One of the first things that was explained to me when I started at BCF was that, as a lawyer, we sell time. Not legal services, as the articled clerk at the back of the induction session so eagerly yelled out when the question was asked, but time. This, I'm told, means that a lawyer sitting around wasting time is like having a chair full of hundred dollar notes that no-one bothered to bank.
Apparently, criminal lawyers don't understand the danger of leaving a lot of cash around unattended, so I had to be trained in every aspect of the risks involved when I made the switch from fixed fee criminal work to hourly rate civil litigation at BCF.
You can, then, understand the pressure I was starting to feel about getting some good billable work across my desk. My office was starting to swim in hundreds of 'unbanked' hundred dollar notes.
Yes I have made some great non-billable contributions over the last couple of months by organising the Shindig and preparing tenders and any other non-billable task that came my way because I couldn't stuff it up. But I am ready to get back amongst it now. If nothing else, I have to prove that I can do this work and, hopefully, prevent Ben from making partner in the process.
I was just getting ready to walk into Peters office to see if he had any work I could do when I received an email from, guess who.... Peters.
'Trixie,
Big matter. I have spoken with your Uncle and he thinks it is perfect for you. See me after lunch.
Peters'
I could feel tears of relief well at the back of my eyes, thank goodness all that awkwardness of asking for work has been avoided.
Somebody take me to the bank!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
I have to say that there's nothing worse as a junior lawyer than having no work. My mother couldn't believe this. "How can that be bad?" she said. "Kick back and relax!" Um, well, as you point out time is money, and if you're not billing you're not making budget, and you're not doing your job.
The problem I had is that sometimes external factors were not taken into account when assessing billing for the month. So at one firm for which I worked, we were all told off for not making budget, but the fact of the matter was that there wasn't much work around that month and all the partners and senior associates were jealously holding on to any small morsels they were given. Not much a junior lawyer can do in that situation. I mean, I couldn't go out and get new clients myself, could I? And criticising a junior for lack of billing when it's not his/her fault is the shortest sharpest way of creating a morale crisis...
When I was an AC at a BCF, I went through a period of about three weeks where nobody had any work for me. By the end of the three weeks, I was ready to bang my head against the wall with distress. I almost cried with relief when someone gave me work. Crazy, isn't it?
BTW, well done on the newspaper article. Most exciting!
It is crazy. But what can you do when you're junior? You just have to twiddle your thumbs and remember that it's not your responsibility to bring the work in. But it is your responsibility to take the blame when there is a gap in your time sheet.
Mining Investment Scams. Mining Investment Scams Mining scams are just like all the other scams involving investments. The primary incentive is to produce gold, not sell more stock at a higher price. Legacy Rare Coin. Over the last decade, savvy investors realized gains between 200% to 300%. Investment Grade Gold Coins continue to offer major profit potential. Gold Coin Fraud Claims Against Rosland Capital Avoid Coin Scams. Order FREE book Coin Fraud? Is Your Investment At Risk? courtesy of attorney Bill Voss. If you have been a victim of gold coin fraud by Rosland Capital, you may.
Post a Comment