Re: Lawyer magic word...
The agent could still have transferred it to the legal department so that they could "strike first". At the very least, they could leave a direct-contact number for when the owner's lawyer comes calling. I don't know of a lot of things that could defuse a lawsuit threat better than some form of the phrase, "See you in court." (Meaning they're not afraid of lawsuits)
Biting the hand that feeds IT
