Qualifications

[MC SoD]

Can we get the quals of the mods pls?

Do you specialise, and which State were you admitted in and which year?

private practice? Small or large firms etc

Ta (helps to put advice in context)
MODS:

Sagacious:
LLB, accredited mediator
Admitted in QLD and in HC of A
Has been admitted 10 years and running own practice for 6
(Crime, Conveyancing, Personal Injuries, Criminal Compensation, Bankruptcy, Family)

VALUED CONTRIBUTORS:

SinyMetalASS:
Articled Clerk (Soon to be solicitor)
LLB
(Property, Tax/Revenue, Estate Planning, Commercial Law)

sneagleman
admitted to practice in California for over twenty years, but does not handle divorce or criminal law.

Girl
Uni Student studying Law...prefers not to be involved.

[Sagacious]

Can we get the quals of the mods pls?

Do you specialise, and which State were you admitted in and which year?

private practice? Small or large firms etc

Ta (helps to put advice in context)
First things first the advice given is general generic advice not advice specific to the querists circumstances as that is impossible in this medium except in very limited circumstances. The advice given is intended to start the querist on their own train of inqiry so that means you have to reasearch your own problem yourself or get your lawyer to do it the forum is just for us to offer pointers to you in terms of a general feel for the answer to any particular query.

All care but no responsibility on the part of the mods or ZGeek.

Second I am a lawyer admitted in Queensland and in the High Court of australia so that means I do Qld stuff like crime conveyancing personal injuries criminal compensation etc and Federal stuff like Bankruptcy and Family Law

This year I'll be admitted 10 years and have been running my own practice for 6 years.

I have an LLB and am an accredited mediator.

enough quals?

[Reprobate]

Can we get the quals of the mods pls?

Do you specialise, and which State were you admitted in and which year?

private practice? Small or large firms etc

Ta (helps to put advice in context)

Someone should sticky this thread for this forum.

And while dwarfthrowers comments are funny (really did make me laugh) i'd suggest deleting everyones post in this here thread that isn't relevant. Including mine.

I'd suggest that MC SoD you format mods responses and put it in your first post. kind of like what SOC does with the Dead Pool, so people can get a quick gander at what's what and who's who.

I nominate that Sagacious be made a mod of this forum.

And that the forum is policed the same way Druid does with the technical forum. keep out the idiots. delete any responses that are deemed as being idiot-worthy. throw in a rep- on their arse too. and a days ban if they decide to rep- the mod in retaliation.

Maybe even block the forum against brand spanking new newbies. eg: they need 100 posts before being able to get access to the forum. an added measure of security just in case.

[MC SoD]

First things first the advice given is general generic advice not advice specific to the querists circumstances as that is impossible in this medium except in very limited circumstances. The advice given is intended to start the querist on their own train of inqiry so that means you have to reasearch your own problem yourself or get your lawyer to do it the forum is just for us to offer pointers to you in terms of a general feel for the answer to any particular query.

All care but no responsibility on the part of the mods or ZGeek.

Second I am a lawyer admitted in Queensland and in the High Court of australia so that means I do Qld stuff like crime conveyancing personal injuries criminal compensation etc and Federal stuff like Bankruptcy and Family Law

This year I'll be admitted 10 years and have been running my own practice for 6 years.

I have an LLB and am an accredited mediator.

enough quals?

Thanks for that

I think it's important to know, given the nature of the forum. A mini-CV is necessary.

[Sagacious]

thread has been stickied

[Reprobate]

I see that Sagacious and ShinymetalASS have been made mods. now howsabout MC SoD?

And maybe not make them mods but have them noted as being law students, if they do want to take part any discussions: Girl. and Whiskers?

Girl. was helpful with a heads up about a few things in concern with my fairly recent run in with a rather large law firm.

[Girl.]

I'd prefer not to be involved, to be honest -- for several reason, the main ones being that a) I'm still at Uni, and b) although I've started working for the firm I will work for next year as a graduate lawyer, my experience is in Planning and Environmental Law and commercial law such as Mergers and Acquisitions. I don't think that I would be particularly helpful in criminal/conveyancing/family matters.

Edit: but thanks for the kind words, darkside -- I'm happy to have helped.

[sneagelman]

I am admitted to practice in California for over twenty years, but do not handle divorce or criminal law (so that pretty much makes me useless for Zgeekers)

:smith:

[MC SoD]

I see that Sagacious and ShinymetalASS have been made mods. now howsabout MC SoD?


Thanks but no thanks

[Whiskers]

On a side note- what are sexy Shiny's qualifications?

[Girl.]

I thought Shiney was a qualified solicitor?

http://forums.zgeek.com/showpost.php?p=492693&postcount=10

[MC SoD]

I was just about to ask that... I thought that was a more recent post (the one you linked to) but then I remember I only started this thread a day or so ago

Wtf? There was a post here a minute ago where SMA said she was just an AC and asked why we need to give quals, then I posted to demonstrate the links between forums and mods, and what happened here?

[Sagacious]

Girl are you having difficulty reconciling http://forums.zgeek.com/showpost.php?p=492693&postcount=10 and

http://forums.zgeek.com/showpost.php?p=568907&postcount=22?

perhaps we should start an ethics thread.

Or perhaps she is so close to her admission she can taste it and for forum purposes it is an understandable exageration.

Que sera sera

[Sagacious]

I was just about to ask that... I thought that was a more recent post (the one you linked to) but then I remember I only started this thread a day or so ago

Wtf? There was a post here a minute ago where SMA said she was just an AC and asked why we need to give quals, then I posted to demonstrate the links between forums and mods, and what happened here?
Sorry there McSod I happened and have overzealoulsy perhaps moved some posts around to different threads

[MC SoD]

Girl are you having difficulty reconciling http://forums.zgeek.com/showpost.php?p=492693&postcount=10 and

http://forums.zgeek.com/showpost.php?p=568907&postcount=22?

perhaps we should start an ethics thread.

Or perhaps she is so close to her admission she can taste it and for forum purposes it is an understandable exageration.

Que sera sera

Sagacious, you make things so confusing moving posts during a convo :)

Sorry McSod still have my Mod L plates on.



No worries, I am up to date now. I wasn't confused for too long.

Yeah I can't resolve the AC/Sol thing, is it different in other States? Is SMA in Qld too?

[dwarfthrower]

for forum purposes it is an understandable exageration.

Que sera sera

Like that time I told everyone I had a mighty, fearsome and sturdy wang - when in fact it is merely fearsome and sturdy.

[Whiskers]

Sorry but I see a big difference between being an articled clerk and being a solicitor.

[Girl.]

Yeah, I'm a bit confused as well -- I've been studying College of Law and my law degree at the same time for the past year and a bit, so I'll be qualified in less than six months, but I obviously haven't been admitted yet and won't consider myself to be a solicitor until I am.

[Sagacious]

Sagacious, you make things so confusing moving posts during a convo :)

Yeah I can't resolve the AC/Sol thing, is it different in other States? Is SMA in Qld too?
Sorry McSod still have my Mod L plates on.

In Qld the way it runs is LLB + 2 or 5 years articles depending on whether full or part time LLB gives eligibility for admission.

Alternatively LLB + 12 months Grad. Dip. Legal Prac. gives eligibility for conditional admission (condition being that the practitioner remains an employed solicitor for 12 months and thereafter that condition is removed)

In order to practice on your own account (that is be a partner in a firm or a sole practitioner you need also a Grad. Cert. Prac. Mgmt. which is like one Unit of an MBA)

[MC SoD]

Or perhaps she is so close to her admission she can taste it and for forum purposes it is an understandable exageration.

Que sera sera


For forum purposes I am now a chief assistant in charge of managing and tabletop dancing

[Whiskers]

For forum purposes I am the bisexualol Prime Minister of Australia.

[Sagacious]

I obviously haven't been admitted yet and won't consider myself to be a solicitor until I am.

Sorry but I see a big difference between being an articled clerk and being a solicitor.

I cannot argue with those positions and indeed agree, however, in defence of SMA when asked her Quals in this forum where they are required to priovide context to the input SMA gives she has been scrupulously honest.

LLB, just about finished 2 years of Articles (since I was fortunate enough to be offered that position).

[Sagacious]

For forum purposes I am the bisexualol Prime Minister of Australia.
THe Chair recognises the Rt Hon Whiskers AC/DC PM

[Jimma]

For forum purposes I am in charge of disposing of the evidence and bodies...

[Sagacious]

So Whiskers and McSod Quals please for post validation purposes only.

[Whiskers]

Thank you. Honourable speaker, I would like to address an important issue here today. It appears as if this forum is riddled with lies, conspiracies and weapons of mass destruction. Did you know, Mr. Speaker, that these people would have you believe that they intend to keep interest rates low? Further, Mr. Speaker, in closing, the vibe of this speech is thusly stated- Bleck nigars must go back to China where the came from and in doing so they must stop polluting the minds of our innocent aryan children innocently playing innocent video games innocently.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

[Sagacious]

Thank you. Honourable speaker, I would like to address an important issue here today. It appears as if this forum is riddled with lies, conspiracies and weapons of mass destruction. Did you know, Mr. Speaker, that these people would have you believe that they intend to keep interest rates low? Further, Mr. Speaker, in closing, the vibe of this speech is thusly stated- Bleck nigars must go back to China where the came from and in doing so they must stop polluting the minds of our innocent aryan children innocently playing innocent video games innocently.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.
May I say Whiskers that is pure drivvel and totally incoherent. You must be close to graduation and will make a fine lawyer.

[MC SoD]

So Whiskers and McSod Quals please for post validation purposes only.

Well I've been tabletop dancing for about 2 years now.

I'd say it's getting pretty serious. I'm dancing for about 2 hours a day, so yeah, I'd say it's pretty serious.

But I'm just getting really tee oh'd right now cause she wont send me a full body shot.

[Whiskers]

I spoke to this guy called Spingo and he taught me how to take over stuff. So I was like- Hey Parliament, I'm going to be your leader. And they were all liek sif. And I was liek 'Yeah- ha.' And then Spingo zapped em and I was the Prime Minister.

[MC SoD]

I'm being considered for official parliamentary table top dancer.

I think I might be in, cause Whiskers asked me if I needed a bucket.

[Girl.]

I'm being considered for official parliamentary table top dancer.

I think I might be in, cause Whiskers asked me if I needed a bucket.

She never asked me if I needed a bucket :(

I feel so neglected and unloved.

[ShinymetalASS]

Yes, I'm an AC. From a practical point of view, this means I have been working in firms full time since graduating for about 18 months.

If anyone prefers I dont mod, then knock yourselves out. I'm happy to step aside for someone else.

I do have a degree. And the work I've done as stated in the other thread (somewhere) is work I have actually done.

P.S. The earlier reference to 'solicitor' was a heated response to a remark made by someone that I thought was a little presumptuous. My apologies. It can get very frustrating at times.

Anyway, I'm an easy going person who really doesn't mind one way or the other. Anything that is going to cause contention is best avoided at the start in my opinion.

Let me know.

[ShinymetalASS]

I've requested that I be removed as mod...... tis easier that way.

:D

cheers.

[MC SoD]

Why?

[dwarfthrower]

I think because everyone was crapping on as though it mattered.

[ShinymetalASS]

When I was asked to mod, I really just figured that this forum would be a general discussion type forum like the others.

And as if said, I'm a pretty easy going person and I'm not fussed one way or the other.

I'm always happier if everyone around me is, and I'm all about the love anyway :D

At the end of the day, it isn't important enough to me to argue the point, and I'm happy to step aside. Which I have. ;)

....... as I may or may not have mentioned, that just leaves more WoW time..... teehee

[MC SoD]

I don't know how you made the connection that you should step aside, not solicitor != not mod, but done is done.

[ShinymetalASS]

.... and now back to the wall....

:D

[DrDivad]

Stay a mod ya pansy!

[tikdoph]

I've twice in my life been accused of being a lawyer. Does that count? :P

P.S. I noticed that this thread has a "STEAMING HOT JUSTICE" icon. WTF does the law have to do with justice?? :P

[johny_roberts]

I've twice in my life been accused of being a lawyer. Does that count? :P

P.S. I noticed that this thread has a "STEAMING HOT JUSTICE" icon. WTF does the law have to do with justice?? :P

I thought that was twice you were accused of fucking sheep. And no that does not count....

[MC SoD]

P.S. I noticed that this thread has a "STEAMING HOT JUSTICE" icon. WTF does the law have to do with justice?? :P

Is anybody else reminded of "fresh hot wet cash... hot wet stinky cash"?

[tikdoph]

I thought that was twice you were accused of fucking sheep. And no that does not count....
Voice of experience, huh?

[Reprobate]

Yes, I'm an AC. From a practical point of view, this means I have been working in firms full time since graduating for about 18 months.

If anyone prefers I dont mod, then knock yourselves out. I'm happy to step aside for someone else.

I do have a degree. And the work I've done as stated in the other thread (somewhere) is work I have actually done.

P.S. The earlier reference to 'solicitor' was a heated response to a remark made by someone that I thought was a little presumptuous. My apologies. It can get very frustrating at times.

Anyway, I'm an easy going person who really doesn't mind one way or the other. Anything that is going to cause contention is best avoided at the start in my opinion.

Let me know.
Personally I wouldn't have a problem with you giving advice, depending of course if it's well within your scope of expertise.

Though with your background in Property, Tax/Revenue, Estate Planning, Commercial Law would have bugger all to do with me :p

Your experience and credentials would certainly 'qualify' you in my eyes as to the quality of the information you could give me in directing me in the right path to find out more. Just as if I were to give feedback to someone going through a family law matter that's anywhere similar to what happened to me i'm sure my almost five years experience with the system would be useful for them. which indeed In Real Life it has. i've given plenty of advice that has saved people time and money.

however, keeping modship to fully accredited and qualified solicitors is in my opinion for the best.

[Reprobate]

MC SoD, qualifications please?

[MC SoD]

MC SoD, qualifications please?

I refer you to my earlier post:

Well I've been tabletop dancing for about 2 years now.

I'd say it's getting pretty serious. I'm dancing for about 2 hours a day, so yeah, I'd say it's pretty serious.

But I'm just getting really tee oh'd right now cause she wont send me a full body shot.

That's what I'm talking about.

/end Napoleon Dynamite quote

[MC SoD]

. .

[Sagacious]

. .
Why so circumspect regarding your Qualifications McSoD? Where do you come to the discussion from?

[MC SoD]

Why so circumspect regarding your Qualifications McSoD? Where do you come to the discussion from?

Well that was a clever edit on my part :)

The post should say I'm doing CoL (College of Law) which is a graduate course done as an alternative to Articles, and will be admitted end of this year (mid-December). Sorry, nfi what happened earlier.

[Sagacious]

Well that was a clever edit on my part :)

The post should say I'm doing CoL (College of Law) which is a graduate course done as an alternative to Articles, and will be admitted end of this year (mid-December). Sorry, nfi what happened earlier.
NSW I presume? Or if I presume incorrectly which jurisdiction?

Also what areas do you hope to work in in practice?

Also where did you do your undergrad degree?

[MC SoD]

Just reread question and am editing so answer makes sense:
I live in Melbourne, so jurisdiction is Victoria (as of this year CoL offers direct admission).

Anything but family :)

University of Melbourne.

[Sagacious]

Anything but family

You are indeed wise as this decision will save you heaps in psychiatric consultations in years to come. :pir8dan:

[ShinymetalASS]

You are indeed wise as this decision will save you heaps in psychiatric consultations in years to come. :pir8dan:

Also highly recommended to avoid anything that requires dealings with banks and real estate agents. So if you are sans family and sans conveyancing you should stay psychologically fit. :D

[Sagacious]

Also highly recommended to avoid anything that requires dealings with banks and real estate agents. So if you are sans family and sans conveyancing you should stay psychologically fit. :D
Criminal Law can be interesting and fun particularly if you like stories about colourful characters and human stupidity

[MC SoD]

You are indeed wise as this decision will save you heaps in psychiatric consultations in years to come. :pir8dan:

Agreed. I know there's more of a slant toward mediation and counselling etc now, but the system is still so adversarial, you're bound to have children stuck in the middle even in the amiable situations, not to mention both parents losing so much in costs (one parent could just give up from the start and they could put the kid in private school for 12 years IMO and save all the hassle)... even if you succeed in achieving whatever residence/contact your client wants, how could you feel like a winner? Too much heartache involved and in the end, your best solution is an unhappy compromise cause some family is still broken apart. Good on the people who do it, but I don't have it in me to see it over and over again.

Criminal on the other hand? I could do that.

[Girl.]

Does anyone here have any experience with working for a commercial law firm?

[Sagacious]

Does anyone here have any experience with working for a commercial law firm?
My firm does some small scale commercial work

[Girl.]

My firm does some small scale commercial work

I meant more, I was after someone who has worked in a big commercial firm. I've accepted a job from one but lately I've been reading about/hearing from people who worked in such firms but found the working hours/lifestyle to be too harsh. It seems to be that most people who decide to work for the bigger firms only work there for a few years, then decide that they hate it.

I'm trying to tell myself that if I hate working there as a solicitor, I can always leave, but it'd be nice to talk to someone who has first-hand experience.

[Reprobate]

Well that was a clever edit on my part :)

Really?

It was an edit AND you have NFI how it happened?

I saw the post within a minute of it being up. I'm pretty sure all I saw was ". ."

Perhaps you were making a post to egg me on after there was no response on my part to your failed attempt at humour in response to a serious question. Maybe I'm wrong. But maybe you're FOS.

[MC SoD]

Actually, I made a post which after re-reading was kinda bitchy toward you, so I went to take out certain bits... was probably doing something else at same time and put ".." as placeholder then got distracted. I only checked this thread again today cause of a rep comment in relation to it...

[MC SoD]

From memory, I said SOMETHING like:

Well darkside, I had no idea you were so interested, sorry if I didn't take your request seriously, if it's important to you and sorry if I hurt your feelings.. Not sure why you want to know since I don't think I have ever claimed to have qualifications

something something and then a longer explanation of College of Law than the above post.

That's obviously not verbatim.

[Girl.]

Hmm, MC SOD's post edit is weird, because I saw the original post when she made it a couple of days ago, and it basically just said that she had a law degree but was now working and doing College of Law concurrently.

Odd.

[Reprobate]

From memory, I said SOMETHING like:

Well darkside, I had no idea you were so interested, sorry if I didn't take your request seriously, if it's important to you and sorry if I hurt your feelings.. Not sure why you want to know since I don't think I have ever claimed to have qualifications

something something and then a longer explanation of College of Law than the above post.

That's obviously not verbatim.
No apology necessary, my feeling weren't hurt.

It seems odd that you make a call for everyone to put forward their qualifications and not list your own. You did start the thread after all.

[MC SoD]

yeah in relation to Mods... I could ask the same thing in Tech, and I have NO technical qualifications (unless causing lots of work for them to do counts). The fact that I have some legal knowledge is more coincidence than having something to do with the question. If that makes sense.

[Sagacious]

I meant more, I was after someone who has worked in a big commercial firm. I've accepted a job from one but lately I've been reading about/hearing from people who worked in such firms but found the working hours/lifestyle to be too harsh. It seems to be that most people who decide to work for the bigger firms only work there for a few years, then decide that they hate it.

I'm trying to tell myself that if I hate working there as a solicitor, I can always leave, but it'd be nice to talk to someone who has first-hand experience.
All those people I know that aspired to work in big firms whe we were at Uni or after we (being my contemporaries at uni) generally acknowledge the so called 'BIG FIRMS' to be little more than glorified meatgrinders.

THey pay well for the privilege of grinding you into the dust and even if you were to make partner the others can sack you quicker than blink and leave you with nothing but the value of your current wip to show for it.

[Girl.]

All those people I know that aspired to work in big firms whe we were at Uni or after we (being my contemporaries at uni) generally acknowledge the so called 'BIG FIRMS' to be little more than glorified meatgrinders.

THey pay well for the privilege of grinding you into the dust and even if you were to make partner the others can sack you quicker than blink and leave you with nothing but the value of your current wip to show for it.

Yes, it's easy to say that if you've never worked in a big firm and don't have first hand experience of what they're like. Have you ever worked for one, and if you have, what did you think of it?

[Sagacious]

Yes, it's easy to say that if you've never worked in a big firm and don't have first hand experience of what they're like. Have you ever worked for one, and if you have, what did you think of it?
I worked for government the biggest firm of all which is a different proposition again.

I don't have first hand experience and as I said in my post my comments were based on the experiences of my contemporaries as relayed by them to me over several beers mostly.

[Girl.]

I worked for government the biggest firm of all which is a different proposition again.

I don't have first hand experience and as I said in my post my comments were based on the experiences of my contemporaries as relayed by them to me over several beers mostly.

Sorry, but I don't think working for the government is the same. Most of my friends are applying for jobs with them and their job requirements and areas of practice seem to be totally different to the stuff we handle.

[Sagacious]

Sorry, but I don't think working for the government is the same. Most of my friends are applying for jobs with them and their job requirements and areas of practice seem to be totally different to the stuff we handle.
don't be sorry.

As I said...

I worked for government the biggest firm of all which is a different proposition again.(emphasis added)

[Girl.]

On the topic of government departments, though, which ones did you work for? (if you don't mind me asking)

One of my friends is trying to get into the Department of Defence, and another wants to work for DIFAT. Any comments on working for either of those?

[Sagacious]

On the topic of government departments, though, which ones did you work for? (if you don't mind me asking)

One of my friends is trying to get into the Department of Defence, and another wants to work for DIFAT. Any comments on working for either of those?
I worked in local government Brisbane City Council

[ShinymetalASS]

I meant more, I was after someone who has worked in a big commercial firm. I've accepted a job from one but lately I've been reading about/hearing from people who worked in such firms but found the working hours/lifestyle to be too harsh. It seems to be that most people who decide to work for the bigger firms only work there for a few years, then decide that they hate it.

I'm trying to tell myself that if I hate working there as a solicitor, I can always leave, but it'd be nice to talk to someone who has first-hand experience.

Like everything else, I think it depends on the person. I have mates who work in the city for big firms and absolutely love it. Then I've got mates who started that way and left (one girl was verbally abused pretty much constantly) because they didn't like it.

Conversely some of the people I know working in small firms loathe it. But then you get people like me who love it and deliberately turned down jobs in the city. And some small firms still require you to work very long hours. My first job was anywhere from 50-60 hours a week minimum. Ick!

Think it all depends on what sort of law and what sort of lifestyle you want. Like anything else in life, give it a burl if you want. At least that way you would know and not wonder.

:D

[stevecai]

tax. work in large firm. rather not mention the name.

commerce/law graduate. graduated at the end of last year but been working since end of 2004. will be admitted later this year assuming all goes to plan.