Lost London Law Student

"According to our very strict criteria . . . "

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:53:00 +0000

If I see the phrase "according to our very strict criteria" again, I think, I will most likely throw my laptop against the wall.

It is of course pupillage season and after many rejections, some interviews, and some further rejections on top of that, I am becoming enraged with the lack of feedback or clear guidance offered by most chambers.

1. What is this strict criteria they speak of?
2. Why won't they publish it?
3. It is quite clear that some chambers do not take anything less than Oxbridge, so why not say so?

Chambers could save themselves a lot of time and money by making it very clear who they want, rather than just being extremely generic.

Paralegal Opps - Bindmans

Fri, 06 May 2011 18:21:00 +0000

Bindmans is urgently looking for paralegals. If you have done the bvc but have yet to get a pupillage, this would be a fantastic opportunity to work in a leading criminal/human rights firm.

They are representing the 140 or so protesters that were arrested in F&M.

Good luck.

http://www.bindmans.com/index.php?id=65

The "Save" Button is a DEMON.

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 05:18:00 +0000

So it appears that I may have sent one criminal set, the previous answers for another pupillage application. Why couldn't they make saving your work automatic!!!

I guess I shall have to make up for this huge error by getting in a non-olpas application, due in for 11.

:(

Boring, bland and not selling yourself very well.

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:36:00 +0000

I had approximately just spent 10 hours rehashing my pupillage applications. When I sent them off to a friend I thought my time and good intentions would pay off. Obviously not.

"Its fine. Its just boring, bland and not selling yourself very well".

At least that was one person's comment. Oh wait, their opinion was seconded by someone else that I know. More re-drafting was required.

Applications were then sent off in a tidal wave of flurry and panic, for other more senior people that I know to check.

They haven't responded.

It's 6:39am on Wednesday, 27th April 2011.

I'm wondering whether I should bother to apply at all.

Fortnum & Mason Protesters - Write to your MP.

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Two of my friends were arrested for peacefully protesting in Fortnum & Mason. They are not UKUncut members. They decided to occupy F&M due to the large scale tax avoidance which the company allegedly operates.The arrest and detention of 145 peaceful protesters in my view amounts to an abuse of process. This can clearly be seen in the footage obtained by the Guardian. Where the protesters were lied to by a Senior Police Office who gave them an express assurance, that the police wanted to make it "clear and safe" that the protesters would be allowed to leave the building. The officer stated that she wasn't aware that people would be detained outside. Such abuse by the police should not be tolerated.I would therefore urge my readers (including the 100's of you that I have helped in your fight against TFL's prosecution policy) to please write to your MP. The letter is below. It will take a few minutes of your time......Your MPs details can be found here: http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ Information about the official campaign is available here: http://fortnum145.org/Please 'like' their facebook page if you haven't already. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Dear MP NAME I am writing to you because I am deeply concerned by the manner in which the Metropolitan Police handled the recent demonstration in London against the government cuts to public services. On the 26th March, 145 people were arrested during a peaceful demonstration against tax avoidance, then held for up to 36 hours in custody, and then charged with Aggravated Trespass. It is my belief that the prosecution of these individuals is a waste of CPS, police and tax-payers' time and money, and is a threat to the democratic right to peaceful protest in the UK, through criminalising non-violent protesters. I am also appalled at the misrepresentation of all those arrested on the 26th March by the Home Secretary and other Government Ministers. Those arrested have been described as “violent” and “thugs” which, given that 92% of those arrested were charged with aggravated trespass and are not suspected of committing violent offences, amounts to political manipulation and a grievous insult to the character of those arrested. I am particularly concerned that:the 145 peaceful protesters who were detained within Fortnum and Mason for their own safety, and whose protest action was described as “sensible” and “non-violent” action by the ranking police officer present on that day, were told they would be free to leave the store when the police deemed it safe to do so, only to be 'kettled' and arrested immediately following their departure;those who were arrested, most of whom were held in police custody for 20-22 hours, had their phones and other personal belongings seized and were woken in the middle of the night to have their clothing seized, were treated disproportionately badly given the minor crime for which they were later charged;these arrests and the media and political furore that surround them amount to political motivation designed to: gather intelligence on UKUncut (a network of peaceful protesters); intimidate those arrested (some of whom are as young as 14) to prevent them from taking part in future protests; take pre-emptive action to prevent peaceful and legal protest over the weekend of the Royal Wedding and Mayday, which all arrestees have now been prevented from carrying out following the implementation of bail conditions; and, to attempt to justify providing the police with further powers with which to stifle/disrupt legitimate protest. I, like many others, have strong objections to the scale and depth of current cuts to public services, and whether you have sympathy or not, I hope that you support, and will defend, the right of individ[...]

Pupillage Season - Criminal Pupillages

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:43:00 +0000

So the pupillage season is upon us (and I am aware I haven't updated this blog in a long time)I am currently going through the frustrating process of filling in the form. It is irritating to say the least. How much do I say on one particular topic? Is it best to be concise i.e "I worked here for x months, I did X and X" or should we all say "Oh I had a jolly good time with my new BFF HHJ Temperamental?". Concise is the way forward I feel. Short sentences must be used. Explanations of areas of interest must be given. I must re-write the same answer for the pupillage questionnaire at the end 5 times.I still can't find the appropriate section into which to put my mooting experience.. perhaps the responsibilities and awards section?I also wonder why I am applying. I am due to be going off to a foreign country to work on death penalty cases for three months and therefore will probably miss all of the interviews anyway :(In any event I have made a list of all London Chambers offering a pupillage that are either crime only sets, or have it as a specialism.The list is as follows; I have made note of who the Chambers are, pupillage award and number of pupillages. They are all to begin in Sept 2012. - - 6KBW (£20-£25K or it has been said elsewhere £31,000) NofP: 3 - 2 Hare Court - (£20-25k) 2012 - 2- Matrix (£25-£30k) - 2- Argent Chambers (£10-15K) – 2 - 5 Paper Buildings (£20-25k) – 2- QEB - (£20-25k) – 4- 3 Raymond Buildings - (£30k) – 3- 18 Red Lion Court - (£15-20k) – 4- 5 St Andrews Hill - (£10 - £15k) – 2- 2 Bedford Row – (£20-25K) – 4- 9 Bedford Row - (£10-£15k) - 0- 25 Beford Row - (£15-20k) 4- Tooks – (£15k – £20k) 2- 9 – 12 Bell Yard - (£25k-£30) – 3- Charter Chambers - (£20k-£25k) – 2- Carmelite Chambers – (£15k-£20k) - 3- 23 essex street – (£20-£25k) 2- 187 fleet street – (£10-15k) – 2- Garden Court - (£15- 20k) – 6- Doughty Street – (£25k – 30k) - 3- 15 new bridge street *£10k- 15k) – 2Good luck everyone![...]

Results are in...

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:56:00 +0000

So I found on Tuesday that I passed my masters with Merit. I gained enough in my dissertation in order to be eligible to be accepted onto a PhD programme if I wanted to.

However . . .

I must say I wasn't very happy about the result and I spent some time beating myself up about it. I asked for some feedback and I was told that if anything I was probably slightly too descriptive in some places.

I've spoken to friends and they all say this is a good result, however I know that there will be others wanting to go to the Bar, into the same area of law, that will probably have masters degrees who obtained distinctions. I know that if I wanted to go on and do a PhD there would also be applicants with Distinctions.

So after being slightly disappointed with my result, I was told that I should try and get an article or two out of it! I am not sure exactly how possible this is. Given that I am currently very busy being unemployed. I may have to schedule in some time between eating, smoking and watching Come Dine With Me.

Accident and Health Insurance

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 07:06:00 +0000

A certain internship I am applying for requires that I purchase accident and health insurance cover..

These raises two questions.

1.What will they be making me do
2. How can I (an unemployed law graduate - of which there are many) afford accident and health insurance?

The mind boggles.

Lost - Again?!

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:25:00 +0000

It is not without some anticipation that I jump back into the legal blogosphere. However as I now find myself without employment (again), combined with the decision to not do the BVC (or whatever it is called now) in order to get some more 'experience'; I feel that I have little else to do.

My life for the past year has been somewhere between hectic and lazy. I finished my masters' degree of which I should hopefully be told the results sometime in October. I have also finished my stint of teaching criminal law, which apart from a long tearful story I shall not go into.

So now I find myself, again, Lost in the sea of life and legal misery. After having only just finished my latest degree in the last weeks of August, I cheerily thought to myself that things would get easier and soon I would be awashed with legal internships of the most prestigious kind.

This is not so the case! As I now find myself sleeping long hours everyday, playing a game of how long will I let my beard grow before I shave it off, or rather when will I be able to afford a razor...

So yes - I am back, amidst these other brilliant law blogs - trying to find my way again.

Keating Chambers - Opportunity

Sat, 19 Jun 2010 06:30:00 +0000

Not my cup of tea at all, but Keating are recruiting for a legal assistant within chambers. The salary is up to £25k

See the advert here

It would appear to be a fantastic opportunity for those who want experience within chambers.

Riots and Mania on Brick Lane!!

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:09:00 +0000

Click here!!!

Full out riot over American Apparel 'Rummage' Salge that had to be shut down by the police!

POPE to appear at a GAY CLUB

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:06:00 +0000

See here!!

Fantastic..







lol

For Moscow

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:05:00 +0000

Feeling for Moscow today.
For my Russian Uncle and two cousins, and their extended family.
Also my russian friends, who may have lost someone today or may have come close to losing someone.

Woe is me

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:51:00 +0000

Term is OUT... YES or SHIT, what am I going to do?

After having spent the year teaching undergraduates and not really doing anything on my masters( well I do have half of it written, just another 10,000 words to go) I wonder if I will miss my students? I doubt it.

I'm left in a state of perplexion as I wonder what career options I should choose.
My recent decision is to post-pone the BVC or whatever it will be known by then, to teach for another year, save up some money to go towards the BVC, hoping that the criminal Bar might have just sorted its self out by then, and also spend time on gaining much more needed brilliant work experience (or should I say mind numbing admin work for various legal bodies?)

Perhaps some international pro-bono wouldn't go a miss, however I often feel that I am up shit creek without any paddle. Competition for all these voluntary (and completely unpaid a point for further discussion ) internships is tough, really tough, tough as nails, tough as, some other example..

What really quite annoys me is that most if not all, internships require you to work for a certain period of time unpaid. Fair enough they may cover travel expenses and lunch, however some of us do have bills to pay, and courses to save up for! I think a month would be a reasonable amount of time to go unpaid for, providing the internship is prestigious enough. My main problem however with the system is that this obviously puts those who are supported by others/wealthy families, in PRIME position to pay for these internships, whilst others who have loans and bills to pay, will not be able to accept them because they need to earn money!!!

I have seen some internships often Overseas, that are a solid three full months, where you have to upfront all the money yourself! Some may say that's the reality of things, if you want to go and do it, then cough up. But with the majority of barristers telling us we must have MORE on our CV's, if we can't get pupillage the first time round, then go off and work for FREE for a LONG PERIOD OF TIME, to show your dedication to law etc etc hardly acceptable in my humble opinion.

It was much like Anna, from the Barristers, who was told to go get a lesser paid legal job because it looked better. Humph. Disgraceful. Whilst I don't mind working for free, and don't mind contributing, I find it difficult that there are a lot of these internships, which run for a long period of time, without getting paid, so it puts well off people in a better position. Scandalous I hear you cry!!

In other good news my CV may have actually got me somewhere! So all is not amiss, hopefully I will hear at the begining of the week of whether my optisim worked out, or whether it is business as usual, and I shall be once again broken hearted.

So what do you think? Am I making a good choice by taking a year out to do more probono (assuming that is that people will take me on) or should I do the BVC anyway? or do the PhD without a scholarship?

Hmph...

PhD

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:04:00 +0000

I have not been invited for an interview, for a PhD Scholarship.

R.I.P Career in Academia.

*EDIT*
P.S

I think i forgotten to mention that it was for a teaching scholarship, for a university I already teach at? Humph

The work experience equation

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:10:00 +0000

( 20 X hours of attempting to get your CV perfect) + ((rejigging your CV everytime you do something of interest) ( Minus-all the other interesting shit you did but no longer seems relevant because it may look too old) + (redrafting covering letters then spending x 3 hours worrying whether or not if its perfect) + (having your friends and family comment on your CV and covering letters making sure that they are truely perfect) = No reply.

R.I.P Legal career.

Edit.

As someone reminded me, something that was not born cannot die. Therefore;
R.I.P thought of having a legal career.

CV?

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:52:00 +0000

To put or not to put, that I have now probably assisted over 70 people with preparing for 'fare evasion' cases on my CV...

Hmm.. I'm sure its similar to some kind of FRU work.

To Phd or to not Phd

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:38:00 +0000

As I sit here and research abuse of process in relation to RIPA, I wonder whether or not this is the sort of life I wish to live. A life full of constant reading, with a large home library of assorted books on Criminal Justice, Evidence and Human Rights. A desk surrounded by empty packets of crisps and fag packets.I am at the moment rather tempted to delve deeper into being an academic rather than trying to pursue a career at the Bar and there are several reasons why.Firstly there has been a complete lack of interest from Chambers when applying for mini-pupillages, I do believe that I would make a good barrister (don't we all) I have a good ability to absorb knowledge, to analyse that knowledge and be critical about it, as well as being a semi-competent advocate which I have learnt from my mooting days. There may have been a small hiccup in the fact that I put perhaps a too restrictive of a date in my covering letter for when I was available, however if chambers were interested I doubt that would have really mattered. By not being noticed enough by which ever young tenant was viewing my application, I wonder how much more there is to be done, so that my CV sparkles with fairy magic glittery Bar dust. I am currently applying for lots of NGO work, however I am yet to hear back.The amount of opportunities for work related experience of crime and human rights are vast I would suggest, however a lot of internships are unpaid and are usually for a month or so, that is perhaps too much of a period of time where I could be earning elsewhere, the internships are in themselves very competitive.For all my (our) troubles, the lack of interest from Chambers may be a sign of the times, the Bar is very much more so competitive in terms of sheer numbers than it used to be, Chambers will receive hundreds if not thousands of applications for mini-pupillages, there again your CV really must shine.There is always the issue of the Bar v Solicitor Advocates, where the work is going and whether or not it would be financially viable to enter the profession in this particular climate. I am told that plans for public funding in criminal trials may reduce by 20%, that is a significant drop in income for those already in practice. The thought of being self-employed and not being good enough to make a decent living is another concern.After this analysis it may just be simpler to try and apply for a Phd and try to win some scholarship, I would be able to keep teaching criminal law, a subject though despite it needs urgent reform in some places, is quite enjoyable and has enabled me to delve much deeper into the substantive law than I ever did as an undergraduate.I am young however, may not the youngest blogger by very early 20's, a lot of barrister wannabes come to the Bar later on in life, it would not be such a horrendous missed opportunity if I went to the Bar after a Phd or some time being an academic, this would give me a chance to 'establish' myself. As the criminal Bar will inevitably become smaller and ever more so specialised than it is now, there may be a greater link between academics and barristers, as minute points of law become more important than the general aspects.There is however the gigantic task of writing the Phd, spending 40 hrs a week for three years, on something that I hope would not be remotely crap, but I would have thought it wouldn't be sufficiently ground breaking. I wonder if by doing a Phd, I would actually just be postponing my real desire to be in Court and say "yes M'Lud, I am obliged, [however I would submit that you are quite wrong on this point].Difficult c[...]

Am I stupid?

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:43:00 +0000

A minor debate on facebook between me and a former LLB classmate.

Where has the fun gone?

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:07:00 +0000

So an update, what have I been doing with myself in the month or so since I last posted?

Children stopped under Terror Legislation

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:24:00 +0000

(image)
See BBC article here

I have sympathy for the man and his two children, I was stopped under s 44 Terrorism Act before my Middle Temple interview, the officers who stopped me when challenged were very shady on the law relating to stop and searches when I said I would not stop voluntarily as I was busy and when asked to explain what s44 actually said they didn't know..

I didn't make a complaint to the IPCC but next time I might do so.

Lost returns from the US of A

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:03:00 +0000

Morning Readers,You may have noticed, or perhaps you didn't, that I had not posted anything of interest, or any crap either recently, this is because I turned 21, *queue shock and horror* and had a birthday trip to the States. I am now half a stone heavier for all my relaxing and site seeing, even though I did A LOT of walking.I'd though I'd share some glorious pics with you..Firstly I travelled to New York, New York and did nothing but walk up and down Broadway and all the other street names I cannot remember. The hotel I was staying in was right on Broadway but unfortunately had very small rooms and funny low lighting which made it look like a very seedy repainted brothel.From NY I went to Vegas, which was the highlight of my trip to the states, big shiney things everywhere. As some readers may know I'm a smoker, this backfired quite a bit in vegas where I lit a match blew it out then put it back in the match box, only to have it literally explode in my hand. I ended up with some nasty nasty blisters that I'm still trying to get rid of now!!I gambled a bit, though only on the slot machines, card games IMO are too complicated and are probably fixed. I won approx $70 and have no idea how much I lost, but seeming as I was playing on the 25 c machine and betting max every time it could have been anything up to $100!! Gambling is fun and also addictive when waiters will come round and give you a FREE drink if you are gambling... FREE... I however only found this out on the night I was leaving Vegas, so unfortunately lost out to lots of free baileys.. hmm..I then progressed onwards to San Francisco, which after Vegas (which was 40 degrees Celsius) seemed a bit cold at 19 degrees, but I managed to have enough time to visit Alcatraz and do the on island tour which was v.v. interesting. I went over the Golden Gate Bridge, which was VERY windy, and no surprise that the wind does not protect you from getting sunburnt!!Now I am back in the UK and I am glad that I postponed my BVC studies, one friend commentated that BPP does seem to be evil as on induction day it had a death star feel about it, and even has a "marketing department" so that is where BPP's fees go to?!I have gotten over the not going to Cambridge episode, in hindsight I only really wanted to go for the wrong reasons, and I extend my thanks to all the bloggers who helped me to pick my current choice.I start my MA later this month, its a whopper of a 20,000 word piece of original research, and we get a lot of time to just get on with it, however I've landed a job teaching Criminal Law to undergraduates, so suprisingly a lot of my time will be spent revisiting a first year subject and knowing it in excruinatingly painful detail so I can be an effective teacher and also hopefully so I can answer some tough legal questions at pupillage interviews.I'm loving this new blog design and am exciting about new and upcoming things and where this blog may/maynot be going as I have a side project that needs some serious thinking about.Best of Luck to those of you starting the BVC.. and hope all is well with my usual readers.Lost.P.S all photos are (C) Lost London Law Student as they were taken by me.. hurrah[...]

Andro works her magic and TA DA!

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 00:06:00 +0000

(image)
Many many many Thanks to Andro who has very kindly redesigned my blog to be very much more pleasing to the aesthetic barrister wannabe eye.

Protect the NHS

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 23:46:00 +0000

Should have become a dentist

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:22:00 +0000

Ok so I was going to post a picture to accompany this post, however if you type "bad teeth" into google it provokes a gut wrenching reaction (and my teeth are certainly not that bad)

Long story short, I went to the dentist today, after 3 years of not going since I went to university.
I now have a £500 bill to foot.

Goodbye (well earned) research money!

Moral of the story: see your dentist regularly at least every 6 months to a year....

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