Smugness

[liadnan]

People become lawyers, and particularly barristers or litigation orientated solicitors, for a wide variety of reasons, including many lofty and principled ones. However, I have to confess that as far as I'm concerned, the sheer sensation of winning a fairly big and hard fought case that might well have gone the other way and then hammering the opposition on costs when your opponent was assuming they were actually going to get their costs even if we won, and then, frankly, looking at the draft invoice for your brief fee and refreshers before it goes out, is pretty hard to beat.

I hasten to add that I do have lofty and noble principles as well. It's just I quite like winning, and also being paid...

Comments

[anarcha.livejournal.com]

Hoo-hah. Winning is indeed fun.

[knell.livejournal.com]

I thought there was a lofty and honourable tradition among barristers that you never actually *got* paid, though?

[liadnan]

It happens, and there's a limited amount that one can do about it at the moment, for reasons that make little sense and would be excessively tedious to explain. Those who instructed me on this case have always been extremely good about paying though, plus the outcome of the particular case is that the clients, in the person of their solicitors, now have control of an existing pot of cash that's been in litigation limbo for the last couple of years, and therefore no excuse for not paying me from it forthwith.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Winning is good indeed. Congratulations. :)

[knell.livejournal.com]

Yup, you explained to me how these things work at your housewarming, IIRC. You may have been vair' drunk at the time.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

Are you litigation oriented?

Was it just you on your side or did you have a side kick or were you a side kick?

[legionseagle.livejournal.com]

Oh, wonderful! Similar conditions (mutatis mutandis, of course) once led to me and two others sitting on top of the telephone hoods in Covent Garden reciting Improvisations on Julius Caesar. Boy, were we wellied. But it was a famous victory.

[liadnan]

Won against the pre-eminent expert in her field without an expert of my own (I may tell you that story sometime, but not here) too. Much of the evening post judgment is a little hazy.

[liadnan]

All me (and the sol behind me of course). Well, I had my own sidekick, a pupil, which was actually quite handy as she took brilliant notes.

I am indeed mostly about the litigation, though I also do some non-contentious things to do with (a) companies and (b) capital taxation.

[liadnan]

Expert witness I mean, obvs. Handwriting,

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hypatia_/]

expert witness => expert in field...?

Congratulations, more diamonds for the best beloved, the story of how the Pashazade filled the jewellery box.

[pashazade.livejournal.com]

You are someone of remarkable judgment and clarity and Liadnan should pay you great and reverent attention.

[deililly.livejournal.com]

*chuckle*

Yeah, first thing I thought well behind 'ooh well done') was 'hey that'll pay for some shinies!' :P

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hypatia_/]

I do my best, I'll remind him to curtsey next time we meet... Alas I couldn't make the spring barbecue on Sunday or we could have discussed the fine tradition of assigning a percentage of one's income to the best beloved's jewellery box. Since precious metals, gems and higher value pieces constitute one of the more reliable long term investments I like to give this advice to all the newly affianced :-)