Legal Anecdote – Finding a job in Law

It’s the day after graduation; I have my degree… my ‘agbalɛ’ as Ma would call it. I’m bursting with Case Law, Statutes and White paper law [I could go on, but I won’t]. Nights of cramming with Red bull and those famous rice and kippers are all resolved into one day.

I now sit with one hand in a bowl of fufu and light soup, reflecting on the advice of my lecturers,

‘‘ A Law student has to be proactive from the word ‘go’’’

Before I had even graduated, having fully absorbed this notion, I had applied to several Law firms, however, here I was, sitting in Ma’s front room waiting on ‘the call’. It never came.

[What’s ‘the call’ you ask?] Any Law student, or graduate would know, it should go something like this…

‘‘Good afternoon, we received your application and it has been successful”

More realistically, six weeks later, I was very much acquainted with the armchair in Ma’s front room and had concluded that my ambition to become a Lawyer was a distant one.

Fast forward five years and I am still yet to receive ‘the call’. Nevertheless, far away from that cosy armchair in Ma’s house, I am rated as a ‘determined’, ‘resourceful’ and ‘fearless’ legal candidate.

[In addition to being a great morale booster] these are all proof that aside from a degree and relevant training course, the key to landing that dream job [in any field] is experience and networks.

[I repeat experience and networks]

I have learned the hard way that ‘the call’ is an undergraduate myth and proactive doesn’t always mean scatter gun applications to all the firms in and around the ‘magic circle’.

They say it’s not what you know, but who you know… That day after graduation, I wish I had known that it’s not what you do, but how you do it and who you do it with!

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Legal Anecdote – How I started in Law

So I’m running through Cambridge with a group of friends after a great night out at a house party.

[not the scene you would expect a Law graduate to be in? Me neither, but please bear with me…]

So anyway, I’m running and though we’ve outrun the foot patrol, a distant echo of sirens closes in and we all look at one another, out of breath and way too far from home to run any further. My mind starts working overtime, I need to do something.

“What we running for anyway?” I manage to ask my three mates through painful pants.

“I’m not sure” replies one,

“Just don’t wanna get caught up in that mess” responds another,

“Have any of us ACTUALLY done anything wrong?” I ask,

“Na man, but we’re targets innit” answers the fourth member of the group.

“Targets of what?” I retort.

“Excuse me lads”, a plain clothes  Police officer interjects my question and startles us into standing upright and putting on a defence of silence.

“Erm, it’s been reported that a gang of 10 black youths, aged between 16-19 have caused a public disturbance in town… Do you lot know anything about this?”

The wall of silence is maintained.

The officer continues, “You started running when one of our patrol officers approached you. Is there a reason for this?”

After a 30 second dual, I give up [not a regular trait I must add]

“Look officer, we’re all under 16 and too young to be at any club in town. And he isn’t black”, I say pointing to my spotty-faced, blond-haired mate, “Anyway there’s only four of us, you said you were looking for 10.”

The officer, possibly taken aback by my bold articulation [definitely a trait, I wish to claim] grins and questions us further,

“what d’you run off for then?”.

I now have the answer to my earlier question.

“To be honest, our older brothers go through stuff like this almost every weekend, we just figured with the stick you give them, we were gonna get some too.”

The officer scans the group and responds in a reassuring tone, “Son, I’ll give you this free, assumption is the lowest form of knowledge, but it is a great start for questioning. If you haven’t done anything wrong there’s no need to run.

“Cool” some of the group mumble. I return to silence and contemplate his advice [however flawed].

After this day I stopped running and started thinking.

I took my studies a little more seriously, enrolled on a law degree and now with over four years professional experience I have an insight into various aspects of the law.

I now work in the City of London as a Legal consultant, practicing what I enjoy and advising those who don’t understand what to do when they have a run in with the law [pun intended].

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