Read his latest blog below...October 2009It seems that writing a column or blog can be a good way of gaining the affections of the nation. Look at Peter Andre. He tells a few sob stories of his broken heart, reveals th
at he's looking for love, and repeats the same points week in week out in his own blog. Result? He's a newfound 'national treasure', and all the girls love him. What a formula.
So, fine ladies of the law, here's the script: I'm a broken hearted trainee blogger and looking for love - what are my chances?!
Of course, I jest. Yet whilst 'The life and times of a lawyer to be' is an altogether different animal from the columns you may read in Heat magazine (officially at least), don't let that imply that trainees have no fun. Oh no. In my first month of working life alone I've compared dozens of lengthy leases, taken minutes at numerous 8am meetings, become a regular fixture at the Land Registers' Glasgow office, and drafted briefing notes on sewage pollution. Peter Andre might be grabbing the headlines, but I tell you this girls, you'll love my chat!
With my traineeship commencing at the start of September, 'real life' has certainly begun in earnest in the last month. One of my major concerns before starting, however, was that everything I learnt in five long years at university would magically dissipate into a distant part of my brain just at the point when I can finally get to grips with its practical application.
With my first 'seat' being in Harper Macleod's Real Estate team, I was hopeful I could avoid such a fate by digging out my property law notes from the loft. Not so. Having somehow managed to lose any recognition of my Assured Tenancies from their Short comparators, the old adage that "no question is a stupid question" has certainly been tested to the brink! So far at least, none of my colleagues have succumbed to the temptation to break loose and say that the said phrase is a complete lie, and that I have in fact uttered a complete nonsense – so much so, their silent exercises of restraint are quickly becoming the psychological lifeblood of my traineeship!
Particular respect on this has to go to my "roommate", Paul. He might have paid me to favourably mention him, but even so, sharing an office with a new trainee must be one of the most frustrating experiences for a qualified solicitor. He has witnessed close hand my stumbling nervously through the completion of tax forms, and my drafting of (seemingly) impossible clauses, with both characteristic good grace and respectful distance.
After a few weeks Paul and I also came to realise that we share the same birthday. Worthy of celebration, we revered this coincidence by taking a small break from analysing a Testing clause in a tricky commercial lease, and enjoyed a cup of tea and a Caramel Wafer. In the small world of our office, that was a particularly special moment.
Not just for the Caramel Wafers, my first month as a trainee has certainly not disappointed. I managed not to spill coffee down my white shirt on my first day (which was a recurring nightmare, incidentally), and despite being the only non-Partner left on a recent Friday night out, I'm still in a job. My body is even slowly beginning to comprehend the harsh reality of perennial early mornings, which is proving to my mum at least that even the impossible can happen!
More philosophically, the last month has proved so satisfying – having harboured the ambition to become 'a lawyer' for so long – now that I am finally on the cusp: learning my trade, and making the first tentative steps towards a career in the legal profession.
In writing this blog over the next few years, I hope to convey my experiences to my colleagues, and to my peers – the trainees of 2009. That's the plan anyway. Whatever the coming months and years do bring – good, bad, or simply ridiculous - I'll keep you posted.
