Dom, currently studying for his A-Levels, provides an account of his week at Matrix:
“My Work Experience at Matrix was truly a unique experience. I was given the opportunity to interact with top class barristers, of whom I would rarely be able to meet. They allowed me to watch many different cases covering a plethora of human rights law.
On Monday, we were taken to the High Court by Hugh Tomlinson QC, who was dealing with publicity laws around the phone hacking accusations; pertaining to the recent Leveson Inquiry. Later, I did some work with the Legal Information team drafting up a document on Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs), an area of law I had no previous knowledge of, which was an interesting insight into legal documents.
The next day, we were taken to the Royal Courts of Justice to witness a judicial review on the recent introduction of Employment Tribunal Fees. While it was occasionally hard to follow exactly the case, what we saw demonstrated the quality of the barristers at Matrix, all with exceptional advocacy skills.
We visited the Old Bailey on Wednesday, an intriguing experience due to the nature of the cases we spectated. We saw both part of the phone hacking scandal involving Rebekah Brookes, and a murder inquiry – a thrilling experience. Later that day, we engaged in an activity, based on actual events, which questioned whether someone was liable for Gross Negligence Manslaughter. This litigious issue was fun to grasp and consider all the possibilities.
On Thursday and Friday we were able to watch another judicial review, involving a citizen who was examined in an airport without consultation with a solicitor in person. In this case Danny Friedman QC claimed it was a breach of the claimants’ human rights. This was a really thought-provoking judicial review as the sentence in the Law regarding this right was so, apparently, ambiguous. I found this judicial review fascinating because it showed me what life as a barrister was really like and exactly what kind of work they do.
My time at Matrix Chambers has been motivational, as well as enjoyable, no doubt because of the other two people on the work experience with me. I am going to read Philosophy and Theology at University and so this experience has inspired me to consider a law conversion course after and go into a career at the Bar. I would recommend this work experience scheme to anyone considering a career in law, as it gives an informative experience of both law as a degree and a career, in the company of some of the top barristers in the UK.”