A day in the life of a Trainee Solicitor at Pannone LLP

Richard Cowan is a second year trainee solicitor

Legal departments worked in to date:
Commercial Litigation, Commercial Property, Personal Injury

University: University of Sheffield, University of California, Los
Angeles, and Manchester Metropolitan University

Degree and class: BA(Hons) Politics 2:1, MA in European Political
Economy, GDipL and LPC

8.15am - Arrive in the office a little earlier than usual today as have to head straight into a meeting about the Prospects Cup, an international business management game which a team of 5 trainees from Pannone have entered, and of which I am Chair.  We sit down together to review our company's performance from last week and determine our business strategy going forward.  At the end of our meeting, I complete a decision form with our figures on and fax it to the organisers.  We're doing well in the competition but need to increase our sales as there isn't much time left to go and we want to win!

9.15am - Back at my desk to check emails, open post and start working on files. I am currently working in the PI Department for a Partner, on mainly catastrophic injury cases which involve spinal and brain injuries.  I have a meeting coming up next week at a client's house in Liverpool .  He suffered serious injuries when he was hit by a car whilst crossing a road and I need to prepare a case plan setting out all the actions we need to take to progress the claim, send out some letters to various parties and do some research regarding his financial losses and employment position.  I also need to draft a claim form and particulars of claim, prior to visiting the client with a partner next week, so he can sign the pleadings.

10.30am - I'm in the middle of drafting and amending the claim form and particulars when I take a urgent call from a colleague to attend a criminal hearing at Manchester Crown Court . Our client was seriously injured by the driver of a vehicle who now faces criminal charges for dangerous driving.  The Defendant has absconded and left the country but we are eager for the trial to go ahead as a criminal conviction will help us in civil proceedings against the driver.  I wait at court, take a note of the criminal hearing before heading back to the office to dictate my note, and deliver the good news to one of the Partners that the trial is to go ahead on the planned date.

1.00pm - I attend a departmental lunch seminar on quantum in fatal accident cases, which is delivered by a Barrister from a local set of chambers.  He provides us with a set of useful notes, which includes the latest case law to keep us up date with developments.  I'm sure I'll need the notes at some point in the near future.

2.00pm - Back to my desk to carry on working on drafting pleadings from this morning, before moving on to another file where I have been asked to put together an application for summary judgment, for which I need to put together a witness statement.  The Defendant in the matter was convicted of driving with excess alcohol and the Defence put forward was vague, which should assist us in our application.

4.30pm - I move on to tie up a few loose ends towards the end of the day.  I make calls to two experts and a medical agency to check on the progress of a couple of reports they are preparing on clients, and also to confirm an appointment for some MRI scans for another client. I then dictate a pre-action protocol letter in the case of another client, an orthopaedic surgeon who slipped and fell while he was at work at a hospital.  We do not think liability will be an issue in this case, therefore the pre-action letter will give the proposed Defendant the opportunity to settle early.

5.00pm - I have nearly completed the protocol letter, but have to leave it to finish it in the morning as I have to shoot off a little early tonight to attend a fireworks event.  I am Chair of the Manchester Trainee Solicitors Group (MTSG) and have organised the event jointly with Manchester 's trainee accountants (MCASS) at a bar in Castlefield, Manchester .  Not quite the end of the working day, as I have to take the guest list down with me, meet the sponsors, make final preparations and then run the door for arriving members.  I do manage to take some time out to hit the buffet, grab a couple of beers, talk to a few friends and then take in the fireworks display, which goes off with a bang!

9.00pm - The event is still going on but I'm off home, only a short walk as I live in the City Centre.  Before calling it a night, I have a quick read of some papers as I need to draft a Defence first thing in the morning and I have a meeting at 9.00am.