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What a difference a year makes!
Last time I posted to this thread was a little over a year ago. Now I have finally graduated, got my JD, signed up to take the Bar exam in July and have to make a decision about what to do now.
I figured that I would be recalled to active duty when I finished Law School but so far no recall notice. It was way too late to apply for transfer to Army JAGC for this year's upcoming intake and I had discussed my options with Armor Branch some months ago. Now it looks like I won't be called up as an individual reservist, at least for now, since I already served three years after graduating with my BA and then getting called up and deployed to Iraq when I was in the middle of Law School.
Now my Dad has made an offer that is really tempting. He and his partners have a small but very busy practice representing American clients, including the DoD, in international jurisdictions, primarily in the UK and the EU. Dad is dual qualified as both an American Attorney and an English Barrister and spends a lot of time on the other side of the Atlantic where he is co-head of chambers of a Sett of Barristers. He recently turned sixty and wants to ease up on his constant travel. So, he has offered to arrange for me to be admitted to one of the Inns of Court and take the Bar Vocational Course (BVC) to enable me to be called to the Bar of England. Apparently he discussed this with the Bar Council and they feel that my American JD coupled with my English MA(Oxon) in Comparative Law would satisfy the requirement for academic qualification. The BVC satisfies the vocational training requirement, and assuming I did well on the BVC, I would be able to secure a pupillage either in his chambers or in a similar one engaged in the same sort of practice. Pupillage is the first year of hands on training one does when called to the Bar in England. You are a Barrister but work under close supervision for the first six months and general supervision for the second six months. Dad said I could use his flat in London and my two English cousins, one of whom is a Barrister in Pupillage and the other will be doing the BVC this Fall, offered to do a flat share with me if I do the BVC in London. So I am well fixed for digs. As my GC friends know I love England and have spent several years over there, so this is a very strong temptation. I registered for consideration for the BVC as a late applicant so I should hear soon if I made the cut. If so I think I will jump on this as it would give me access to an international practice and open all sorts of doors for me.
I received an offer to join a firm based in New Orleans and was sorely tempted, even with the requirement to take some additional courses in Louisiana Law which is based on French Civil Code, but I think I will thank them politely and go for the international route. I did not want to jump into "Daddy's firm" but what he is offering is too good to turn down. I still keep my reserve commission and can be "on call" if really needed, but I would be in a position to do some interesting work and make some interesting fees. For now I will keep my fingers crossed and see if the BVC is possible.
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