The long, cold, road home

My search for a summer job in a legal office was what ended up with my successfully securing a co-op placement.  I began by sending out letters and resumés to every law office I could find in Cambridge whose website looked approachable.  I don't drive so I have limited choice - they either had to be in Cambridge town or not too far away from my home on bus routes.

The ones who acknowledged my application were:

• Matlow, Miller, Cummins, Thrasher LLP
• Bellin Law Office
• Pavey Law & Witteveen LLP
• Woynarski Szymura Kelly LLP (WSK Law)

The ones I never heard from were:

• Goad and Goad LLP
• HG Law
• Johnson McMaster Law Office
• Kinder Law Office

The one who contacted me and accepted me for a summer job was PSH Lawyers who let me sit in for their regular law clerk/receptionist who had gone off on long-term sickness for at least a month.

While I was working my summer job at PSH Lawyers, I got to do all sorts of scary things like answering the phone, preparing accounts (with Wordperfect and PC Law), accepting transactions using Lawyer Done Deal, typing routine correspondence, witnessing wills and opening files.  This was before we had moved onto any legal content.  I had only completed my first year!

While I was working at PSH Lawyers I got sick.  My doctor and several specialists couldn't find exactly what was wrong with me, so I have been and still am on the gradual road to recovery since May 2016.  I was in so much pain after my first month at PSH that I had to miss some days.  They were very patient with me throughout the experience.

During the time I was most sick, Stephen Penney from Lennox & Penney LLP was calling me and left me messages.  I didn't get back to him right away as I knew I was unwell and couldn't commit to anything with him, but then I remembered I would need to secure a co-op for the back end of my last semester.  I was planning on being well by then, so I returned his call and we set up a meeting.

Lennox & Penney LLP are based on King Street in Preston.  They have a modern office in what used to be a truck servicing shop so far as I remember from our conversation.  The old bare brick walls they have kept, along with chains hanging from the ceiling in the meeting room which used to be where the trucks would be hoisted, meshes really nicely with the modern feel of the clean lines, creams, and natural woods they have chosen for their reception area.  They have a large window which reception looks out of and is flooded by its light.  I would be very interested in doing a search through Teraview to find out the building's history as it looks like one of the older ones in the area.

Stephen and I met in their large meeting room after a tour of their offices which they were still renovating and making fit for their use.  Diane Piper, who graduated from the Office Administration - Legal program in 2015 works as a Legal Assistant / Receptionist there, and she put me immediately at ease.

Another reason for my being more relaxed during our meeting as I was unaware that Stephen was considering it an interview for a co-op placement!  Perhaps that meant I spoke a lot more comfortably than I might have done had I known better!

Stephen offered me a co-op position to start in April, and I am very excited to work with everyone. :)