A Day in the Life of an HFW Trainee

Conor McIntosh

08:45

I arrive at the office, log on my computer and review any emails that have come through overnight. I am working on a case with a partner in South Korea, so I check to see what he has sent me during his working day. I go and get a coffee and chat with an associate in my team. 

09:30

Twice a week we have a whole department meeting at 9:30. Today however I just call the partner in Korea. We talk over where our research has reached and what amendments he would like me to make to my drafted advice. I follow up by checking in when he would like me to update him concerning progress, and action his revisions. 

11:00

The team has an arbitration hearing coming up, and I am in charge of managing the digital bundle. Due to Covid-19 the hearing is occurring remotely, and previously I have sat in on all the hearing days. I liaise with an associate on the case about what documents are needed for the Bundle. I then contact our QC acting on the case to get some of his sources, before engaging with research to secure our wider case sources. I regularly talk with the associate throughout the day about how best to prepare the Bundle, and we both exchange ideas on what would be most appropriate. 

13:00 

I head out to lunch with another group of trainees. It's sunny so we decide to sit in the firm's garden. 

13:45

Following lunch, I have a call with another associate in the department. He instructs me to write the first draft of a witness statement for an upcoming adjudication. He shows me a previous example of witness statements he has drafted and sends me the recording he has taken of the witness interview. We discuss what I should draw from the interview and what style a formal witness statement should take. I watch the interview back and take notes, and start drafting the statement. 

16:00

I get a call from a senior associate who isn't working in the office today. They would like me to conduct some research for a note they are sending to a client on a non-contentious matter. I use online resources and some hard copy books from the firm and department libraries. I email my findings across to the associate.

17:30 

We have some bundles to send out to Counsel ahead of a hearing coming up in a few weeks. A get a call from an associate to prepare the bundle documents and check their accuracy. I have worked on the matter before, so I know where all the documents are. I use the firm data base to check the house style and print all the documents. I then head downstairs and courier off the bundle, checking through the documents one more time for accuracy. 

17:30 

We stop for the day and have a quick de-brief with the client's representatives. As there are still a lot of claims to review, we agree to come in earlier tomorrow morning. I walk back to the office with the two associates.

19:15

I round off my first draft of the witness statement. I don't send it to the associate yet as I want to have another read over before I submit tomorrow. I check my time submissions for the day and sign off. I message some of the other trainees in the office today and we head for some drinks at a nearby pub.