When I looked to my right, I saw what can best be described as a white fog sweeping towards me. It had already enveloped the building on the other side of the road before I realised I was going to get very wet. The next instant, it seemed that someone had turned on a fire hydrant and directed it in my direction. I was soaked and only the sight and sound of others fleeing for the station entrance with me, convinced me that it was in fact a serious rain squall.
Coming back to work after an extended break is never easy. At least for me and most others, I suspect this to be true. It does not matter if you love what you do, it still takes time to get back into the groove.
I ended the year on a note of optimism for 2012, something not all commentators managed to achieve. Rain squalls apart, (and this one soon passed), the New Year has started with two pieces of excellent news for Millnet.
- Firstly, we are being joined by John Lapraik, formerly a partner at Kennedys. John starts with us this week with a wide ranging role which includes the provision of e-disclosure advice, project management and working on internal process improvement. John used to be responsible for e-disclosure issues at Kennedys and will be an excellent resource to the team at Millnet and to our wider client base as he brings all that practical, hands-on common sense and gravitas which a partner in a major law firm acquires. The fact that he used to be my articled clerk (in the days before training contracts) provides an additional interest, at least for me!
- Secondly, Millnet is delighted to join the e-Disclosure Information Project. The sharp eyed among you may have already noticed that our logo is up on the project site. Set up by Chris Dale some years ago, Chris by himself and through the project has become the leading UK based commentator on the world of e-disclosure. In fact, of course, he is more than that as he is regularly sought out as a speaker at international and national conferences and his advice is also sought by judges and lawyers alike. I look forward to working with Chris in the coming months to bring a greater understanding of the world of e-disclosure to our clients and their lawyers. Our aim is to ensure that the benefits of technology and the ways in which its use can make a lawyer a better lawyer for his/her client are better understood.
We are thrilled by both developments. They are evidence that my optimism for 2012 is well founded.
It is what getting into the groove is all about.