A senior lawyer nominated by the local Law Society branch in south-east rural New South Wales, Australia, was underway investigating a complaint involving Montana,
The complainant alleged that Red Ridge Law had been inappropriately assigning young American lawyer Montana Reynolds on an international experience placement scheme to interface unsupervised with clients on matters far beyond her limited knowledge of Australian law.
The three partners and Montana listened impassively as the society's appointed investigator Stewart Todd read out the complaint of alleged misdemeanours that, if proven to have merit, would place Reg Day before a disciplinary hearing charged with breach of contract he'd signed with the international lawyer placement organization that had received approved of Australian immigration and law authorities.
Stewart finished reading the prepared statement and waited.
"Is there no comment," he said a little testily.
"It's a trumped up allegation by some malicious jerk in a law firm in this town," Montana said.
"Miss Reynolds, you are sitting here to listen to proceedings out of fairness and to negate any allegations that you were kept in the dark should you attempt to seek legal redress over this action."
Wendy said, "Miss Reynolds has not required one-on-one supervision because she arrived in Australia with intimate knowledge of our legal system through watching training videos for Australian senior law students, watching mock trials and for four months prior to arrival here I understand she spent hundreds of hours boning up on Australian law, precedents and possible changes that were being mooted."
"Well then, is there any objection to me testing Miss Reynold's knowledge of Australian law?"
Reg looked at his partners who nodded and he said the partners had no objection to that proposal.
Montana said, "Please proceed Mr Todd; I await your questioning unperturbed."
The questions she answered concerned dispute resolution, gender equality law, foreign ownership of water entitlements, notification of series data breaches, family court proceedings, relationship registration, firearms and trafficking law and electronic conveyancing.
It virtually was a master class examination on Australian law knowledge.
"You are unbelievable Miss Reynolds and your knowledge and accuracy would probably out-gun many currently practising Australian lawyers."
The three partners applauded,
"Yes but you are not quite out of the woods..."
"Sir may I say something of material interest to this enquiry?"
Steward invited Montana to proceed.
Montana handed Stewart a memory stick and said it was a copy of her personal journal she started on her arrival in Red Ridge and covered in detail the extensive briefings she'd received from each of the partners and how most of her work had been in dispute resolution simply because it was one of her specialties and the basics were universal.
"Including are notes of the briefings I received prior to embarking on any assignment, the names and contact numbers of the parties involved, a summary of the issues, the steps taken by me to mediate and the results, plus the fees charged and receipt numbers of payments."
Montana smiled disarmingly.
"I compiled my journal not to foil any misguided complainant but because my father who heads the law firm I work for in Jersey City would wish to know clearly what I'd been occupied doing in Australia other than drinking beer and being dated."
"Thank you Montana, and congratulations again. Reg I now close this meeting because I believe I had everything I need to produce a comprehensive report to the society,"
Stewart left and the partners took Montana out to lunch.
During that 3-hour event Reg said suddenly, "Oh crap Montana, I've just thought Stewart will find the contracts of that Gerosa couple in Griffin and if he calls them the woman will sing your praises and out will come details of the kidnapping."
"No worries Reg; as lawyers we are supposed to leave no stone unturned. While waiting to go to this morning's conference I called Nita and explained what was happening. Further I emailed her a transcript of my report on involvement in the events that day and that um my report makes no mention of the crisis around her daughter. She promised to follow the script but in her own words."
"None of us heard any mention of kidnapping guys," Reg said and made a toast, "Here's to our young hot shot Montana Reynolds."
Three weeks later Reg was called to a meeting with a Law Society complaints subcommittee and returned home very happy. He said the good news was the subcommittee found after the initial investigation there was no case to answer and the complainant would receive a full report.
"The bad news is I accepted a recommendation that Montana be reassigned to Sydney and steps will be taken to have her contract amended accordingly. I sorry Montana but the panel said with a brilliant mind like yours you'd benefit by being placed in a busy environment where the ingrained culture for interns is based around supervision and refined leadership."
"You have the choice of taking a position with the Crown Law Office, a Government disputes resolution organization or a prominent law office."
"Must I go?"
Reg scrubbed his chin.
"You would be nuts not to immerse yourself with the big players."
"Wendy?"
"Heroines fly Montana."
"Oh god then I'll go to Sydney."
"Good girl," Reg said. "Here are details of four junior partners in the firm of Fletcher-Tooth Law that are willing to take you under their wing at Associate level."
"Three guys and one female, I wish to be paired with the female please."
"But you haven't read their CVs."
"You guys as country people take people at face value Reg and so why shouldn't I?"
"Bugger me, how can a guy argue against such overwhelming logic," he beamed.
Reg beckoned over a waitress and said, "Two more bottles of red at this table miss and more beer for the young lady - make it the best Melbourne-brewed lager, she doesn't drink any other beer."
* * *
Feeling somewhat anxious, Montana entered the office of Dana Robertson in one of the four floors that Fletcher and Tooth Law occupied in the upper floors of a 16-floorA-class commercial building overlooking the glorious Sydney Harbour.
"Ah Miss Reynolds," said the 40-something lawyer who specialized in Family Law coming around her desk with a hand outstretched.
They shook hands and Montana said, "I would feel a little more comfortable if we hugged."
"Oh darling of course," said Mrs Robertson, hugging the newcomer and stroking the side of her face motherly. "I guess you feel you've been put through wringer and now have arrived to be pushed on to the scrapheap?"
"I feel rejected yes, but know I have been given a fabulous opportunity in being paired with you. I've read several magazine articles about you and some of the citations associated with your awards."
"Ah that suggests good preparation darling."
"Yes and I allowed for journalistic tendency to try to make a good story even better. I was impressed to learn you gained your LL.M. and J.S.D. qualifications at Columbia."
"Ah yes and to this day I recognise that time in New York was a truly remarkable time in my life. Please sit and while I pour coffee please tell me things about yourself that you didn't cover in our exchange of emails."
"Oh god the interrogation begins even before my first coffee."
"That's how it has to be; it you need to know you have to ask."
Over lunch at a café of sandwiches and pure fresh squeezed fruit juice, Dana said for her first month Montana would accompany her everywhere but to the toilet. Socially she had her youngest brother lined up to introduce Montana to Sydney if she approved of him.
"Does he have a lively mind of your calibre?"
"Yes very much so."
"Then bring him on."
"But what about his appearance, his personality, probing about odd habits and reliability?"
"Dana he's not a prospective client or a suitor."
The older lawyer cracked up and dabbing her mouth revealed she'd been told she'd find Montana could pump up to full throttle and charge like a headless horseman on attack.
"Omigod you talked to Wendy Flynn about me. I once hear her refer of the headless horseman."
"Oh caught out am I?"
"It appears so but you had to prepare yourself if agreeing to take me in as your Associate sight unseen and with me possessing a somewhat patchy reputation in already being involved in a Law Society investigation when I've not yet been in Australia for much over two months?"
"True there is that blip. B ut I also studied your performance record that received an impressive appraisal from the guy who investigated your situation Steward Todd. I already like you Montana and rate you as a young filly with the desire to run ahead of the herd. I already see potential in you and well we should leave it at that."
"Thanks Dana, that makes me feel welcome. Um may I become personal?"
"Oh god what is it?"
"Why are you an obviously pretty woman dressed so conservatively and in terms of make-up you present yourself as Mrs Drab?"
Dana reacted sharply.
"Back off Montana."
"Ah that suggests you are aware of what I've mentioned."
"Yes and what you might not realize is this firm is big into corporate law and we dress and perform to appease. You will have seen our dress code."
"My guess is your daughter has tussled with you over this."
"Montana please."
"And you feel she has failed in her effort and now you fear I'm going to be a relentless bitch about this."
"Come on, it's time we returned to the office."
It was a short walk with Dana tight-lipped as Montana spoke about modern corporate female lawyers in America; that mind-blockages were difficult to handle, that one way was to change progressively but she favoured the 'big bang' theory and doing it in one hit.
In the lift to the penultimate floor Dana listened, head down slightly as the non-stop dialogue ended, "Stars shine brightly because they are stars Dana."
Dana looked at her tormentor and said, "You are like a dog worrying a bone. I'll think about it."
"Great you lovely lady. Now who do we rip into this afternoon?"
The doors rumbled open but were unable to drown Dana's big sigh.
Dana looked at a file and said, "You are staying at the Richmond Apartments; you'll have to get out of there as they charge like wounded bulls."
"No it's okay. My mother is in business and has a dollar or two and gives me a generous monthly allowance. It's all about location and those apartments are right where I thought I'd like to be and are a close walk to this office."
At the end of the day the two women walked out on to the street at 6:40 and Dana pointed to the Excelsior Bar and said, "My brother is over there having a beer in case you might like to go over and meet him."
"I can't believe you'd need a formal introduction and so I'm off."
Montana kissed Dana on the cheek.
"Good night mother and overnight think about transformation into becoming my older and classy sister."
"I knew it; you'll never let up," Dana grumped as she walked off to the train station.
Montana entered the bar knowing that she had no idea of what Dana's younger brother looked like but felt it reasonable to assume that his efficient sister would have described Montana to him.
She was correct.
A tall and slim guy with short curly blond hair slid off a bar stool and beamed at her.
As she closed him he said, "Dana said you were good-looking Montana but then you'll already know she's somewhat conservative. I'm Hagen Carson as Dana..."
