the daily snivel
Workin' for everyone but the Man.
It's strange being paid for something I'm so used to doing for free -- helping out clients at the Legal Aid Clinic. After eight months of being a harried law student in the Criminal Division, I received my first paycheque on Thursday. Now, it hasn't cleared yet (which reminds me that I'm due for a rant about the evils of a banking system that, despite the possibility of instant transfers from one account anywhere in this networked world to another, requires a 6 business day hold on a cheque), so I'm still technically poor, but the fact that there is notional money coming my way for all that running around I already have so much experience at is rather surreal. I suppose it must resemble the transition to becoming a paid sperm donor or a porn actor or something. "Wow! I get a little bit of money for something I usually do for absolutely nothing!"
Truth be told, this is actually my dream job. I sent out articling applications for next year to twelve different Ottawa firms because there's simply no pride or being choosey when it comes to getting a position that is required for being called to the Bar, but the Clinic was the only place I applied to for this summer because it was the only legal job I wanted to work at this summer. I really enjoy working for clients who comprise such a diverse and deserving segment of the public -- if we weren't doing this work, there's a good chance no one would. The University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic is the only Clinic in Ottawa that practices criminal law, for example. If you were charged with theft and didn't qualify for legal aid funding to hire a private lawyer, or could otherwise find a criminal lawyer who was willing to take your case on pro bono, you'd probably be stuck if we weren't there.
My partner in the Criminal Division is fantastic. We really work well together because we're both committed to criminal law and also working with disadvantaged clients, and because our strengths and weaknesses really offset each other. We both work hard and have great research and advocacy skills, though he's more outgoing than I am and I'm probably a little more fastidious, and we're benefitting from exposure to different working styles. We also have a new student working with us -- he officially belongs to the Aboriginal Legal Services Division, but his caseload is low right now so he's also taken on a good number of Criminal Division files and is learning the ropes from us. The weird thing is that, although he just finished his first year of law school, he's a mature student who has already been a teacher, and is quite a few years older than I am. It's kind of odd having someone ask you all these questions and look up to you when he's already been on his own as a professional and has ten years more life experience than you do. He's really quick to learn, though, and asks smart questions -- by which I mean: he picks up on issues he needs to learn about and asks questions about them. There are no dumb questions in this job since the learning curve is so steep and because constant inquisitiveness and an attention to detail is essential to getting things done right and without a wisp of negligence.
Right now I'm carrying a caseload of about twenty files, which is a little busy but fortunately they're giving us the time we need to work on them all now that training is done. For the past two weeks, we've spent six hours a day in training sessions and learning the finer points of everything from interviewing to limitation dates to the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Law Society of Upper Canada. It was seen as a good idea to make the returning caseworkers go through the lengthy training as well, because there have been some changes to Clinic procedures and practices, and because it's natural to pick up bad habits over the year and this way we're set straight. I certainly a learned a few things that I hadn't know about before, like what official password I should use when I password-protect a client file (which, by necessity, is kept confidential on a secure server). Little things but important things. The difference between good client service and negligence is an attention to detail. Of course, I also got to do a little training, myself. As returning caseworkers, we got to lead our new duckies around the Provincial Courthouse for a formal tour and we had them "shadow" us when we made appearances on behalf of clients at remand court. We were also able to train them by performing mock court appearances so they know what to expect when they go to court themselves. Now that training is winding down, however, I'm finally able to turn my full time and attention to my clients, which is a relief because there are a lot of them. I've already been to court several times since summer employment began (I'll be back again on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings), and there's an awful lot to get done this week.
On a sort of aside, this week my friend received the new Hayden CD that I'd pre-ordered for her on the occasion of her 31st birthday. I hear it's very, very good, and was pleased to know that my friend was listening to it while preparing her articling applications. I'm going to have to get a copy for myself. I'm actually sort of curious to wonder whether she got a gander at this blog. I explained to her and some other friends while we were out one night that I published my journal on-line (in contrast to my friend, who is so private she keeps her diary in a fireproof safe), and subsequently let slip that I'd always regretted giving her the impression I was arrogant and cocky when I wrote a big book o' Rob for her to help her learn more about me during that awkward time when I attempted to woo her. I explained that I was simply prone to self-disclosure, and not someone who thought so highly of himself that he would brag. I put it all in here -- the good and the bad and the truly mundane. I mention this with some trepidation, because if she read it, she would know how I felt about her. Though perhaps it's not really a secret.
Finally:
There are two movies I can heartily recommend to you this week: The Triplets of Belleville, and Bubba Ho-Tep. The first is an amazing musical animated film produced as a joint venture between French and Québecois animators (there are no subtitles, however, so don't worry. There's not even enough dialogue to warrant them. The story tells itself). It is hilarious, and extremely well-produced. Bubba Ho-Tep is a Bruce Campbell movie (think back to Army of Darkness) and is all about an aging Elvis stuck in a rest home with a murderous soul-sucking mummy. Brilliant. Your local movie theatre may not be playing them, but if you have a repetoire theatre, find it and go check them out. A good video store should ultimately have both.
Truth be told, this is actually my dream job. I sent out articling applications for next year to twelve different Ottawa firms because there's simply no pride or being choosey when it comes to getting a position that is required for being called to the Bar, but the Clinic was the only place I applied to for this summer because it was the only legal job I wanted to work at this summer. I really enjoy working for clients who comprise such a diverse and deserving segment of the public -- if we weren't doing this work, there's a good chance no one would. The University of Ottawa Community Legal Clinic is the only Clinic in Ottawa that practices criminal law, for example. If you were charged with theft and didn't qualify for legal aid funding to hire a private lawyer, or could otherwise find a criminal lawyer who was willing to take your case on pro bono, you'd probably be stuck if we weren't there.
My partner in the Criminal Division is fantastic. We really work well together because we're both committed to criminal law and also working with disadvantaged clients, and because our strengths and weaknesses really offset each other. We both work hard and have great research and advocacy skills, though he's more outgoing than I am and I'm probably a little more fastidious, and we're benefitting from exposure to different working styles. We also have a new student working with us -- he officially belongs to the Aboriginal Legal Services Division, but his caseload is low right now so he's also taken on a good number of Criminal Division files and is learning the ropes from us. The weird thing is that, although he just finished his first year of law school, he's a mature student who has already been a teacher, and is quite a few years older than I am. It's kind of odd having someone ask you all these questions and look up to you when he's already been on his own as a professional and has ten years more life experience than you do. He's really quick to learn, though, and asks smart questions -- by which I mean: he picks up on issues he needs to learn about and asks questions about them. There are no dumb questions in this job since the learning curve is so steep and because constant inquisitiveness and an attention to detail is essential to getting things done right and without a wisp of negligence.
Right now I'm carrying a caseload of about twenty files, which is a little busy but fortunately they're giving us the time we need to work on them all now that training is done. For the past two weeks, we've spent six hours a day in training sessions and learning the finer points of everything from interviewing to limitation dates to the Rules of Professional Conduct of the Law Society of Upper Canada. It was seen as a good idea to make the returning caseworkers go through the lengthy training as well, because there have been some changes to Clinic procedures and practices, and because it's natural to pick up bad habits over the year and this way we're set straight. I certainly a learned a few things that I hadn't know about before, like what official password I should use when I password-protect a client file (which, by necessity, is kept confidential on a secure server). Little things but important things. The difference between good client service and negligence is an attention to detail. Of course, I also got to do a little training, myself. As returning caseworkers, we got to lead our new duckies around the Provincial Courthouse for a formal tour and we had them "shadow" us when we made appearances on behalf of clients at remand court. We were also able to train them by performing mock court appearances so they know what to expect when they go to court themselves. Now that training is winding down, however, I'm finally able to turn my full time and attention to my clients, which is a relief because there are a lot of them. I've already been to court several times since summer employment began (I'll be back again on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings), and there's an awful lot to get done this week.
On a sort of aside, this week my friend received the new Hayden CD that I'd pre-ordered for her on the occasion of her 31st birthday. I hear it's very, very good, and was pleased to know that my friend was listening to it while preparing her articling applications. I'm going to have to get a copy for myself. I'm actually sort of curious to wonder whether she got a gander at this blog. I explained to her and some other friends while we were out one night that I published my journal on-line (in contrast to my friend, who is so private she keeps her diary in a fireproof safe), and subsequently let slip that I'd always regretted giving her the impression I was arrogant and cocky when I wrote a big book o' Rob for her to help her learn more about me during that awkward time when I attempted to woo her. I explained that I was simply prone to self-disclosure, and not someone who thought so highly of himself that he would brag. I put it all in here -- the good and the bad and the truly mundane. I mention this with some trepidation, because if she read it, she would know how I felt about her. Though perhaps it's not really a secret.
Finally:
There are two movies I can heartily recommend to you this week: The Triplets of Belleville, and Bubba Ho-Tep. The first is an amazing musical animated film produced as a joint venture between French and Québecois animators (there are no subtitles, however, so don't worry. There's not even enough dialogue to warrant them. The story tells itself). It is hilarious, and extremely well-produced. Bubba Ho-Tep is a Bruce Campbell movie (think back to Army of Darkness) and is all about an aging Elvis stuck in a rest home with a murderous soul-sucking mummy. Brilliant. Your local movie theatre may not be playing them, but if you have a repetoire theatre, find it and go check them out. A good video store should ultimately have both.
