​The Secret Diary of a Lawyer: How to Survive and Thrive in a City Law Firm

Do you remember the joy and relief of getting your first real job in the law? In my day it was an offer of articles after sending loads of letters, all written by hand, containing photocopied CVs. Having landed a job – and yes I think it has always been hard to make a start in the law – how do you survive?

This is a delightful book about the early days and years of a person’s career in a City law firm. The main issues are how to seem keen and intelligent but not get overwhelmed with work or fall flat on your face. It would be interesting to know much more about the writer’s career and work and how it has progressed.

Her advice for entrants to the legal profession is always ‘under promise and over deliver’; not a bad rule to live by. Much better than the reverse I suppose!

How does the trainee or novice negotiate the challenges of the working environment? The scary associates and partners, the personal assistants and secretaries who are part of the building and know everything and everyone. Life in a City firm must be a bit like the life for the contestants on The Apprentice, all desperate to be kept on while trying to promote themselves and tempted to do their colleagues down.

The book has descriptions of all-nighters and the office hierarchies which we all endure in many firms. Legal life can be the slippery pole Disraeli described when writing about politics. My guess is that career progression is more difficult now than it was. At least we have gone beyond issues such as whether BlackBerry phones were liberating or not. Nowadays younger people seem to survive on fizzy drinks and, according to the book, lunch is still for wimps. However the author finds time for life outside work, holidays and also some pro bono work.  

This book is set in a City firm which is a world away from the high street. My office cafeteria and in-house gym seem to be closed at the moment!

Despite the fact that the book is about mega-deals and commercial work, there is a huge amount in it for any lawyer whether you are the scary senior, intimidating associate, young partner or a trainee. I am sure there is much more to come from the author.

David Pickup is a partner at Pickup & Scott Solicitors, Aylesbury