If you thought that brevity and clarity might be considered essential in the international dissemination of information via email, think again. Still, it's nice to see that Rathbone Investment Management continues to use legalese as its first language:

Rathbone Investment Management Limited will not generally act on e-mail instructions for the purchase or sale of investments or action in respect of Rights Issues or other capital changes and rights accruing in respect of investments held in custody. Rathbone Investment Management Limited reserves the right to seek appropriate confirmation before acting on any instructions or requests.

You accept that any instructions are deemed to have been given at the time they are accessed by Rathbone Investment Management Limited. You accept that there may be a delay in processing the instructions received from e-mails after Rathbone Investment Management Limited have received them. You are advised that urgent, time sensitive and confidential communications should not be sent by e-mail. You agree that you will not use e-mail correspondence for unlawful purposes or in contravention of Laws on electronic communications or Data Protection.

You acknowledge that e-mails are not secure and you accept the risk of malfunction, viruses, unauthorised interference, mis-delivery or delay (if, for example, the addressee at Rathbone Investment Management Limited is not available).

Ok, got that? Good.