This has been one amazing week so far! My apologies for the lack of updates – I’ve been living the life of a lawyer this week, which means late evenings in the office, early mornings and taking files home to work on, but it’s been an amazing experience! I’m shattered, but I’d do it again next week if I could. As such, much of this post is law work-related – I haven’t really been doing much else!
This week’s TiLT is a little later than I usually post it, and there may not be a Sparkle Roundup tomorrow since I am many many miles behind on my Google reader, but I hope to make up for it next week with a bumper edition to keep you supplied with reading material for the whole week!
This week I love:
* The law! – My enthusiasm for the subject has increased ten-fold this week, everything’s just so interesting and I’m so glad I’m pursuing this career path. It’s yet more reassurance that despite the expense, I’ve definitely made the right choice.
* Making a difference – again, work experience related, I’ve been assisting on a number of family law cases and it really feels amazing to be part of something that makes such a visible difference to an individual. Protecting someone from a violent ex, making sure someones’ children are looked after financially, it’s great to see what an effect the work can have on someones life.
* Meeting amazing people – I’ve worked closely with a barrister on a couple of occasions this week who has been really inspiring. It’s fantastic to meet someone who you can just watch at work and admire, and he’s a really nice guy as well. I really feel inspired to throw myself into my work and am now considering the Bar as a career path extremely seriously. If I decide to go for it, I now have a contact willing to give me a reference!
* Being able to keep going – Long days in my “day job” leave me lethargic and bored, even though I’m sitting at a desk all day. This week I’ve been all over the place on trains, carrying heavy files and working much harder and longer than I usually do, yet I haven’t noticed I’m tired until I’ve stopped to relax in the evening. It’s amazing the difference doing something engaging and enjoyable can make.
* Coffee with cream – I never drink it with cream at home, since I barely ever buy cream, but it’s such a delicious treat when staying with my family.
* Wearing a suit – Although I find it difficult finding suit jackets that fit me properly, I love wearing them, there’s a great feeling of professionalism, dressing properly for work and getting changed when I return. I also find it great for separating work and down-time – taking the suit off and putting on comfortable clothes somehow seems to help me relax more in the evening.
* The cafes of Brighton and London – I tend to get to places earlier than I need to, in case I get lost. Cafes have been a welcome shelter from the rain and source of caffeine fixes when I’ve turned up to court 45 minutes early!
* Injecting a little fun into the work outfits – a touch of sparkly eye shadow and my red bow necklace give a plain black suit a bit of personality without being too flashy for an office. I just need to train myself into the killer heels most female lawyers seem to wear painlessly every day!
I don’t think I’ll forget this week in a hurry, it’ll be a fixture of my CV for several years to come for a start! What’s made your weeks sparkle?
It’s great to read you’ve found your forte and enjoying it! Been thinking of taking up teaching but the courses have closed for this year
Fingers crossed for a mid year intake…
Sounds like an amazing week! So great you’ve found something you enjoy so much too!
so excited 
I’ve cut down a bit on work so I can focus on my own project (which has been on the back burner for FAR too long!), plus I’m off to Tokyo in a few weeks so i’m madly planning!
enjoy your weekend xxx
Is family law the area you are interested in for your own career?
I’m thinking about it. I think it’ll be so much more satisfying helping an individual than some faceless company. I enjoyed the injunctions in particular – harrowing though their stories were, it felt good to have helped protect someone, not just earn them a bit of cash.
I bought a few pairs of heels last year in an effort to try to make my personal aesthetic more feminine… but I just can’t do it. It’s not that I can’t walk in them, or that they’re particularly uncomfortable… they’re just not ME.
So this year, I’m planning on sticking to flats. Ballet flats, good old Converse sneakers, and black Docs. I feel so much more at ease in them.
Get your suits tailored! no one who looks smashing in their suit hasn’t had it tailor to them. it makes all the difference. shop around for a tailor too, go into neighborhoods near you where people regularly make or alter all there clothes. you will get a better price there.