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06 March 2008 / Sir Geoffrey Bindman KC
Issue: 7311 / Categories: Opinion , Legal services , Training & education , Profession
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American dream

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A transatlantic adventure, by Geoffrey Bindman

In 1959, as I approached the end of my three years as an articled clerk, I had to decide what to do next. The future was an obvious one for most of us: to become an assistant solicitor in the same firm or another firm, with the expectation in a few years of becoming a partner.

Jobs were not hard to find in an expanding market but the prospect of following the conventional path did not thrill me. The lifestyle of the partners seemed mind-numbing: nice car, house and family, but little else.

 

FELLOWSHIPS

A college friend of mine had been called to the Bar and then spent a year with a fellowship at an American law school. He liked it so much that, as soon as he was able to renew his visa, he returned to take up a post at Yale. A glittering future awaited him and I was envious.

I realised I could apply

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