Books on being a lawyer

MoneyMilo

Hi, could anyone recommend any books that are about starting out as a lawyer or working in a big law firm?? Thanks!

Procrastastudy

In Ireland? You might find one about the US or England and Wales but I'm not sure about Ireland.

Boards has some great info - search function is your friend... Research needs to be a skill.

Basicly though:

Barrister = Wig (not so much anymore), gown - the guy that argues in court. 3-4 years undergrad degree, 1 years kings inns, 2 years unpaid work followed by a further 5 or so not making enough money to put petrol in the car.

Solicitor = 3-4 years undergrad at a good uni, X years trying to get though FE1 exams 2 years (?) work placement working 100 hours a week followed by X number of years working 110 hours a week.

If you want it bad enough you'll do it - most won't and don't. The money is great for those that "make it" but that true of everything.

Law Degree for the criac - many do - good as a second degree or imo as a good general degree - many are more useful though.

MoneyMilo

Cheers for the reply but I've just finished my 2nd and hopefully final batch of FE-1's. I was thinking more along the lines of a book that details, (perhaps 1st hand) the experiences of someone going into a corporate law firm for the 1st time, or about life in a law firm in general. Maybe something to do with a Magic Circle-type firm in London or even an American one I guess???

hession.law

You could always go onto some of the big law firms' websites and read their trainee profiles...

mitzicat

http://www.amazon.com/Anonymous-Lawyer-Novel-Jeremy-Blachman/dp/0312425554/ref=sr_1_24?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334173043&sr=1-24

It's a good one

Delancey

Read ' The Firm ' by John Grisham

nuac

Glanville Willaims Learning the Law is now rather dated but a good introductions.

The Henry Cecil novels give a good idea mainly from a barristers POV

Avoid the John Grisham novels - practice in Ireland not like his novels.

there are some good books on advocacy, which I have lost.

Also a UK books on the skills of a solicitor - likewise I'm afraid.

Had on old book - advice to a solicitors clerk written about 1906,

talkiing about these new fangled typewriters, operated by WIMMIN - those days it was mainly male clerks,

Also has a hilarious piece on these even newer fangled phones

Milk & Honey

Patrick McKenzie "Lawful Occasions" is a good read about the real life career of a barrister.

DuCann - the Art of the Advocate is a good book as is Wellmans Art of Cross Examination.
None of them however really capture the actual life of a lawyer.

Procrastastudy

My mistake sorry. Congrats (hopefully!) on the FE1s!!

Some good threads on here ref life in the big 5.

GeorgeOrwell

The Devil's Advocate by Iain Morley QC is a good guide to advocacy and debate from a barrister's perspective.

It's actually very useful even if you have to do any public speaking in your job:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Devils-Advocate-Iain-Morley/dp/0421914807

paky

I hear Lionel Hutz Attorney at Law is a good read