Trainee solicitor or call girl? Spot the difference
Turmoil. Forget the global financial crisis. Im talking about having to get up for work for the first time since my gap year - half a decade ago. Enough melodrama, for now, finally starting my training contract after all these years is both the end of an era and the beginning of one. The end of late nights, late mornings, late essays, and late payments. The beginning of early mornings, and late nights. So not much is changing, apart from everything.
This is no Diary of a Call Girl although the comparisons between our work and Billie Pipers (LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Billie Piper is an actress not a call girl) are plentiful: meeting new clients, long hours, good pay (chargeable hourly), and two of the oldest professions to have ever been plied.
What I hope this blog will develop into is a discussion of the transition between student life and professional life. From childhood to adulthood. From rags to riches.
I began applying to law firms in my final year at Leeds uni. I studied English so figured the best way in was by doing vacation schemes. It took many hours in my careers department honing my precedent application form into which I inserted relevant quotes per law firm. Many people doubt the effectiveness of questions such as 'If you were a fruit, which would you be'. They shouldn't, it stops people 'Ctrl + V-ing' the whole application. If you're wondering, a banana. Full of energy, curvy and slightly yellow.
So now youre here, in the City. A week in and the financial crisis brings us near to Armageddon. The optimism of going into the global capital of money, London, slightly tarnished as we watch the Brothers of Lehman trudging from their offices with all their worldly possessions. Theyll always need lawyerswe're like undertakers, we'll never go out of businessright?!
Arriving at LG was daunting. This is the first and most powerful sensation. Its taken a long time to get here and yet you dont feel ready. This is now real money, and real peoples problems. Everything that seemed oh-so-mind-numbingly-boring at law school suddenly takes on new significance and becomes interesting (really, it does). What youve learnt so far is perhaps a mere 10 per cent of what's required.
For an irreverent look at the first two years in the City, the occasional hint or tip on how to jump through the hoops when applying, and general tips on how to irritate your superiors I hope you continue to read this blog and look forward to reading your abusive comments.
