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I recently moved in with my mum and dad to help out with trips to hospital during my mum's treatment. This meant that, for the first time in my career, they've had an every-day experience of what I'm up to. And they could not believe the way the system works. 1/
I realised, I used to find these things strange too, but I've come to accept them. In particular they were blown away by: (1) how late in the day I find out what I'm doing tomorrow. 2/
I had 1 hearing in on a Friday. Mum wanted to make plans for that Friday. She asked me every day that week, what time would I be done? I had to keep telling her: I don't know. The court will decide the night before. "How do you plan your life?" They asked. "With difficulty!" 3/
(2) That booking a day off does not prevent your case being listed (and you losing the fee!). I'd booked a day off to take mum to & from the hospital. The court decided to list my case, my clerks objected, but it was listed anyway. "But it's your case, and you're not there!" 4/
I explained someone else would cover it. "Do you both get paid?" Of course not - they'll pay who did the hearing. "But you've done all that work & you'd booked the day off?" Doesn't matter- I don't get to control listing. I can cancel my day off, or I can lose the fee. 5/
(3) That we don't get paid until the end of a case. A PTPH was listed which had been adjourned several times. It was first listed back in March. A plea was finally entered, and it was adjourned for sentencing. They could not believe I had not been paid for the work in March. 6/
"How long can this go on for?" I realised I had cases that had been running for over a year, but explained that other people had cases that had run for longer. "What if all your cases keep getting adjourned?" Um, I just hope that doesn't happen, to be honest! 7/
Some of these things can't change, they're part of the job. But I'd forgotten that some of these are just things I've come to accept, because "that's how it's done", no matter how difficult or annoying it makes our lives. 8/
They're all part of a job that I love. But telling me I should be grateful, and "jump at the chance" of changes which will make my life more difficult, that will make it harder for me to help out with my mum, and to occasionally (sorry!) relax - that's pretty hard to swallow. 9/
And it's not like my mum & dad have no knowledge of the legal system. They've listened to me moan (occasionally...), they've been forced to read @BarristerSecret , and been corrected whenever they assume I earn a fortune because my job sounds prestigious. 10/
How can we expect people to understand just how bizarre our job already is? I certainly didn't understand it until I joined. But until others understand it, they won't understand the crisis we're facing. Or why I think of leaving, when I've worked so hard to get here.
