Legal disputes really do throw up some comprising situations. A prime example of this occurred this week at a trial I attended. The subject matter of this lawsuit was divorce and child custody. As you can imagine in these types of lawsuits, neither party has a particular affection for the other. This case was no different. In fact both parties in this case despised each other so much that all communication ceased between them when they separated almost two years back. Even general civilisation was out of the question. Accordingly, it can be slightly tense when both parties are only yards away from each other in the courtroom. However, the events of this week, take things to a whole new level. Essentially, our client won the case with the court granting his request for a postponement. But, before this postponement could be effected it had to approved by the head judge. The head judge's chambers is on the floor above. Herein lay the awkwardness. Basically all eight of us, including both parties and one of the parties' mother, had to squeeze into the smallest lift imaginable en route to the judge's chambers. No-one dared look anywhere but straight ahead. Complete silence. A claustrophobe's worst nightmare. Needless to say, it was the longest 10 seconds of my life. I had to muster all of my self control to constrain myself from saying something really inappropriate or from bursting into laughter. Let this be a lesson for all: when proceeding through a bitter and messy divorce, always take the stairs.

On a more serious note, today I got the opportunity to participate in a hearing relating to an international child abduction. This was very emotional. The story of this case is very long and complicated, and has received significant media coverage in mainland Europe where the child was abducted. Simply put, the mother (who we represent) and the father of the child in question parted company over seven years ago. This led to the mother and child moving to Europe and the father remaining in the United States. The father's consent to the mother's removal of the child was on the basis that he would have visitation with the child several times a year. The mother did not facilitate this. Consequently, the father took it upon himself to arrange for the child to be snatched from her primary school in Europe and transported back to America. Thus, the stakes today were very high. However, the reason why I was so moved today, was that I spent the whole day in the company of the mother. As a result, I heard all the stories regarding the mother's plight, and witnessed first hand the child's desire to be with her mother. This is not the first time during my internship that I have been exposed first hand to clients and their families. It is a part of the profession, especially in a family law context, that I enjoy and embrace. It makes the process real. This is something which you don't get simply from reading transcripts and statements. Seeing faces, hearing voices and getting to know personalities adds a completely different dimension to legal work.

I also heard this week that some American group have initiated a campaign to boycott Scotland in light of Mr McAskill's decision to release the Lockerbie "bomber." Whether the Scottish Government's decision is right or wrong, I find this movement in the U.S. reeks of the mass hypocrisy occasionally evidenced on this side of the Atlantic. Guantanamo Bay anyone? Don't know about the rest of you, but in protest, that's the last Happy Meal I'll be eating...   

Until next time... not long to go now...