Seat moves are exciting and busy times. Here's a little insight and a helping hand should you rotate into Commercial Litigation.
What tasks have you particularly enjoyed in this seat?
We have really enjoyed being given our own debt matters which involves chasing Howard Kennedy's clients for unpaid fees. The matters are a great opportunity to experience different parts of the litigation process which you might not otherwise gain exposure to when assisting with your supervisor's larger cases.
We have also enjoyed being asked to attend hearings/trials. Both are a great way of seeing how the preparation work of collating bundles or drafting applications are translated into the Court setting.
What have you learned in this seat that will help in your career?
The seat has required us to do a lot of drafting. It is very easy to use the wrong precedent, or worse, to forget to update wording! However, the sheer amount of drafting means that you become far more precise and skilful at avoiding this. This is invaluable experience moving forwards.
Thinking strategically has also been important to us both in this seat, a skill useful wherever our careers lead us. With an opponent constantly trying to outwit you, we have learnt to envisage the matter's ideal outcome and work backwards, planning our actions towards achieving this goal.
What are your top tips for other trainees to hit the ground running in this seat?
We can't stress enough the importance of diarising properly in this seat. When you have twenty matters running simultaneously each with multiple deadlines, your diary is your best friend. Avoid the sinking feeling that takes over when you realise you have missed a deadline.
Attention to detail is also key. Your documents and bundles are going to be scrutinised by both the other side and the judge so best to double check they are correct!
And the department is full of lovely people who are always ready to help so make sure to ask questions if you are ever unsure.
With an opponent constantly trying to outwit you, we have learnt to envisage the matter's ideal outcome and work backwards, planning our actions towards achieving this goal.
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