Europe UL

“Order at the court!” The gavel hits, and the day is over. You would think the world of law is all about high-stakes, dramatic dramas and dramatic speeches. But that’s only scratching the surface. Let me give you a quick tour of my day working as a criminal defense lawyer in Haitch Legal Melbourne.

The alarm sounds at 5:30 AM. My first witness for the day is a cup of coffee, black and no sugar. My schedule looks like it is packed into a sardine-can. First up, client meetings. One case involves a man who says he was falsely accused by the new partner of his ex. “It’s not me,” he insists with eyes wide in desperation.

I take notes on the shorthand, which only I am able to read later. It’s not only about what’s said, it’s also about how it’s said–the hesitations, the pauses. They can reveal much more than just words.

By 8 AM, I was at the courthouse to attend a pre-trial. The prosecutor shows up late again, and we exchange pleasantries colder than a winter in Antarctica. We haggle like two traders at a market, each trying for the best price.

It’s back to the office for paperwork by 10:00AM! Although not glamorous or exciting, drafting motions and reviewing files are essential. A comma in a period can make a huge difference to someone’s life.

Lunch? What lunch do you have? It will be a sandwich on my desk while I go through depositions with witnesses who have different memories of events every time.

A bail hearing is scheduled for 1:00 PM. My client is anxious; his hands shake as if they were leaves in a hurricane while he awaits his name. “Just breathe,”I tell him softly. I’m mentally going over every argument I plan to make before the court.

The courtroom is number five. I have come to know it better than my home. The judge is looking at us over her glasses. She doesn’t tolerate fools.

The hearing is a success, and the bail conditions are stricter than Grandma’s cookie recipes but still manageable.

After midday I meet with clients again, this time to talk about a client who is accused of embezzlement. He claims that it was an accounting problem. He has more holes in his story than Swiss cheese but that’s the reason I’m there–to sift and find something solid.

The late afternoon is filled with more phone calls and document reviews. Experts speak in a thick jargon you’d have to use a machete for.

As the evening approaches, we meet for drinks with our colleagues. It is a time to unwind and to swap war stories. We all lean in, like children at a campfire, to hear the ghost story.

Then I might get home around 9:00 PM (if I’m fortunate) or later, if there is an urgent situation. The only thing I can eat is what’s left over in the fridge. Or maybe some takeout, if you’re feeling fancy.

It’s important to check your emails before going to bed. Legal emergencies don’t follow business hours. After midnight, the lights go out and thoughts turn to tomorrow’s challenges.

Every decision we make can have a real impact on our lives.