A Day in the Life

Thursday

7.00 am:

I like to start my morning listening to a podcast while I get ready for the day. I do not usually have breakfast in the morning so once I'm ready I head out to the office.

8.20am:

I start making my way to the office. I live near our Bristol office, so the morning walk always feels very therapeutic. I like listening to the news or some music on my way to the office. I use this as my time to reflect everything I need to get done during the day.

9am:

As I head in, I love going to Glassdoor (the canteen) to get an iced latte. The morning coffee has become a ritual for me! I then head in to my desk and start checking all the emails I received early in the morning or late in the afternoon the previous day.

9.15am:

My first task involves calling the Bristol Employment Tribunal to ensure that they had received an ET3 form that our solicitor sent earlier in the month. This is a form used by an employer to respond to a claim of unlawful treatment made by an employee. This was my first time doing it, but it was an easy and great experience. Following the call, I sent an email confirming that everything is in order.

9.30 am:

After a client confirmed that they were happy with my attendance, I received an email with a bundle of documents that I had to review before attending my first preliminary hearing next week. The Case Management Preliminary Hearing is listed predominantly to finalise the list of issues, being the legal document the Tribunal needs to turn its mind to. I then start reading through the documents and doing some research about some of the wording that I did not understand.

10.20am:

I was able to sit with a paralegal in the team and ask all the questions I had regarding attending a court hearing for the first time, and how to ensure I did everything I was required to do correctly.

 I have learnt the importance of asking the right questions and not holding back when in doubt. This ensures that you are able to carry out your tasks efficiently

12.35 am:

I was able to get through the bundle of documents and received a second bundle in preparation for the second hearing I will be attending next week.

I then headed out for lunch (to enjoy the sunny day!) with a another colleague and I was able to meet a few more people from other departments who kindly shared their journey and experiences with me as trainee solicitors.

13.35 pm:

After lunch, I returned to my desk and review my emails to see if I received anything important during lunch.

I received a skeleton witness statement from an associate of the EPI team. I then decided to begin going through it. I will be attending my first witness interview tomorrow for a case I was presented with at the beginning of the week.

15.00 pm:

I went through the skeleton and reviewed all the other documents related to the case so they are fresh in my memory for tomorrow. After completing this, I begin skimming through the documents of the second bundle I received earlier.

Something I enjoy about this team is the constant discussions about the law and the cases the are dealing with. I try to pay attention to any feedback or tips they give each other, so that I can also implement it and improve the quality of my work.

15.35 pm:

I then attend a scheduled meeting with my buddy, a paralegal from the team who will also be attending the court hearing next week. He gave me a run through the case and clarified any terms and questions raised when I read through the documents.

16.00 pm:

After our conversation I was ready to continue with the task. Throughout my internship, I've kept track of every single task I've been assigned, as well as any feedback or recommendations received afterwards. So, I then make sure that I write down all of the key points from our discussion.

I then decide to have quick coffee break, and enjoy a mocha. Since joining DACB I've become a big fan of the office's hot chocolate!

17.00 pm:

After continuing with my task for an hour and answering any other email that came in. I write down all the questions or points I need to clarify with the solicitor leading the case tomorrow.

I log off and make my way to the gym to de-stress and enjoy the rest of my evening!

My time at DACB has been extremely rewarding this far. This will be the fourth and last department I will sit in and I've been able to meet incredible people throughout. Overall, an amazing experience that not many people get to have and I would highly recommend it to anyone.