Diary of a young business lawyer

JUNE  2, 2014 My first task today was to proof read the Boss’ opinion to a client on Letters of Credit. The opinion had to go out by mail and courier before 9 a.m. Once that was done, I had to attend to the Trustees’ mail requesting copies of the security and finance documents. In order to be at Mr. K’s beck and call and also take care of other pressing assignments, I had a young trainee deal with the Trustees. The Office also had the honour of hosting one of the nation’s Senators – a member of the Senate Committee on Capital Markets. The Boss was quick to discuss the activities of our Committee with him and he promised to assist the Committee in the achievement of its goals and objectives. You can therefore imagine the excitement with which I sent an update to the other Committee members. It was encouraging to know we would have the support of the Federal Legislature on this project.

JUNE 3, 214We got the brief from HS and just as TGD had envisaged we have to send a proposal to the RFP that was published this morning. Tamuno has already prepared a proposal in anticipation, I just need to synchronise it what we did for HS and get the accompanying documents so that we can meet the deadline. TGD has instructed that the proposal must go out latest by Friday. TGD is in India and has been communicating her instructions and keeping a tab on the goings-on through messenger. Tamuno is back. The Boss calls us Tom and Jerry. She’s Jerry and I am Tom. Unlike the cartoon characters we are not always at each other’s throat rather we are a fantastic tag team. And just in case she gets to read this, I enjoy every bit of time I spend working with her on anything.

Mr. T has to see the proposal before it goes out. TGD returned the copy I forwarded to her for review with comments. Mr. T will get the copy I review based on TGD’s comments. I am working hard to meet the deadline. With the help of Miss Beautiful I should be able to meet the deadline. I may have to hand it over to Tamuno soon as I need to review a case a.s.a.p. That is another deadline that came upon me yesterday. JIN was already billed to give me one this week but I need a plan B. And I have to start working on that now!

JUNE 4, 2014Our “teacher” has forwarded another agreement. This time it is a syndicated facility agreement. He asked for a conference call tomorrow so we can air our comments on the previous facility agreement. Since we have had this document for a while, the Boss expects that we should have comments. Truth be told, as for me, I didn’t grasp what that agreement says at first reading, it was way too technical or financial for my legal mind to comprehend. I need a second and maybe a third reading before I can fully grasp what our “teacher” has carefully couched in that agreement. The Boss wants a meeting tonight on that agreement before the conference call. The meeting turned out to be a lot of help in “decoding” the agreement and the Boss’ explanations of some of the words in the Interpretation clause made construction of the agreement a lot easier.

JUNE 5, 2014Tamuno is working towards getting the accompanying documents for the proposal. I have to refresh my memory on the security documents we drafted for our “teacher” to review. He intends to pass on his comments during the conference call. I have to switch temporarily to the documentation drafting mode at least till after the conference call. The proposal is in good hands. It’s 4 p.m and our “teacher” is already waiting on the other end of the line. We did well enough with the security documents. Anyway that is expected since he sent us a template with boiler plate clauses to work with. We took him our comments on both facility agreements and the call ended when we agreed that the next one will be made next year. This was so that the client would have enough time to review the documents and come up with its own comments.

JUNE 6, 2014Some of the documents we need for the proposal require a lot of legwork. Legwork we should have started since Monday. The only way out is to ask the Boss for help. I guess just one call from him to the appropriate person will do the magic. He is the only lifeline I have now else I might not meet the deadline TGD gave me. If she ever finds out this proposal did not go out today, trust me, she will skin me alive. The Boss is angry but he still made the call. It is 5 p.m already, this proposal will have to go on Monday or else TGD will have my head on a platter. I have to go home now. Traffic will have abated by now. I should be on the mainland in no time. It’s been a whole week since I saw my family. I simply cannot wait to see them all especially my sister who just came home on holidays and my “adopted” little girl who I simply adore. I have missed them both immensely.

THEODORA KIO-LAWSON