Careers Advice
^ TOPSir Basil Markesinis QC,
On Tuesdays, like most lawyers, I read the legal section in The Times. Yesterday in the piece by Edward Fennell, when talking about having read the latest book by Professor Sir Basil Markesinis QC, Good and Evil in Art and Law, he describes Sir Basil as "probably the most lauded and decorated legal academic in Europe or, indeed, in America ".
Nor is that an exaggeration. In addition to receiving his knighthood for his services in connection with the law, in January of this year Sir Basil was awarded one of France's highest honours, the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit. Created by President Gaulle in 1963, Sir Basil is one of only a handful of Englishman ever to receive the honour.
^ TOPTutor
Sir Basil (or Basil as he then was) was one of my tutors at Trinity College Cambridge. He was learned, interesting and likeable. I have never met him since I left Cambridge, although he was a recent annual speaker at the Denning Society of which I am a member (open to those who have certain forms of scholarship at Lincoln's Inn). I had hoped to see Sir Basil then, but unfortunately court commitments meant that I could not attend.
^ TOPUniversity changes
I am afraid at university I spent a lot more time on social activities and debating than on the law, to which I devoted virtually no time at all. That is not an example to be followed in the present climate. In my day the University operated on the basis that people of ability would eventually discover an interest in the subject, or at least would develop their mental faculties, and so should be left to proceed at their own pace. Nowadays students who do not put the effort in are just expelled.
Sir Basil was amazingly tolerant of the fact that (since I had rarely read the papers) I could not really contribute to the legal discussions. Even more tolerant in that my contributions were always witticisms to make everyone laugh. Rather than telling me off, he laughed with the rest.
^ TOPTutorial excuse
I remember once missing a tutorial. Sir Basil had wonderful rooms that looked out over Trinity "backs", the lawned areas around the river. I had been out, and when I returned had in fact felt a little unwell (an unsurprising consequence of staying out all night when you had not felt brilliant the day before). I therefore missed the tutorial a few hours later.
When I attended the next tutorial, I apologised to St Basil and said that I had not been well and that was why I had missed the previous one. "Very well" he said. After a pause he added "I have to say that when I had looked out of my windows towards the river that morning at 7 a.m. and saw you returning on the path that leads from the women's college apartment block, you had a definite spring in your stride and seemed fighting fit to me.". Having made his point, he took no further action.
^ TOPCareer advice
At the end of my final year I had a brief chat with Sir Basil about what career I should consider. I liked Sir Basil, and was confident that despite my indolence as a pupil he liked me. From having met me on a variety of occasions and circumstances I felt he knew me quite well. He was also an extremely talented and bright lawyer and therefore seemed the perfect person to talk to, particularly since I knew (as the previous paragraph shows) that he would be more than frank.
"Life is very unfair." He said to me. "I have students who have worked very hard, and you do just as well despite doing virtually nothing. There is no doubting your intellectual ability. However you do not really seem interested in the law, and the law is no career for someone who is not committed to it. In your case I would recommend a career in light entertainment.".
^ TOPLoving the law
As it happened, a combination of three things made me go to the Bar. A well-meaning talk by a barrister telling us that if you had no money you should not go to the Bar (I don't like being told that I can't do something). My best friend going to Lincoln's Inn. A desire to be the first professional in the family.
As it happens at the same time my interest in the law started. If you aren't interested in the law you won't enjoy the work, and if you don't enjoy the work the amount you have to do would make your life a complete misery.
Thus although my career has worked out, the advice Sir Basil gave me was exactly correct. If my interest in the law had stayed the way it was at university, my legal career would have been a disaster. I still sometimes wonder what would have happened though if I had taken his advice!