There were extraordinary scenes outside Freshfields' London office on Monday when one of the firm's partners was cracked over the back of the head as he popped out for a sandwich - and subsequently arrested.
A spokeswoman for Freshfields confirmed that Andrew Hart was on his way to the excellent Fuzzy's Grub on Bouverie Street when a white van reversed into him. Apparently he was met with a barrage of abuse from the driver as he leapt to safety.
Hart went into Fuzzies, bought his sandwich, and as he stepped out felt a blow to the head. He staggered in front of the van, yelled out the registration number to the staff in the shop and asked them to call the police. Freshfields says that the driver then sped off, and Hart - who was bruised but thankfully not seriously hurt - went back to his desk. Clearly it takes more than a spot of ABH to keep a Freshfields litigator away from his time sheets.
Freshfields says that Hart didn't even touch the driver or his van, so presumably he was mystified when a squad of City Police's finest turned up at his office and arrested him for criminal damage. He was interviewed but not charged. Ian Terry, Freshfields' head of dispute resolution, said "Andrew was the subject of a serious and unprovoked assault outside our office. Despite being injured he blocked the assailant's van to get the registration number and arranged for the police to be called. The firm is providing every support to Andrew."