HCLC News

HCLC are pleased to announce that Paul Erdunast, who has been an intern with HCLC since January, has been selected to participate in the finals of Channel 4's Countdown programme, which is its flagship TV game show involving word and number puzzles.

Countdown has been has been a firm TV favourite of university students up and down for the country since 1982. The programme involves two contestants in each episode competing in three disciplines: 1. ten letters rounds, in which the contestants attempt to make the longest word possible from nine randomly chosen letters; 2. four numbers rounds, in which the contestants must use arithmetic to reach a random target number from six other numbers; and 3. the conundrum, a buzzer round in which the contestants compete to solve a nine-letter anagram.

During the series heats, the winning contestant returns the next day until he or she loses or has accumulated eight wins (known as an Octochamp). The best eight contestants are invited back for the series finals, which are decided in knockout format. HCLC intern Paul applied for a place as a contestant on Countdown last August.

He was informed in September that his application had been successful and he joined the programme as a contestant on the 18th of February. Paul competed against 8 different rival players on 8 consecutive days and won all 8 games, thus becoming an Octochamp and winning a place in Countdown's Series 74 finals!

It was noted that Paul won the highest number of rounds in an "octorun" in Countdown history with 82 of 120 rounds won. He became the eighth player in the history of Countdown to solve all eight conundrums during his heat games . Due to his stunning performance in those 8 games, Paul will now return to the Channel 4 studios in June to take in the Countdown finals, due to be broadcast on the 10th of June 2016.

HCLC INTERN During his time at HCLC, Paul has worked predominantly with Nathaniel Mathews, HCLC's Senior Housing Solicitor, on housing cases and represented HCLC's DLA, PIP and ESA clients at their first tier tribunal social security hearings. Before joining HCLC as an intern, Paul had begun to develop an expertise in immigration law. He worked (and continues to work) as a research assistant to Colin Yeo, a well-regarded immigration barrister at Garden Court Chambers. Paul submits regular articles and comment pieces to the Free Movement blog run by Colin Yeo on immigration and asylum matters. Before that, Paul studied Classics at the University of Oxford and undertook a Graduate Diploma in Law at City Law School. After he completes his HCLC internship, Paul plans to undertake a Master's Degree and he will also apply for pupillage as he hopes to become a barrister specialising in public and immigration law.

Everyone at HCLC is thrilled at Paul's Countdown success and we will be loudly cheering him on (through the TV) on June the 10th!