Life as a Trainee - Lisa Mackin
As I sit looking out at the cold, wet, dreich November morning, I remember silently chuckling to myself when, over a year ago, a trainee meeting was held to discuss the new Trainee Blog that would appear on the RCCW website. It would appear quarterly and I wouldn’t have to contribute until December 2011. December 2011 is ages away, I told myself, I’ll have plenty time! One of the first of many lessons learned the hard way: life as a trainee lawyer is fast paced! Well, they do say time flies when you’re having fun!
Over a year later and I am now a second year trainee, based in the Stonehaven branch and learning to deal with everything that could possibly be thrown my way. Being in second year thus brings with it more responsibility and bigger and better challenges. Admittedly, I’ve come a long way since my first week, where I nodded expertly when asked to prepare a Form 12 Multisearch, before instantly emailing a second year colleague to ask where on earth to start. It was hard to believe back then that these things become second nature, and you do develop certain skills and intuition that stops you from descending into wild panic whenever faced with something new and “foreign” that has never cropped up before. I remember I would sit for ages, poring over every single detail trying to work something out, when very often there is a much simpler solution: phone the client and ask them!
Life in a branch office can be hectic, and there is no such thing as a “typical” day. I could either be dealing with a conveyancing transaction, drafting a Will, shadowing a member of the court department, or sitting in on a client meeting regarding anything from employment matters to a matrimonial dispute. In addition to being a trainee, there are some days when you also need to don the cap of viewing agent, messenger (often only after the heavens have opened and there is a Force 10 gale blowing are you asked to this!), property assistant, secretary or anything else which needs a helping hand!
Although being a trainee can have its difficult and stressful moments, there is no doubt whatsoever that it can also be very rewarding and, dare I say it, fun! Luckily, I’ve had the support of the fantastic team in the Stonehaven office, (or “Naomi’s Angels”, as we have affectionately nicknamed ourselves!), who have put up with my never-ending list of silly questions without batting an eyelid.
Despite everything that we may have learned over the last year, there is no doubt whatsoever that the biggest and most daunting challenge will be coming our way in the next few weeks: The RCCW Christmas party!! As second year, we are required to make a speech, or rather, make fools of ourselves, in front of the entire Firm as a form of “entertainment” (which of course we are all very enthusiastic about!). Watch this space to see if we survive!
