Loose lips…

A young trainee shipbroker, no more than a few months in the job, attended a function at a major industry conference. He was introduced to a young associate attorney from a prominent local law firm. He asked her “what are you working on?”, to which the reply was that she had been working on the arrest of a ship belonging to an owner who she named. The broker responded that he was aware of the ship and the owner, as they were working on something for them as well.

They exchanged business cards and went on their separate ways to speak to other guests at the reception.

The broker had forgotten about the conversation with the attorney until days later a subpoena demanding documents relating to the owner’s trades arrived at the broker’s office.