Here is the background:
- Max went to law school in England.
- Max was already 36 when she started law school, and 38 when she finished.
- Max did not get a training contract in England and so is not on her way to becoming a fully qualified English solicitor.
- Max instead returned to Prague and has been working in a PSL (professional support lawyer) capacity. Being a native speaker of English with law qualifications has allowed Max to create a fairly unique niche for herself here. Max has been pretty happy with the way things have worked out.
Sudden turn of events:
I started work with a new firm last week. This week, my handler (the junior partner with whom I share a luxurious cubicle) announced to me that she is talking to the Czech Chamber of Advocates (Bar Association) about getting me qualified as a Czech advokรกt, i.e. admitted to the bar.
Because the Czech Republic is now in the EU, I am protected by mutual recognition of academic qualifications regulations, and they have to accept my English law diplomas over here. Therefore, if I do my 3 years of training as a koncipientka (trainee), working in Czech law, which is exactly what I am doing now anyway, I will be eligible to take the Czech bar exam in 2008 or 2009.
I have already taken and passed my English exams because they do things in a different order over there. I loathe the thought of another set of exams. Czech exams will entail 3 days of written exams + 2-3 hours of oral exams, and it will all be in Czech. But I guess that if I am offered the opportunity, I am going to have to do it. It would be a bit lazy not to.
5 comments:
Wow! Go for it!
Do it MM! You big-brained goddess!
You think you'll live that long? I mean 2-3 yrs is a long time for someone in your age group.
AG, TM - thanks for the encouragement.
SS - thanks for the practical approach. At least I would avoid the exams.
Maybe I missunderstood but from what I know having worked at a top british firm for 3 years, foreign lawyers who took the czech bar exam told me it was a peice of cake and not many of them studied for it. This of course depends if you are considered as a foreign lawyer. Anyhow, quotting Ben Stiller's character in starsky and hutch DO IT! you lazy shit!
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