Monday 24 November 2008

Pupillage Interviews - Advice #1

Some advice from a barrister lecturer.

- Do not say "urm" in an interview. They will be checking your fluidity of speech and perhaps even counting how many times you say "um", "ah" or "er" This apparently is just for first round interviews to weed out people...

Exercise:
Get your friend to ask you a general question or like poor old Anna on the barristers got asked "Sum up your life in two minutes, focusing on the high points?" (WTF) Have your reply and see how many times you say UM or Ah.

This could be complete trite, however barrister lecturer says I need to do it. Also look at poor Anna's performance, getting slapped in the face for putting on a slightly different voice, how fucking trivial, but if you put on a different voice and they reject you, there is a possibility of rejection for saying "Um"


Oh and Anna to give consent is normally measured by looking to see if they have Gillick competence ;) Children under 16 don't have gillick competence, 16 yr olds have quasi-competence but cannot refuse live saving treatment.. oh I've learnt something.

7 comments:

Minx said...

My Dear Lost,

Your barrister lecturer is spot on with respect to "erm", "um" and their hideous cousins "like" and " you know" . Sling in "at the end of the day" and I'd say you'd be pretty much sunk!!

I dont think putting on a fake voice is a trivial issue to be honest; barristers dont set out to be comedians in court and you want nothing to diminish your argument. We stand up for justice, not laughs, do we not?

I think the case the poor girl was referring to was of an adult female with a learning age of 6 years on whose behalf a declaration was sought from the high court that her sterilisaton would be lawful/necessary and in her best interests. Of course, now that there is the Mental Capacity Act, these issues are clearer.

You are totally there with Gillick though - I can never get my head around that wretched case!

Lost said...

How is teaching medicial negligence going by the way?

Medical Law is coo-el. If not unnecessarily long Ms Jackson should have written a shorter book. I think she did it on purpose, knowing that I would never turn up to seminars in the first year so as my PT decided to punish me..

barboy said...

Erms and ums do have a habit of creeping in; even Barack Obama, when not having the benefit of being able to do his stump speech, tends to falter and lawyers seem to think he is a good orator. But, I'm with Minx, utter "like", "you know" and similar, and you may as well fetch your coat.

Poppy said...

Having watched Richmond's comments, i think the "silly voice" issue was actually more about Anna not carrying through her serious arguments properly, than being a comedienne; It was more about her having inner confidence enough to not seek reassuring laughs when she was saying something that could be a great argument.

A hard thing to achieve but actually quite insightful from Richmond, I thought...

Android said...

Good advice...

I actually count people's 'ums' and 'erms' at work when I'm bored. :D

Bar or Bust said...

Actually Gillick competence is specifically for under 16 year olds. You are right that a minor can not refuse treatment, however Gillick says that a minor may consent to treatment when they can understand the nature of the treatment and the consequences.

What was actually the point of the question was is it right for those who have no ability to consent to be forced to go through with medical procedures because it is considered to be "in the best interest" of the patient. All about autonomy and the such like.

Lost said...

im sure you would have done a lot better than I then if you were asked that question bob.