No Worries

Today the weather was typical Edinburgh weather-- rain... which formed dirty puddles and came from a dreary, overcast sky. Despite the gross weather, this morning I ventured out of the flat with a purpose: I was headed to court. Scottish court.

The Scottish legal system is quite different from the American legal system. One difference is in the categories of attorneys. In the US, once one takes the bar examination and passes, one is qualified to practice almost every kind of law within that particular state. In Scotland, the lawyers are categorized into two groups -- one group of solicitors and the other group advocates. I accompanied a new acquaintance, an Instructing Solicitor, to the criminal courts of Edinburgh. A solicitor does not litigate, but he or she will have clients who need representation in court. At that point, a solicitor will join with an advocate. Then the advocate will actually do the speaking in the courtroom.

This morning I was instructed to sit at the counsel's table in the courtroom and make notes of everything asked and answered on cross examination. But, before entering the courtroom, I was a bit concerned about the professionalism of my appearance. At my law school, professionalism was really stressed. And-- I had just walked a good twenty minutes in the rain. I was a bit drenched and had incredibly frizzy, damp hair.

As I entered the courtroom and took my seat, all my professionalism concerns regarding my frizzy, damp hair dissipated. I was sitting directly across the table from a female prosecutor. She had long brown hair. It too had been effected by the weather. However, she was also wearing a powdery gray 17th century wig atop her dark, weather-effected hair!

Can you imagine the above wig atop a brunette with long hair?