InvestIN recently held the ‘The Young Lawyer’ programme for aspiring solicitors, barristers and 

everyone in between. Although I managed to lose my photo in the crowd of 500+ people, the experiences given were fascinating so I’m here to relive it!

 

Daunting, frightening and humbling. These are only a few words to describe the hypercompetitive university applications for a law degree. Unlike many other insights into a legal degree (believe me, I’ve suffered aplenty), InvestIN discarded the run-of-the-mill talks for interactive experiences and sessions in legal specialities from criminal law to family. Investin truly understands the humbling that abruptly slaps an A-level student, with perfect academics, in the face when they realise that hands-on knowledge from the industry is needed for a place at a selective university. 

 

Firstly Sharon Bates was murdered…

 

InvestIN had prepared the case of Sharon Bates through evidence, witness and suspect statements. The prime suspect goes by Stanley Bates the abusive and unfaithful husband of the victim. Students were asked to aid his prosecution and influence the jury into believing that he had all the reasons to murder his wife. However, we also played his defendants who vehemently argued to the jury that the witness and the police officer at the scene were biased against him. Unsurprisingly we acted as emotionless and neutral jurors to watch and learn the differences between open, closed, leading and non-leading questions in a real-life scenario. 

 

Did you know that a couple has to wait at least a year before getting divorced?

 

Next students watched a highly emotional divorce case made exponentially interesting by actors who played Mike and Melanie Mitchell. They’re a celebrity couple who are on the verge of divorcing after a 25-year long marriage however they’re unsure about dealing with their finances and children. While the children’s issues were quick to solve as maternal rights surpassed paternal rights, finances are much harder to deal with. We quickly learnt that in a family court, lawyers aren’t neck-to-neck with each other like in a criminal one it is much more mellow because it is about “coming to an agreement”. We as groups of lawyers for both parts of the couple explored ‘Should Mike pay alimony to Melanie for the rest of his life?’, the majority agreed no but I am once again a minority!

 

It was a captivating piece session and was the first piece of the industry for many people including myself. Don’t worry if any aspiring lawyers missed it, the summer experience is waiting for you!