I thought this week you might be interested on some of the views and experiences of a junior lawyer who has transitioned to a senior lawyer in Romania. I did not edit that much.
„I remember my first days at work as a junior lawyer, and I must say that I will never forget my first week at this job.
As in any other job areas, on my first day I met my new colleagues and they seemed to be very nice to me. That day I opened my first litigation file, with a real claimant and a real defendant. It was a divorce matter, between a young couple. Leaving aside the facts which I found interesting, I began to identify the legal issues and I was amazed to see how many legal matters may arise in such a case.
In the next weeks I began to have contact with the Romanian public authorities regarding different office matters. I went at the Court to check out some files where our firm was offering its legal services. That period was so difficult!!!
Where were all the things that I have imagined during the university? Our teachers were talking about these authorities and about the Court as an amazing place, especially an organized service. But I was spending three, maybe four hours every day waiting in the crowd, in order to see if the judge has drafted the sentence so I could copy it for the client, or for any other specific task.
If I was not waiting at a Court crowd, I was at different other public authorities, fighting with bureaucracy, or with annoyed ladies, as public servants, who most of the time were trying only to find problems regarding my file, instead of helping me solve the problem.
Time was passing; I started to learn how to handle the system and how to save time in order to satisfy our clients. I was getting confident, because now I knew tricks to out maneuver the bureaucracy.
After this step, it started the beautiful part of practicing law: I went in front of the Court, by myself, representing the clients. Although I was very nervous, I managed to hold my breath and put in practice the legal knowledge.
I commenced to offer legal assistance in business law, civil law, and fiscal law, of course under the supervision of senior lawyers in the office. I began to participate in meetings with our clients, which helped me a lot because I could understood the problems better.
I had to become more responsible, more careful and more organized. It is important for a lawyer to pay attention to the client`s request. If a lawyer fully understands what are the intentions of the client, he will save a lot of time, and he will be more efficient.
I learned so many new things after I started my consultancy practice. For example, I have learned how I should talk with the client, how should I explain him the legal risks when concluding a contract and also I have learned to listen. Often this way you really understand the client and his problems.
Another important aspect I learned during my stage is that a lawyer must inform his client regarding the progress of his file, step by step. This way he will have confidence, and will feel updated regarding the case. Keeping the contact with the client is essential in this business.
Now after the final bar exam, I am still working at Hammond Partnership, where I have found all the needed support in order to achieve all that I have achieved to date. I am surrounded by professionals and friends, always welcoming the challenge of a new mandate, new matters, new situations, new people and new characters.
As my professional life evolves I will always remember those first years and the friends and colleagues who helped me and I hope that when the opportunity arises I will help the new junior lawyers to attain there potential.”
