The life and times of a lawyer-to-be

Published on Monday 29 October 2007 18:00

'JOHN Geddes, a graduate of the University of Aberdeen, is a trainee at Raeburn Christie Clark and Wallace. This is his blog about life as a trainee solicitor in Scotland...'

Monday, 29 October, 11.45am

I've found my calling in life. Yes, I may have been in the job barely 2 months but I feel I'm a natural. Sadly, said calling is not a particularly glamorous one. Truth be told, I begrudge my new title as chairman of the "Bun Club" (or as I prefer to be known Master of the Rolls – I'm aware that that is quite possibly the worst law joke ever made and I sincerely apologise).

My role (pun sadly intended) is to feed the Private Client Department sweet things from the bakers of a Friday morning. This entails getting up an extra 15 minutes early which I can't say I'm impressed by, but that's the price you pay as chairman.

But as someone great (spider-man's uncle I believe) once said, "With great power comes great responsibility" and I learned this to my peril when I forgot a secretary's donut. She pretended like she didn't care, but really I know that If I ever get a Dictaphone when I'm a grown up lawyer, she's not going to type for me.

On to all things legal. After a month of feeling like an idiot and asking stupid questions and even committing the cardinal sin of asking the same stupid question twice (but never to the same person; I'm not that thick) I sense that a corner (or maybe more of a gentle bend) has been turned. Things are starting to make sense. Files I had at the beginning of September are getting closed and new ones are being opened and approached with more confidence.

At this stage, the conveyancing I've been let loose on is fairly routine but to use a clich, no two files are ever the same so there is always something new to look out for whether it be loan papers coming in the day before a purchase settles, lost titles or a client that comes in to sign a disposition, but stays for a chat…for 45 minutes! Can’t wait 'till I charge by the hour . . .

Before I go, I have a grievance. Registers of Scotland; a sterling institution I'm sure, but can they please get some new envelopes?! Self-seal! At this rate I won't have any taste buds left on my tongue by the end of the year, let alone the end of my traineeship.

Read John's previous blog