Abused word

Is it common for barristers to be briefed so late on a case that they have only overnight to prepare? I got the impression from Rumpole (OK, I *know* it's fiction) that barristers met their briefing solicitors and clients several weeks before, and discussed the case and the tactics that they were going to take, and had chance to do extensive research on past case history and legal precedent.

Are all barristers QCs, then?

Be interesting how you define work. Anyone working those sort of hours is unlikely to be at peak efficiency for all of it. And surely that's why you employ a pro - to do the best for you?

How many QCs have you ever known?

Do you think you know better than the senior partners how to run an international law firm?

Do all Plowmans reply to questions with questions or is it just you?

Do all Robins reply to questions with questions?

Oh dear. You seem to have answered that.

In message snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)" snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk> writes

I know no QC's, but I do know very well a lawyer in a major firm. I can definitely confirm that she works all sorts of sudden antisocial hours. She has to get up to speed on the clients' businesses to the extent of having to visit ships, airports, and all sorts of industrial sites. If I give her a lift anywhere, she is constantly fielding calls from clients on her phone and having to make decisions on the fly. More often than not she works till late at night, often at home, and starts early the next morning, and also works weekends. As the senior partner in a small department, she has to bring in the work, so has to be on the lookout for new clients at all times, to entertain and be ready to smooch the current ones. Everything is governed by completion deadlines, which are a bit like broadcasting's "hitting the pips".

I don't think it's wise to make assumptions about how hard anyone works in any particular job. Except maybe HR.

But you don?t necessarily need peak efficiency from them, just a competent job.

With city firms the job often /needs/ to be done fast. That is, the client wants quality plus speed rather than quality plus efficiency. And even a big firm can't draft in more people in time when the job requires particular expertise or knowledge of the client's business. The only variable left then is working hours.

Not unique to lawyers of course.

In article <qdadnUYus5bMdFfBnZ2dnUU78N snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk>, NY snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net scribeth thus

One who lived near us said that he looked at his papers on the train to London. He did say he could pick up the case after just reading it the once!.

Doing very well now recently taken silk as they do!

Its a typically example of Dunning Kruger at work though - many people underestimate the difficulty of other people's jobs, unless they have actually done it themselves.

All this on the basis of some joke.

Quite odd how many defend the legal profession, though. Must be because there are so many bar room lawyers on here.