a keen interest in Irish folk music, always discussing new artists that we had found. So when Jade walked into the office that day, I saw it as nothing more than an acquaintance needing some help. Jade didn't waste much time with smalltalk, opting to blurt out exactly what was going on before I had a chance to even ask how she was.

"The press has been contacting my friends, family, and anyone they can get their hands on to find out about my sister's time in prison." She told me.
"Would it be such a bad thing to stop hiding from the truth?" I asked.
"I can't. She can't. My mum certainly can't. We have worked so hard to build our family back together; please, you have to help me."

In terms of legal rights, Jade had very few. Newspapers were in a league of their own when it came to the law. The revenue they would get for sales and clicks would outweigh any amount that Jade could claim. Her sister's time in prison was protected due to her age at the time of the offence, but it wasn't something that we could necessarily hide if someone did give out the information. I, however, had spent a lot of time getting to know people who worked for the London press. Building a relationship with the media was our first lesson at law school. They will be your biggest enemy or biggest hero, they would tell us.

"Look, leave it with me, Jade. I will try to sort something out. For now, smile and breathe. Ensure you don't upset anyone who knows anything about your sister." I told her.
"One article is all it will take for me to lose my place on the team, Sophie." She cried.
"Let's ensure no one outside this room ever finds out that they're onto it, okay?"
"What about Leah?"
"Leah and I don't discuss my cases because of client confidentiality."

Jade was eternally grateful for my support, but even more grateful for my promise to be on the other end of my work phone at all times. I had often done this with clients, especially those of media interest. One night at dinner, one drunken word spoken to the wrong person in a club, or one thoughtless interview could scupper their case; it was important they could always reach me for advice. That was the worst-case scenario, of course; rarely did they ever actually need my help out of hours. As Jade left, I got to work organising meetings with local press outlets, being careful not to speak to them in too much detail about Jade's worries for fear they didn't actually know anything and were just hungry for a story on a woman who seemed to become a success overnight.