9.00am: I arrive at the office in good time. I tend to check my emails on my Blackberry on the way into work, as it enables me to plan for the day ahead and start the day more effectively. The morning post is waiting for me, containing a mixture of Land Registry letters and signed documents from the client. Trainees manage a number of files in real estate and are given transactional exposure ranging from small lettings to property management matters. For the past week, I have been dealing with a surrender of a lease of a retail unit. I am in possession of the signed engrossments and I am waiting for the tenant to pay the premium. Hopefully, this should be paid during the course of the day and the surrender can be completed. 9.30am: Having checked my file list of matters that I am currently working on, I make a few phone calls to tenant's solicitors to check up on the status of the documents that have been sent out. 10.00am: I receive an email from a tenant's solicitor saying that they are ready to complete a lease. I review the file and ensure that everything is in order, before I phone the tenant's solicitor to complete. I then focus on the various tasks that arise from completion.11.45am: I have been asked to draft a warning notice and statutory declaration to accompany an engrossed lease, which is due to be sent out by the end of today, so I prepare these documents before submitting it to an associate to review.

12.30pm: My Outlook calendar flashes up a message that training is due to start in five minutes, so I quickly finish the email that I was writing and scurry upstairs. Orrick provides weekly training sessions, which are usually taken by a partner and lunch is provided. This week's session is on venture capital and proves to be interesting. The training is relatively informal and trainees are encouraged to participate in the discussions. 1.30pm: I return to my desk to find an email from our accounts department confirming that the surrender premium has been paid into our client account by the tenant. I notify our client and perform the relevant pre-completion checks, before proceeding to complete the surrender. I then turn my attention to post-completion matters, which include cancelling a notice of the tenant's lease on our client's freehold title.3.30pm: I receive back an amended Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement, which I submitted to a partner for review the previous day. I make the changes, before preparing engrossments and arranging for the documents to be sent out for signing.5.00pm: I am asked by an associate to research whether Energy Performance Certificates are required on lease renewals. The deadline is for the end of the week, but I decide to make a start on it, just in case tomorrow proves to be hectic.6.30pm: A games evening has been arranged, and so I make my way upstairs to find one of the conference rooms transformed into a games room, complete with two table tennis tables, a table football table, and a Nintendo Wii. Food and drink have been provided, and so I get stuck into a highly competitive table football match, with a beer and a slice of pizza close to hand. End of month drinks are well attended at Orrick and it is a great chance to catch up with everyone. They tend to run on late and I just manage to catch the last tube home.