MHC Life: Bartek Marchewczyk

This week, as part of Pride Week, we chat to Records Assistant, Bartek Marchewczyk. Bartek talks us through his daily WFH routine and what he'll be doing to celebrate Pride Week.

Tell us a bit about you and your career journey to MHC – what inspired you to get into this career?

Law was always something I was interested in, since I remember, all my favourite series always involved lawyers. Since secondary school my plan was to go to law school and become a judge. However, I lost my enthusiasm completely during the scholarship on the 3rd year in the Criminal Court, after spending hours with hooligans and robbers in court rooms, just to realise it is not as fancy as on TV shows.

I've tried a few different jobs in the past, as I believe we need to like what we do, even including a tour guide in Greece for a short time. Everything changed though when almost a decade ago I came to Dublin to visit my friends to check out why everyone keeps coming here, and here I still am...

When I started here 2 years ago I felt like a 'fish in the tank' straight away and knew that this is the right place to be.

Favourite thing about your role?

First of all the fact that we deal with all the departments within Mason Hayes & Curran LLP which never makes our day the same. We get all possible queries, including not only searching for files or title deeds but sometimes involving a good bit of detective work. Working on various firm projects also makes the work more diverse. Because of the nature of our work, we are in contact and get to know various people in the firm. What I like the most about my role is dealing with so many people and helping them. Working in Records has given me a 'taste' of every possible department work which encouraged me to get into it more and study law in Ireland.

Talk us through a typical day for you during the COVID-19 pandemic…

I usually get up early to start at 8am, make my espresso and have time to read e-mails, prioritise my duties and tasks for the day ahead and finish some tasks from the day before. After 9 we would usually have a call to talk about our workflow and share the ideas of how we could make things work even better. Once or twice a week we would have a Zoom Call to catch up and 'see each other' to supplement not sitting in the office together 5 days a week and to plan what needs to be done. Thankfully we've been very busy during the pandemic.

I am blessed to live just beside the Phoenix Park so when I finish my work I love to go for a long walk around after sitting the whole day in front of the PC.

What tv shows have you binge watched during lockdown?

Since my online lectures and exams finished half way through the lockdown, I was delighted to finally get some time to catch up with Netflix after a few months break. After many recommendations I started to watch the Money Heist, which, in my opinion is a masterpiece and will defo re-watch it again at some point. From 1st to the end of 4th season it really keeps you interested and the soundtrack is also great. Season 4 was released just at the beginning of lockdown and season 5 is also in production. The next great series which I'd really recommend to watch is Narcos showing the background of drug Cartels in Columbia and Mexico. These are the series you were all probably recommended by your friends many times but believe me, they are really worth watching.

How are you planning to spend pride this year?

Pride isn't like a dog at Christmas, it's for all year round and we have to remember that Pride is something which we need to celebrate every day, regardless of our backgrounds and circumstances. Last year I spent pride with some of my colleagues together with OutLaw as it was the first time where all the big firms decided to go as 'one'. It was a great experience and opportunity to get to know more people from the Law Society and other firms and to celebrate together. It was also really heart-warming to see colleagues from the other firms bringing their families to celebrate this day. This year due to all that is happening pride is going online so I will be definitely watching it together with my housemates.

What's your idea of a perfect holiday?

I was blessed this year as I got to spend my holidays in sunny Brazil just before COVID-19 decided to turn everything upside down. Brazil is an amazing place with not only great weather but with delicious food and really welcoming people. When it comes to my perfect holidays all I really need is sea, beach and of course nice food which I like to enjoy with my friends in the evening, that's how I relax. I love traveling to Spain, but for my next destination I would pick up Cuba or Mexico to try a real mojito, but also a picture in Old Havana is on my bucket list. As much as I like to discover new destinations I do believe that it's not about where you go but who you go with. Let's hope we all will be able to enjoy travelling again in the foreseeable future.

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