I arrived at Matrix chambers on the Monday morning and was kindly greeted by Lindsay who gave me an introduction and introduced me to the staff who work at Matrix Chambers.
When I arrived I was really nervous and taciturn however everyone was very welcoming and I was already allocated a desk, where I would complete majority of the tasks that had been set out for me. I sat adjacent to Amy and Alison who were very friendly and informative.
Ten minutes into my day I was taken to the Royal Courts of Justice by Rob who answered many of my queries. When I arrived I met Richard Hermer QC and Eleanor Mitchell. I sat at the back of the court room observing the case. Richard was very articulate and persuasive with his wording and I managed to follow the proceedings without being too perplexed. The case happened to be about the granting of witness anonymity and the timing of events. Watching the case unravel was really interesting. Whilst observing the case it helped me understand that law is a-lot more tedious than I first thought, especially the work that a barrister has to put in to get the outcome they desire. All my questions were answered by Eleanor who encouraged me to be more curious and helped me understand some of the facts and information entwined in the court case.
I was excited to progress through my time at Matrix and I had already learnt a-lot from Monday’s experience. Tuesday I read the skeleton argument for the court case and I managed to retrieve additional information to help me understand the court case. I was walked to court and I watched the commercial case which was led by Antony White QC. The case was very detailed, however it helped me realise that commercial law was not for me.
Wednesday was spent in the office and I had an introduction with a member of each team. It allowed me to understand some of the tasks that the staff come across on a daily basis. Amy explained to me what her job entitled her to do and how important her tasks were to Matrix. Amy took me to court so I could observe her fixing a case which is one of her many tasks. It enabled me to realise that without help barristers would struggle to efficiently do their jobs. Secondly, I sat with Matt and he explained his role was within Matrix and how his team worked. Matt had some very interesting points and past experiences which helped me to understand a different side of a law career. Tristan gave me a task to help me understand a small aspect of what his job involved and I found it very interesting.
Then I sat with Sabrina who is part of the fees and finance team and she helped me to understand how a barrister’s wage is accumulated and how important her job is. At the end of the day Steve who works in the practice team ‘T’ gave me a task involving extradition. He clearly explained to me how he dealt with extradition cases and was really informative.
Thursday I was taken to the Supreme Court so I could watch Hugh Southey QC, who was very easy to understand. Occasionally following the wording of a barrister can be challenging, but he was very simplistic with his words. The case was extremely fascinating as it was a criminal case. I came back to Matrix chambers later on in the day and carried on with other tasks.
To conclude my time at Matrix Chambers was thoroughly enjoyable. I have learnt many facts and it has enabled me to increase my knowledge in the law industry. Surrounded by friendly individuals who have took time out of their own schedules to cater for me. Coming to Matrix and meeting the dedicated staff members has allowed me to develop a deeper understanding of the law industry.