Saturday 10 November 2007

Witness Statement

This week I recorded 48 chargeable hours. (My target is 32.5). When you add the non-chargeable hours I also spent in the office (12), you get 60. It would have been more but I had to leave at 6pm on Wednesday to go to a concert (more below).

It's official - I am becoming a lawyer.

I would say 40 of those hours were spent writing a 60 page witness statement from scratch. The witness statement is going to be used in one of the biggest pieces of litigation going on in the UK at the moment - basically a class action-type case against hundreds of law firms. Probably every professional negligence litigator in the country is going to read this statement.

This is not a normal task to ask of a second year trainee (not even qualified as a lawyer yet). Needless to say I have been stressed. Poor Justin took the brunt of it.... and I think I lost about 10 lbs cuz I didn't eat anything. Not sure I'm ready for that stress.

Of course the statement is going to be revised and redrafted by more qualified lawyers and barristers before it is lodged in court, but I got the words and concepts on the paper. I must admit I am proud.

Anyway - Wednesday Justin and I went to a concert of Ludivico Einaudi at the Royal Albert Hall. He is a fantastic Italian modern composer and I really enjoy playing his stuff. You can go here to find out more about his music: http://www.myspace.com/ludovicoeinaudispace

It was so nice to have 3 hours to sit and listen to beautiful music and relax (although I must admit it was hard to get work out of my mind). I really need to start learning how to cope with the stress and pressure. Otherwise I don't think I'm going to last too long.

2 comments:

chickadee3357 said...

I am so jealous!! It sounds so wonderful and yet heinous (and i'm not being sarcastic). Coping with stress...I like to do that not eating thing as well. But I find that yoga works much better.

Trisha said...

Look at you...Miss Professional. Very impressed.