The now infamous all-staff email sent to more than 900 current and former Slater and Gordon employees last month was unsparing in its criticism of the firm, its private equity owners, their strategy and the 37 individual staff members it mentioned by name.

The missive – a defamation lawyer’s dream – was part of a chain that included personal and work emails purportedly connected to former chief people officer Mari Ruiz-Matthyssen.