I am still here.

Sorry that I have not updated my blog for a while, but unfortunately I have been really busy. I do intend to do a long post soon so that everyone can catch up on my progress. I have been doing more advocacy work at the local court, and have been working hard on my degree, but not as hard as I would have liked.

I seem to have been distracted this year, and slightly taken my eye off the ball. I think that BoB needs a good holiday, and then come back in the new year raring to go.

In other news the semi-final of this years mooting competition is next Thursday, so lots of work towards that. I promise I shall return very soon,
BoB.

Result!!

Very quick post, but just thought that I would let everybody know that my partner and I are through to the semi-finals of the mooting competition which will be in front of a Barrister from a local chambers. I will post more details soon, but Tort Law seminar work awaits.

Upping the stakes!!!

My learned friends for the respondents in the quarter final of the moots are good friends, and are a boyfriend and girlfriend team. The boyfriend has been trying to put the pressure on, all in a good hearted way, but he has stated that "I am going to be drinking a celebratory pint after the moot".

To add to this, the recent Tort lecture concerned the exact area of the moot (psychiatric harm and bystanders), and sat there listening it was quite obvious that the law was completely against us. This was pointed out to us with much glee by said learned friend.

Now I would imagine most of the few loyal readers of this blog out there will be thinking "poor old BoB, not a chance in hell". But you would be wrong, and I am massively happy that he is cock sure. Because it shows me that he has looked only to the obvious, and the point upon which I am arguing has not even entered his radar, so should completely broadside him. It's there in the cases we have been given, so it only requires close reading, but such are the dangers when the case law is so obviously in your favour.

The proof will obviously be in the pudding when we get to the moot, but I am really up for this and looking forward to prove the old adage that "pride comes before a fall".

Watch this space, all the best to everyone, BoB.

Assessed or not, that is the question?

As it is the time of year that the new pupillage handbook comes out (in a rather fetching shade of blue this year), BoB's mind has turned to the question of mini-pupillage's.

Having scoured the pages of the Chambers in London which I am interested in, I found myself pondering whether or not it is wise to complete an assessed mini-pupillage? There are pros and cons to either answer.

Pros:

• Chambers get to see what your abilities are, not just that you are good at being your supervisor's shadow and being polite and friendly;
• It may help the selection process for pupillage, as they will already know something about your abilities;
• Some chambers will let you skip the first round interview if you perform well;
• It allows chambers to give you some real constructive feedback on your chances rather than "everyone thought you were very nice"!!

Cons:

• Mess up the assessment and you have little or no chance of getting pupillage at that chambers, even if there are further assessments in the pupillage interviews;
• You may end up being so worried and stressed, that you spend all week concentrating on the test, and don't show the members of chambers your friendly side and allow them to make the "very nice" comment;
• You may not actually enjoy the week, so you won't want to apply there anyway.

If anyone has any views on this, especially those that have maybe completed one or have secured pupillage, they will be very welcome.

The results are in!!

Just a very short post to let you all know that we are one of the 8 teams to make it through to the quarter finals. We are the appellants this time round, so the law is totally against us, which gives us the option to show real creativity and impress the judges.

I will keep you posted as more information comes in, BoB.