Lawyer Gets Ear Pierced in Court by Claire’s Employee. Here’s Why

Earlier this month, a corporate lawyer underwent what’s become a rite of passage for millions of people nationwide: Getting an ear piercing from a Claire’s employee. But this time, the procedure unfolded in a courtroom rather than a crowded mall.

Kirkland and Ellis attorney Joshua Sussberg had promised a judge he’d mark the occasion with a piercing if he was able to find a buyer for the struggling retail chain, which has filed for bankruptcy twice, most recently this summer.

The agreement came about during a bankruptcy hearing on Aug. 7, after Sussberg’s partner Alexandra Schwarzman noted the girls’ jewelry and accessories brand held a special place in her heart since she’d gotten her ears pierced at one of its stores, Sussberg told PEOPLE. Judge Brendan Shannon noted his daughters had, too.

Schwarzman made the courtroom laugh when she announced the chain’s popularity had extended to Sussberg, who said he had his ear pierced at a Claire’s located in the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, Fla., during high school.

She then displayed a 1995 photo of him flaunting the bling, Sussberg said.

“No way,” Judge Shannon said of Sussberg’s teenage piercing, to which Schwarzman replied, “Absolutely,” according to a court transcript shared with PEOPLE.

“Ms. Schwarzman, you have made my day,” Judge Shannon said.

As that hearing drew to a close, the challenge solidified.

“I will clarify, as I think you can tell from the picture, I did have a full head of hair at that point in time. That was 30 seasons ago,” Sussberg, who is bald, said during the hearing. “The ear has nothing in it at this moment, but I am prepared to head back to Claire’s if people are willing to keep it alive, as I think everybody should.”

Judge Shannon replied, “Mr. Sussberg, that seems like a gauntlet has been thrown down and I will hold you to it and it may actually spur market interest.”

“It would be my absolute greatest pleasure, Your Honor,” Sussberg said.

Sure enough, at the next hearing on Aug. 21, the lawyers announced they’d signed a purchase agreement with a buyer group led by Ames Watson, a private equity company.

“I think the third prong was that Mr. Sussberg is going to get an earring if this succeeds,” the judge said, according to the transcript.

“Absolutely,” Schwarzman said. “Yes. And I am committed to that. We’re talking about coordinating some in-court ear piercing if we’re successful.”

The sale was approved on Sept. 9, and Sussberg kept his promise. Toward the beginning of the hearing, Schwarzman said, “We do have two Claire’s employees here in the courtroom with us to help Mr. Sussberg make good on his promise.”

Judge Shannon then noted that Sussberg had “worn a crisp white shirt,” which he deemed “a gutsy move,” and quipped, “we’re going to find out if you’re a crier, too.”

Claire’s employee Tiffany Rivera, who has been with the company for more than a decade, came prepared to give Sussberg his new addition.

“I had to make a phone call to the Marshals Service to get that thing through,” the judge said, apparently referring to Rivera’s piercing equipment.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Sussberg tells PEOPLE onlookers whipped out their phones to capture the procedure on video. In the end, he says it was painless.

“It felt great to follow through on my pledge because it meant that Claire’s was going to survive,” Sussberg says. “Close to 1,000 stores would remain open, thousands of people like Ms. Rivera would keep their jobs, and the next generation would have the opportunity to experience Claire’s like so many generations before.”