Articles From the Team
Battle Royal
I’ve been a fan of wrestling for as long as I can remember. I’m guessing this is somewhere in the region of 25 years. I’ve stuck with WWE (formerly WWF) through the end of the Hulk Hogan era, through the Attitude era, and the Ruthless Aggression era. I have stuck with WWE/WWF through the best of times and the worst of times including the awful invasion angle after the collapse of WCW and purchase of ECW. My friends (except some) and family tell me it’s juvenile while others look surprised and ask, “you do know it’s not real don’t you?” Yes of course I know that, I’m not an idiot. That’s like asking someone who watches East Enders if they’re aware that it’s scripted. I’m 29 in a few weeks time and I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited about wrestling as I am now.
Each year there are four major pay-per-view events; the Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania (the biggest event of the year), Summerslam, and Survivor Series. Each one packed full of exciting and entertaining matches that have me on the edge of my seat and sometimes cursing at the results. But in any case I make sure that I watch at least these four every year. This past Sunday was the Royal Rumble, which is my favourite event every year! The show was made up of a five matches in total, the main event being the royal rumble match itself; a battle royal which sees 30 competitors trying to throw their opponents over the top rope until there is just one left standing in the ring, with the winner earning a championship match at Wrestlemania but this year the odds were stacked and for only the second time in history the match was for the world heavyweight championship. It was incredible! I loved it! A couple of surprise entrants, a highly anticipated debut and an exciting returning star to finish the match means this one will last long in the memory.
The royal rumble takes place once a year and is by far the most important event as it sets up the story and order of events for the rest of the year. Of course there are twists and turns along the way, things don’t go according to plan etc. but generally speaking, each year it all starts with the royal rumble. It’s a bit like the NQ season for trainee solicitors. Each year in Birmingham there are several hundred trainees all vying to secure their spot either at their current firm or at a new firm. So in this scenario the prize is the job either where you are or where you may want to go, the royal rumble is the application/interview process and you the trainee are the wrestler. You have to fight for your position; you have to be the best. You have to forget allegiances and get through everyone in your path to reach for the brass ring and make it into the spotlight. Once you’re there it’s all about you, it’s all about what you can achieve and how you can stand out to establish your career.
Around this time of year, as second year trainees prepare to enter the final phase of their training before embarking on their career as a solicitor, firms are deciding which jobs will be available both internally and externally. Whether you want to stay where you are or move on, BCL Legal are in your corner able to offer impartial advice and guidance on how to embark on that next step in your career. Each year we see an abundance of opportunities across firms in Birmingham and throughout the UK. This is a crucial moment in your career and it’s important that you get it right so we’re here to help. We can help you with researching the jobs, writing your CV, managing the application process, preparing for interview and then we can help you with the ever so awkward conversation with your boss about moving on.
Like the WWE we put on a series of events each year with the Birmingham Trainee Solicitors Society and through the UK with other Solicitors’ groups in Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and London etc. Don’t worry they’re not going to cost you anything… The big event for us (our Wrestlemania) is the NQ Seminar, this year being held in March at DWF LLP in Birmingham. There will be presentations from one of our expert consultants (quite possibly myself) and one of the Employment Partners at DWF. While the result of every match I watch in WWE is predetermined that doesn’t take away the excitement for me. As a legal recruiter specialising in real estate I feel a similar excitement when I help guide a candidate through the application and interview process, fighting for a job offer.
For more information, please contact Gishan Abeyratne at BCL Legal.