My first and my last...

This post will account for day 8,9 and 10. Therefore covering my time spent at my first full Crown Court trial , right up until the last day spent with the firm.

Day 8 and 9
Due to the nature of the work the firm carried out, it was not always possible to plan ahead with the firm as to what we would be doing with our time. Providing an insight into how unpredictable a day of work can be within Criminal Law. Therefore when all of the lawyers were at the police station and there was no legal research to be carried out, we decided to attend Crown Court and get a bit of experience from a Barristers point of view.

By a pure fluke of luck I ran into the barrister we had met a couple of days ago, who would be representing prosecution for the trial about to take place. We later became acquainted with the barrister for defense as well! Both were so accommodating and took a lot of time over the 3 days we were at the trial, to talk us through the trial, answer any questions, advise us for the future and recall their own experiences.

I learnt a lot from being at the trial from start to finish and gained so much valuable experience from the contacts I made. Both of whom I am still in touch with and will stay in touch with. It is SO important to approach as many people as possible, take an interest in everything and try and find contacts until you are blue in the face! Due to the people I have met, I have landed on my feet!

Day 10
We returned back to the firm for the final day, as we felt it was important to conclude our time spent in our placement and de-brief with the partners of the firm. We later did the same at Crown Court and made sure we expressed how grateful we were for everybody's help.

What did I enjoy?

• I loved carrying out legal research. (Partly because this is my forte concerning my degree). It gave me a real buzz to pick apart a prosecution case and help to form a defense.
• The people contact was really important to me. I would love for this to be a large part of my future career. Being able to interact with clients who need your advice, alongside working with the police, barristers, probation, courts..the list could go on! It really felt like we were part of a team, who were making a difference.
• I got a real feeling that what we were doing, was contributing to the workings of our country. Which is a real honor to be able to take part in.

What did I find difficult?

Working within criminal law presented some really difficult emotional challenges. I found the pressure, people contact and intellectual side extremely manageable, particularly as I love a challenge. But I often came away at the end of the day still thinking about a lot of the cases, it was really difficult to detach myself from the people I had just met. It often presented a moral/ethical dilemma, particularly when I could see a very good defense and prosecution.

It is certainly a job which will become part of your lifestyle. After only two weeks, it has changed my perspective on many things. - But then again what more could you ask for from a job! As I said I love a challenge!

So, what next?  Next, I will be going back to uni for my last year in reading History. Applying to Law school for my GDL. Gaining more experience and making more contacts. I will be starting work with YOS and St Andrews and of course be keeping my blog updated when I can.