Sue, Grabbit and Runne
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Etymology: A jocular play on the phrase sue, grab it and run, suggesting an unscrupulous, greedy law firm to which Private Eye magazine would usually attribute frivolous libel cases.
Senses: examples: text: 1838, Joshington Square'
Messrs Sue, Grabbit and Runn were after Mr Crink, our hero.
text: I cannot disclose his name for fear of letters from Messrs Sue, Grabbit and Run.
ref: 1975, Books and Bookmen:
text: […] the finger sunk into the cheek like that of some posing philosopher and the general effect being, if I may say so without incurring the wrath of Sue Grabbit and Runne, one of effeminacy.
ref: 1980, The Spectator:
text: Needless to say such improbable calumnies will not pass unnoticed by Messrs Sue, Grabbitt and Runne, who have been instructed to use the limits of the law to bring to heel the rumour-mongers and muck-rakers.
ref: 1982, The Bookseller:
text: A rather pathetic pseudo-apology you might think; as Milne had no evidence for his damaging accusation, he was lucky Douglas-Home did not set Messrs Sue, Grabbit & Runne on him.
ref: 1985, The Spectator:
text: I am sure he will agree, after some of his comments, that if we pursue this idea too far, he and I, and indeed your Lordships, might well become entangled with that well-known firm of libel lawyers, Messrs. Sue, Grabitt, and Run, since I shall report swiftly the thoughts of my noble friend to my right honourable friend.
ref: 1985 February 27, Lord Lyell, “Government Subsidisation: De Lorean Enterprise”, in parliamentary debates (House of Lords (UK)), page 1000:
text: Now Messrs Sue, Grabbit & Runne have also written to the editor in a threatening manner to say that their new client His Holiness Shri Chandra Swamiji Maharaj did not, as alleged, act as a broker to any transaction involving Mark Thatcher
ref: 1986, New Statesman:
text: It would not be hard to prove as there are published figures for the UK where “Sue, Grabit and Run” has handled many of the placements.
ref: 1999 June 22, Dick Roche, “Estimates for Public Services, 1999 - Vote 32 - Public Enterprise (Revised)”, in parliamentary debates (Houses of the Oireachtas (Ireland)):
text: With Wright anxious to reclaim his Everton place - presently occupied by the rock-solid Nigel Martyn - I suggest he takes counsel from Sue, Grabitt and Run, company motto: Safe Hands Always.
ref: 2003 November 9, Len Capeling, “Everton expects; Stars need to deliver”, in Liverpool Daily Post:
text: We now hear today that we will be cracking down on these solicitors, so that fewer and fewer people — perhaps no people — will end up at the tender mercies of Sue, Grabbit and Runne.
ref: 2007, Great Britain. Parliament House of Commons. Committee of Public Accounts, Legal Services Commission: Legal Aid and Mediation for People Involved in Family Breakdown, Fifty-first Report of Session 2006-07, The Stationery Office →ISBN, page 12
text: There are players picking up a hundred grand a week who are like pickpockets, stealing money from the fans. I'm not going to name names 'cos I don't want to make libel lawyers Sue, Grabbitt and Run any richer.
ref: 2009, Jimmy Greaves, Ian St John, Saint And Greavsie's Funny Old Games, Hachette UK, →ISBN:
text: Let's hope that now Kate Middleton has got her first taste of cash for "invasion of her privacy" (following an award of £5,000 in damages for a pap snap of her on a Christmas family holiday) she won't be encouraged by Messrs Sue, Grabitt and Runne to censure every single detail that's reported about her.
ref: 2010 March 14, Sunday Express, page 16:
text: The wonderful thing about accredited demons is that you can say virtually anything about them and it is unlikely you will hear from Sue, Grabbit and Run.
ref: 2010, John Pilger, Distant Voices, Random House, →ISBN, page 224:
text: Hopefully, a representative of Sue, Grabit and Run, will not be standing by poised to take legal action should anyone scratch themselves.
ref: 2010 March 6, Hilarie Stelfox, “Hilarie: Learning to deal with life’s rough and tumble”, in Huddersfield Daily Examiner:
text: If I sent Messrs Sue, Grabbitt and Runne this well written, cogently argued, literate letter then they would say that I was capable of getting the kind of job I'd had and of earning the same good salary.
ref: 2013, Annie Francis-Clark, The Day My Life Changed, Autharium, →ISBN:
text: Which Ballard should J.G. Ballard sue J.G Ballard for, on grounds of malicious libel? Answers please to Sue, Grabit and Run.
ref: 2013, John Sutherland, Curiosities of Literature: A Feast for Book Lovers, Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., →ISBN:
glosses: A generic name for a law firm, especially one specializing in libel cases.
wikipedia: Private Eye
Synonyms: word: Dewey, Cheatem and Howe