Wednesday 27 February 2008

Success!

Dear fellow blog watchers, I only have you to thank for the current success, for which tonight was.
This evening I attended a talk with barristers and solictors, and managed to a great degree to do what I can only call some "perfect" sucking up!

As the barristers talked I asked which BVC provider they would suggest, and the controversy about how you are not supposed to talk about which BVC provider is better than the other. Then I asked a QC about the LSC contract, and the future of the criminal bar.

I had a few glasses of wine, bordering onto being slightly drunk (Mr P you can wage your war whatever way you want, but barristers seemed to drink FAR more than I did this evening) I went around talked to pupils and their fears of gaining tenancy (which they don't like to talk about) Then before I approached Mr QC and he commented on that I was the only person in the room to ask the most questions, and obviously that I was quite interested in criminal law, and how I should drop him an email! I was soo chuffed with myself!!! I even mentioned dear Simon Myerson to the fellow QC and his views on the LSC contract and the future of the bar, and aftering a tad bit of trying to figure out how to say his honour Simon's last name was, he clicked and found it most interesting that he had a blog and that I had read his opinions!

So all to blog watchers, I would say thank you, for without your topics of current affairs I wouldn't have been able to impress the barristers (that shook my hand! cannot believe it!!) that I spoke to.

Thank you soo much :)

Tuesday 26 February 2008

Reality.

Dear fellows of the blogging world, what exactly is a lost london law student to do, when it is 4:33 am and he cannot sleep. There are so many worries going through my mind that the thought and action of sleeping will most likely not occur till about 8am. 8am however is the time I am supposed leaping out of bed, quick wash then towards the library where I shall be writing an essay for Admin Law, the bore of all law. More annoying is the fact that the essay is on a topic that was not even covered in a tutorial (not like I've been to many either) but one that was based on a lecture that we had to do further reading for. Who opts to do further reading? Ah yes successful people.

I spent the past week thinking about work and not doing much else. Bad LLLS for falling into a bad crowd that inevitably doesn't particulary care about uni work much, and has had so many unrelated problems that they don't even want a degree, and prefer spending money on the Euromillions in the chance of winning well millions, and developing a life of luxury which would most certainly end up as an early death. Bad LLLS for not doing any work over reading week, but prefering to think about it.

Whilst talking to my flatmate about my current degree status, and how I am either not enjoying it and thats why I don't do the work or the fact that I'm a lazy shit and thats why, she seemed to think that I have resigned myself to failure this year, and perhaps if I put the effort in now and tried my utmost that I would have at least have tried and gotten a class of a degree that I deserve.

So lets examine why do I want a career at the bar, that favourite olpas question and also the question that every chambers wants put into the covering letter when applying for a mini-pupillage. Like Lawminx it's all i've wanted to do for however long I can remember. (Well that and being a judge) Do I have a specific reason? No I don't. Will that be good enough? No.
Perhaps I should develop it into "I've always had a passion for the criminal justice system" or "I just like the idea of wearing a wig and a gown, and getting paid lots of money for it" Which I am sure will not go down well. I once asked at a Bar Society meeting at my university whether you could say "I've always wanted to be a barrister because I really liked Kavannah QC!" I was told I would be laughed at. Ah well.

The situation is still imminent though roughly 40 days till I finish this term, and then another 30 days till exams (including weekends) so lots of time to catch up? Or lots of time flounder and procrastinate. I entirely accept that being "lost" is completly my own fault, I am not sure whether I have just gradually got so lazy that I think it will all be alright in the end, or whether I just do not find the degree enjoyable, and lack the commitment, dedication and the work ethic (of actually doing it) to be good at law.

However if I do want to be commited, I have left it quite late really. I know some already who have given up all hope, and the thought of it too also gives them sleepless nights. Not sure I am ready to give up though just yet, but also not sure if i am ready and get going enough to make up for all the time I've spent fucking about.

Thursday 21 February 2008

Drinks?

I know perhaps this is an usual request, but as the pupillage fair comes upon us, I wonder if for any who are going (I gather all of us will) I pondered to think wouldn't it be nice if all bloggers went and had a drink? Of course we would be compromising lurking behind the keyboard and computer screen, but thought if we are all going to be in London at the same time, then why not have a piss up?!

Just a thought...
(from an alcoholic)

Update
Discussion in comments section below, about whether a booze culture is good for society.
Mr P arguably doesn't agree. Perhaps "From an alcoholic" was a bit extreme, as I am not.

Wednesday 20 February 2008

stop the world

perhaps my blog should be renamed lazy law student.
It is reading week currently at my university and I have done no work.
I had planned seven, 12 hour days, so I could catch up on the work that i've missed this term.
As I have 11 topics to cover quite thorougly, and thought if I could get it all done, then that would be a huge help for when I come to revision to when exams start in May.

Though still haven't done anything it seems. Perhaps if I had really competitive law buddies then it would be better, however as the only other person I am really good friends with doing law is exactly like I am it doesn't help.

Need to find motivation, in life, in general.
Or possibly defer the year?

Monday 18 February 2008

Letter of Doom

Have received my letter of doom for the incident that happened on Wednesday night.
It suggests that if I have any comments that I should write back to them within 10 working days.
So should I make a grovelling apology or something else?!?!

Update
I have written a short concise letter expressing my remorse of the matter.
I hope it just ends up with a fine.

Friday 15 February 2008

OH FUCK OFF

Stupid Petty Little government shits!!!

I really hope this stupid idea never gets enforced, though probably like all other new la bore ideas it will be.

So not only now do I have to pay an extortionate amount to buy cigarettes but now I may also have to carry some form of license granted to me by the powers that be.

What is the fucking point? This is absolutely hysterical!!!
Yes we may be saving the country's health but what for? For more and more people to live longer lives, so we can work till we are 70 (which I bet my generation will) and so have an ever more struggling NHS because there are old sick people about!! What will they do when all these people live longer because they have stopped smoking? I seriously doubt they will give us all government pensions, which I think will be eradicated certainly in my life time.

So not only will you have to fill out a complex form(who likes complex forms) and send a photo of yourself so the government can put you on their "naughty" list because you smoke. Next you shall need a license for buying chocolate or buying cucumbers(the skin apparently can cause cancer) Perhaps they should also get someone to send a letter of reference to the government to say that you are a committed smoker.

I have already suffered having to go out in the freezing cold to have a cigarette at clubs, which now by the way just smell of arse and B O, (my non smoker friends say they ruch mather prefered it when it smelt of smoke) Eurgh. Smoking it appears will be eradicated for the "greater" good, which means sacrificing small personal freedoms, such as that of personal automony and living the lifestyle you choose to, not one set by the fucking government.

Bloody fucksies!!!!

Thursday 14 February 2008

Potentially Hazardous

Stupidly last night I did something that MAY ruin my legal career, (if I were ever to get a 2:1 which is very doubtful) One was caught on a bus without paying ones bus fare. Silly me I know. I do usually pay, (yeh yeh that's what all the criminals say) I was embarrassed and also lost a bit of my dignity (apparently it goes away so says my mate that has been caught several times and always gives a fake address) Whilst my other mate just got a £20 in the form of a ticket/receipt I was told that the great TFL may write to me, and it would be best to reply to them sooner rather than later otherwise I could end up with a courts summons.

So yes I admitted my wrongm however I have paid to get on bendy buses aka "free buses" when there has been no space, people are practically having sex infront of me, there are gangs surrounding me that want to steal my phone(and I've had it stolen). I have been there when people are smoking spliffs(spiffy, doobie) quite openly, having fights, also smoking fags, pull the emergency door opening handle because they want to get off there and then for some reason.

So yes I got caught without paying and perhaps I am trying to think up of countless arguements much like an appellant who is trying to defend against some strict liability offence. But come on!!
If you have ever got a bendy bus in London you know what I mean, and you probably haven't paid either sometimes.

So here is to awaiting the great TFL (travel fucked london) to write to me, as to what is my fate, if they write to me at all.

Wednesday 13 February 2008

Five students win terror appeal

"The convictions of five young Muslim men jailed over extremist literature have been quashed by the Appeal Court."
From here

Now obviously there is some degree as to why Lord Phillips could not decide as to the intention of the students, however downloading extremist literature and then writing a letter to Ma and Pa saying you are off to go fight a holy war is a reasonable intention of what he was planning to do with such material.

We are however in the UK (not sure for however much longer) entitled to free speech and a library down the road from me happens to have a great collection of extremist texts in its possession. (bought with tax payers money I would assume as it is a public library)The student did decide not to go through with it in the end and ran back to Ma and Pa who had already alerted the police.

Imran Kahn the acting solicitor said "
"It is a great thing to live in a country where the Lord Chief Justice takes the time from hearing important cases to see if a group of unknown students have been fairly convicted for reading the wrong kind of literature," he said."

Should you be convicted for reading the wrong literature? There are many religions that have weirdo beliefs, I know I have met them, the worst of all are the fundamentalists of any religion. However if you read such literature, decide to meet up with another group of weirdos who hold the same belief and then claim

"
As I said when I was arrested, I do not, have not and will not support terrorism in any form against innocent people." Not too sure about that one really? So you were willing to go and join four other people who liked the idea of terrorism but now you denounce it?

"
"My prosecution was a test case under the 2000 Terrorism Act. Today's decision means no first year student can ever be prosecuted again under this Act for possessing extremist literature."

Does it though? Perhaps the terrorism act should be amended to extend to the possession of extremist literature that inspires terrorism?

As someone once said to me a long time ago "if I teach you how to build a gun, you can not hold me responsible for shooting yourself in the foot with it" - yes that's true, just because someone has extremist propaganda on their computer does not make them a terrorist, but when someone has extremist propaganda on their computer, plans to run away to Bradford to meet other like minded people and perhaps become a terrorist, but later doesn't want to.. it could be shown that there was some intention ... or at least in my opinion.

Monday 11 February 2008

Weekend

I've had a great weekend.
Met up with an old school friend who came to visit me, then went out in central london for the night. Was all grand :)
No work whatsoever.

Lots of posts seeming to be poping up about the BVC, etc.

Thursday 7 February 2008

Apologies

I apologise for being in a hot temper recently. Under a bit of stress, what with getting the perfect CV and all, the lack of people that have applied view my flat, and an equity essay that is terribly difficult. :)

Wednesday 6 February 2008

Careers Advisers ...

.. should be shot.

Apart from the fact that I took all the advice the one before hand gave me on my CV and corrected it all, a new careers advisor also wanted to add her 2pence. Her 2 pence was grubby and full of "oh doesn't look like you have done a lot". Thank you careers advisor, I am so greatful to how you tore apart my CV, and thought of my previous employment as a lowly "teamworker" wasn't that great, and wanted me to add more irrelevant shit. If there are any practicing barristers out there, can you please tell me how much detail you pay attention to the CV of someone applying for mini pupillage? If it's not that much then I won't bother making the changes, which I'm sure when I next go in to see a careers advisor that it is all wrong aswell.

I liked the other one.

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Quickie - Uni related.

Today I posted a comment on my law societies’ facebook group.
As they saw fit to email me and tell me that new people had been elected to positions of "power".
I am not a member of the law society, because it’s absolutely shit. It does nothing, it hasn’t helped me at all. I did consider running for the law society president position however as I was unaware of there being elections I guess that is out of the window too.

Below is the comment I left on their facebook group page. I do not care if I receive a backlash of "oh we do this" which I have had before from them, because they haven't or at least I have not known that they have and I check their facebook group page regularly, and I believe i am still on their email list.

"To be honest.
I really honestly think that the law society does nothing.
This is not just my opinion, but an opinion echoed by the majority of people that I associate myself.

Coodos to the Bar Society, Pro Bono, LAC, and Mooting. But really the law society has done nothing for me in the past 2 years."

So a big up yours to the law society that is absolutely shit. :)

Monday 4 February 2008

Need a flatmate.

All posting has stopped til I find a new flatmate.
Grr!