Classes, studying, tests, more studying, exams, more studying … and then suddenly, before you know it, you are a professional who knows basically nothing.
As law students, we spend years regurgitating legal principles, memorising case law and convincing ourselves that we are ready to take on the legal world. However, legal practice has a way of humbling a candidate attorney in short order. Whether you graduated summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or even just “thank you laude,” we all find ourselves in the same place: starting from the bottom, in a new environment and hoping that our knowledge and experience from university will suffice.
My first 8 months in the Dispute Resolution Department at Adriaans Attorneys have taught me that there is a distinct difference between knowing the law and practising it. If an LLB teaches you the theory, practice teaches you everything else. Working in litigation means that every day presents a new challenge. One moment, I am drafting; the next, I am appearing. This is all while corresponding and communicating with clients, opponents and Sheriffs and whatever other attendances my seniors require of me. Let’s not forget the weekly quests to conquer the maze of the High Court, where your LLB knowledge bears no weight and you swiftly find out how crucial it is to build relationships with the clerks.
With each step, a new rule, deadline or procedural requirement emerges and very quickly one realises that what appears to be a minor detail can have significant consequences. Thus far, my experience in this type of fast paced and detail-orientated environment has
changed me for the better. It has compelled me to become more thorough and more meticulous in my work. However, this growth has not come without moments of uncertainty – especially the kind of moments where one reads an email three times before sending it and then reads it another three times after it has been sent! Throughout this process, I have come to appreciate that in this position of uncertainty, it is my responsibility to not let the pressure consume me but rather as the old saying goes “allow pressure to make diamonds”.
As if adjusting to practice was not challenging enough, the first few months of my articles coincided with me preparing and writing the board examinations. Balancing academic content overload with fulltime work meant that some days felt longer than 24 hours. It required me to develop a new level of self-discipline and resilience that I never knew I possessed.
There will always be deadlines and clients and colleagues to not let down; thus, this period has instilled in me a strong sense of accountability and resilience which has encouraged me to approach all my tasks with increased intention every day. Ultimately, these are lessons I will carry with me for the rest of my legal career.
Upon personal reflection, my journey thus far has been filled with a variety of lessons, but one in particular has stayed with me.
The Sponge Lesson: on my very first day, a Senior Associate at the firm gave me a simple piece of advice: “Jordan, be a sponge.” At the time, I thought it was an interesting choice of words. Three months later, it had become my mantra as a Candidate Attorney. When most people think of a sponge, they think of cleaning up messes and doing the dirty work. To be fair, being a Candidate Attorney involves an abundance of administrative tasks, long days and late nights feel like they have no end; it also includes responsibilities that do not seem like they rightfully fit the LinkedIn job description.
However, this is where the lesson proved to be apt, as the real value of a good sponge is how much it absorbs.
For me, being a Candidate Attorney has been about absorbing as much knowledge, experience and wisdom as possible from the people around me. I’ve realised very quickly that every attorney, paralegal, member of the administrative team, support staff member, court clerk and sheriff has something valuable to teach me. This could not hold more truth to my experience at Adriaans Attorneys, as the culture of the firm has provided me with the foundations for success. As so far, every matter, consultation, interaction, instruction and even lunch break has presented an opportunity to learn something new.
Furthermore, these eight months have also taught me not to dwell on mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable, the important part is learning from them, correcting them and using them as opportunities for growth. As my articles have progressed, my focus has shifted away from what I already know from university and towards everything I have yet to learn in practice.
The more I have embraced the mindset of being a sponge, the more rewarding the experience has become. While I still have much to learn, I am grateful for the opportunities, guidance and experiences that these first few months at Adriaans Attorneys have provided. If the first few months have taught me anything, it is that growth comes from remaining curious, staying teachable and embracing every opportunity to learn. For the remainder of my clerkship, I plan to keep asking questions, keep producing results and, most importantly, to keep being a sponge.
By Jordan Meyer
Candidate Attorney
While every reasonable effort is taken to ensure the accuracy and soundness of the contents of this publication, neither writers of the articles nor the publisher will bear any responsibility for the consequences of any actions based on information or recommendations contained herein. Our material is for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice.
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