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I’m up a little earlier than usual as today will be my first time attending a court hearing and I want to make sure I’m ready. My colleagues have given me plenty of advice, I’ve grilled some of my fellow trainees for tips and I’ve read up on the matter background, so I feel prepared and am looking forward to the day. My eldest child presents me with a pin badge saying ‘I can do big scary things’ – she knows I’ve been feeling a little nervous.
After breakfast, checking that school bags are packed and doing the kids’ hair, I head to the office. I get in early and start the day with a cup of tea and a quick daily quiz on the University of Law revision app which has over 3000 SQE1-style practice questions. I try to do a quiz of at least 10 questions every day and will start doing longer quizzes to build up my stamina ahead of taking the SQE next year. I switch up my quiz topics throughout the week – some days I’ll focus on my weaker areas, some days I’ll review the other subjects I’m covering that week and then occasionally I’ll do a randomized test on anything from FLK1 or 2.
I rotated seats recently, moving from Trusts, Tax and Succession to Property Litigation – my first contentious seat with the firm. It’s been a busy first few weeks but I’m enjoying being in another real estate seat and the team have made me feel very welcome and supported. Most recently, I’ve been asked to assist on a matter where our client is trying to establish whether they have an easement over a parcel of land adjoining their property. Before we can advise we need to complete some important initial research into the matter – the land had changed hands multiple times and so I’ve built a chronology of ownership to assist with our understanding. As luck would have it, I’ve just started a module on property practice and have been revising the creation of easements, which was useful when running through the tests for implied and prescriptive easements and the principles of Wheeldon v Burrows with the matter solicitor. Being able to apply the academic theory to a real-life practical case is really helping reinforce my studies.
Later in the morning I turn to a letter of claim I’ve been drafting relating to a breach of a tenancy contract. I did the bulk of the drafting over the last few days; today I want to do a final readthrough with fresh eyes before sending it to the matter solicitor. I make a few edits and send it over along with a draft email to the client with some further questions. I still need to calculate the interest owed on rent arrears over a period of several years and, mindful that this may take a while and I have my study day tomorrow, I suggest we send the draft letter to the client to review and update the interest once we have their approval. My colleague suggests a minor amendment to the letter and agrees with the plan, so I send everything off to the client.
After a quick lunch I head to court. I meet counsel before the hearing and we discover we’re both career changers (she used to be a university lecturer). After catching up about how I’m finding the solicitor apprenticeship course, and our plans for the upcoming Easter break, we’re called in. I set up shop on the table behind counsel and take notes. The trial runs over the allotted time, but counsel still takes time to find a private room and debrief with me. She asks me how I felt it went and whether I expected the outcome we got.
I head straight home to write up my notes and have a call with the matter solicitor to fill her in on the hearing and outcome so she can update the client. Once my notes are in a coherent state, I share these with the matter lawyer, and then also save a redacted copy as it will be good evidence for the advocacy section of my apprenticeship portfolio. Once I’ve logged off, I prepare dinner and tomorrow’s packed lunches while my eldest asks me about what it was like in court.
After dinner it is my turn to put our youngest to bed. Once she’s clean, in PJs and we’ve read a chapter of The Boy who Grew Dragons, she gets into bed and I take to the sofa to read a chapter of the slightly less excitingly titled SQE1 Trusts ahead of my study day tomorrow. Today has been one of the more exciting days of my apprenticeship so far and whilst I am well and truly shattered, I am feeling really positive about my choice to retrain.