2025 Seasonal Clerkship Guide by Deakin Law Students' Society

DEAKIN LAW STUDENTS’ SOCIETY

Acknowledgment of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the DLSS is founded, the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their continued connection to the land and waters. We pay our respects to Wurundjeri Elders past, present, and emerging and extend this respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Elders and people from other communities.

PUBLISHED BY DEAKIN LAW STUDENTS' SOCIETY

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO

Sanya Patel Director of Commercial Careers

Lucy French President

Victoria Gosios, Arkady Eydlish, Fred

Blackall and Vaanee Singh

Commercial Careers Officers

McKeely Hol and Samantha Pauliuk Directors of Sponsorship

Luke Dimopoulos and Rebecca Austin Sponsorship Officers

Priyanka Sharma Communications Portfolio

FROM LAW STUDENT TO

Flow Chart of the Admission Process

Australian Admission Requirements

International Admission Requirements

Law Institute of Victoria

LIV Seasonal Clerkship Guidelines

LIV Graduate Traineeship Guidelines

Practical Legal Training

Australian College of Applied Professions

Centre for Legal Studies

College of Law

Leo Cussen Centre for Law

CLERKSHIP TIPS

Approaching Clerkships as a Deakin Student

Preparing for the Clerkship Process

Navigating the Clerkship Process

Authenticity in Clerkship Applications

How to Excel in Your Clerkship Interview

Submitting High Quality Applications Sample Cover

FIRM INSIGHTS

Funds Super and Financial Services

Hear from one of our Law Graduates

A Day in the Life of a Summer Clerk

Global Experiences with Baker Mackenzie

Major Projects and Construction

Flos Greig - A Trail Blazer for Women in Law

A Day in the Life of a Seasonal Clerk

Transition from Clerk to Graduate

A day in the Life of a Clerk at Gadens

The Transition from Law School to a Graduate role at G + T

Clerkship in Real Estate

A Day in the Life of HWL Ebsworth Law

Graduate

Five Minutes with Liz Tang

A Day in the Life

How to prepare for your Clerkship

Interview

Workplace Relation & Safety

How to be Successful in your Clerkship

Compensation Law

10 Things I wish I knew before applying to Clerkships

Early Careers at Minter Ellison

A Global Network

Access RK Seasonal Clerkship Pathway

The Clerkship Experience

Arbitration

FIRM PROFILES

Allens

Arnold Bloch Leibler

Ashurst

Baker McKenzie

Barry Nilsson

Clayton Utz

Cornwalls

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

DLA Piper

Gadens

Gilbert + Tobin

Hall & Wilcox

HFW

Herbert Smith Freehills

HWL Ebsworth

Johnson Winter Slattery

Jones Day

K&L Gates

KHQ Lawyers

King & Wood Mallesons

Lander & Rogers

Maddocks

MinterEllison

Norton Rose Fulbright

Pinsent Masons

Russell Kennedy

Steinepreis Paganin

Thomson Geer

White & Case

Frequently Asked Questions

Disclaimer

U n d e r t a k i n g a c l e r k s h i p c a n b e a v a l u a b l e p a r t o f y o u r l e g a l j o u r n e y . I t o f f e r s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o

w o r k i n a p r i v a t e l e g a l f i r m , i n a v a r i e t y o f p r a c t i c e a r e a s W o r k i n g i n a n e w l e g a l e n v i r o n m e n t

c a n f a c i l i t a t e t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f n e w k n o w l e d g e , a s w e l l a s e n h a n c i n g y o u r a w a r e n e s s o f t h e

i n t e r p e r s o n a l s k i l l s r e q u i r e d t o w o r k a s p a r t o f a t e a m I t c a n c o n s t i t u t e a n i m p o r t a n t s t e p p i n g

s t o n e t o a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n a n d o t h e r f u t u r e e m p l o y m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s .

T h i s a n n u a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e , p r e p a r e d b y t h e D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ' S o c i e t y , i s a n i n v a l u a b l e

r e s o u r c e f o r a l l s t u d e n t s u n d e r t a k i n g t h e i r c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s . T h e G u i d e p r o v i d e s

c o m p r e h e n s i v e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t c l e r k s h i p s , t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s ( i n c l u d i n g i m p o r t a n t

d a t e s ) , f i r m s a n d c o n t a c t s I t p r o v i d e s e s s e n t i a l b a c k g r o u n d i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t w i l l a s s i s t y o u i n

d e t e r m i n i n g t h e f i r m s t o w h i c h y o u w i s h t o a p p l y . M o r e o v e r , t h e p r a c t i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t

a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d o f f e r s c o n t a i n e d i n t h e G u i d e h a s t h e p o t e n t i a l t o c o n s i d e r a b l y r e d u c e t h e

s t r e s s a n d u n c e r t a i n t y t h a t i s f r e q u e n t l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s .

D e a k i n l a w s t u d e n t s w h o a r e c o m m i t t e d t o u n d e r t a k i n g a c l e r k s h i p w i l l f i n d t h a t t h i s G u i d e i s

a n e x c e l l e n t r e s o u r c e . F o r t h o s e w h o h a v e h a d t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f a p p l y i n g f o r a c l e r k s h i p b u t

n o t o b t a i n i n g o n e , t h i s G u i d e p r o v i d e s u s e f u l i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s a s w e l l a s

s t r a t e g i e s t h a t y o u m i g h t e m p l o y t o i n c r e a s e t h e l i k e l i h o o d o f s u c c e s s i n a n y s u b s e q u e n t

a p p l i c a t i o n . F o r t h o s e w h o a r e u n c e r t a i n , t h i s G u i d e p r o v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t c a n a s s i s t i n

m a k i n g t h e d e c i s i o n a b o u t w h e t h e r a c l e r k s h i p i s f o r y o u F o r a l l s t u d e n t s , t h e k n o w l e d g e a n d

p r a c t i c a l a d v i c e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e S e a s o n a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e i s i n v a l u a b l e .

I w i s h y o u a l l t h e b e s t i n y o u r e n d e a v o u r s

T h e s e a s o n a l c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s i s a p i v o t a l m o m e n t i n t h e j o u r n e y f o r m a n y a s p i r i n g l a w y e r s .

I t i s a u n i q u e o p p o r t u n i t y t o g a i n p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e a n d r e f l e c t o n t h e k i n d o f l e g a l

p r o f e s s i o n a l y o u a s p i r e t o b e W e e n c o u r a g e y o u t o a p p r o a c h t h i s p r o c e s s w i t h c u r i o s i t y ,

o p e n n e s s a n d a w i l l i n g n e s s t o e x p l o r e t h e m a n y p a t h w a y s t h a t t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n h a s t o o f f e r

I t i s w i t h g r e a t p l e a s u r e t h a t w e w e l c o m e y o u t o t h i s y e a r ’ s S e a s o n a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e ,

p r o u d l y p r e s e n t e d b y t h e D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ’ S o c i e t y .

W h e t h e r y o u a r e i n y o u r p e n u l t i m a t e o r f i n a l y e a r o f l a w s c h o o l , o r j u s t b e g i n n i n g t o e x p l o r e

t h e l e g a l l a n d s c a p e , t h i s g u i d e i s c u r a t e d t o s u p p o r t y o u a t e v e r y s t a g e . I n s i d e , y o u w i l l f i n d

i n s i g h t s , p r a c t i c a l t i p s , a n d p e r s p e c t i v e s n e e d e d t o n a v i g a t e t h e j o u r n e y a h e a d w i t h

c o n f i d e n c e a n d c l a r i t y . F r o m a p p l i c a t i o n a d v i c e t o f i r m o v e r v i e w s , w e ’ v e a i m e d t o b r i n g

t o g e t h e r a r e s o u r c e t h a t i s b o t h a c c e s s i b l e a n d i n f o r m a t i v e .

T h e D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ’ S o c i e t y i s i n c r e d i b l y g r a t e f u l t o o u r 2 0 2 5 s p o n s o r s , w h o s e

g e n e r o u s s u p p o r t m a k e s t h i s g u i d e p o s s i b l e T h e i r o n g o i n g c o m m i t m e n t t o t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l

d e v e l o p m e n t o f D e a k i n l a w s t u d e n t s r e f l e c t s a s h a r e d b e l i e f i n t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f n u r t u r i n g

t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n o f l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s . T h e i r i n s i g h t s f e a t u r e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e s e p a g e s ,

o f f e r v a l u a b l e g l i m p s e s i n t o t h e c u l t u r e , v a l u e s , a n d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f l i f e i n t h e l e g a l

p r o f e s s i o n .

W e a r e e x c e p t i o n a l l y p r o u d o f t h e w o r k o u r S p o n s o r s h i p p o r t f o l i o h a s a c h i e v e d s o f a r t h i s

y e a r . O u r t e a m i s d e d i c a t e d t o c o n n e c t i n g D e a k i n s t u d e n t s w i t h l e a d i n g l a w f i r m s a n d

o r g a n i s a t i o n s , a n d w e a r e t h r i l l e d t o s e e o u r r e a c h c o n t i n u e t o g r o w W e e x t e n d o u r d e e p e s t

t h a n k s t o o u r o f f i c e r s , L u k e D i m o p o u l o s a n d R e b e c c a A u s t i n , f o r t h e i r h a r d w o r k , s u p p o r t a n d

a t t e n t i o n t o d e t a i l i n b r i n g i n g t h i s g u i d e t o l i f e

F i n a l l y , a s y o u r e a d t h i s p u b l i c a t i o n a n d c o n s i d e r y o u r n e x t s t e p s , w e e n c o u r a g e y o u t o

r e m e m b e r : w h i l e a c l e r k s h i p c a n b e a n e x c i t i n g a n d r e w a r d i n g o p p o r t u n i t y , i t i s n o t t h e o n l y

p a t h t o s u c c e s s . T h e r e a r e m a n y w a y s t o b u i l d a m e a n i n g f u l l e g a l c a r e e r , a n d y o u a r e

s u p p o r t e d i n w h i c h e v e r d i r e c t i o n y o u c h o o s e t o

W e l c o m e t o t h e D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ’ S o c i e t y ' s S e a s o n a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e f o r 2 0 2 5 .

O n b e h a l f o f t h e C o m m e r c i a l C a r e e r s p o r t f o l i o , I w a n t t o e x t e n d m y b e s t w i s h e s f o r y o u r

c l e r k s h i p j o u r n e y a n d t h e u p c o m i n g a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s W h e t h e r y o u ’ v e h a d y o u r s i g h t s s e t o n

a c l e r k s h i p s i n c e y o u r f i r s t s e m e s t e r o f l a w s c h o o l , o r y o u ’ r e o n l y j u s t s t a r t i n g t o e x p l o r e w h a t

t h i s p r o c e s s i n v o l v e s ( a n d m a y b e f e e l i n g a l i t t l e o v e r w h e l m e d ) - t h i s G u i d e i s f o r y o u . I t ’ s

d e s i g n e d t o b e a n e x t r e m e l y c o m p r e h e n s i v e r e s o u r c e , n o m a t t e r w h a t s t a g e y o u ’ r e a t i n y o u r

j o u r n e y .

A s e a s o n a l c l e r k s h i p r e f e r s t o a s h o r t - t e r m p a i d p l a c e m e n t a t a l a w f i r m , t y p i c a l l y l a s t i n g 3 - 4

w e e k s . T h e n u m b e r o f c l e r k s h i p s a n d t h e i r i n t a k e s f o r d i f f e r e n t p e r i o d s a l t e r s f r o m f i r m - t o - f i r m .

C l e r k s h i p s o f f e r a n e x c e l l e n t c h a n c e t o d e t e r m i n e i f c o m m e r c i a l l a w i s t h e r i g h t c a r e e r p a t h f o r

y o u , a n d t o i d e n t i f y t h e f i r m , c u l t u r e a n d p r a c t i c e a r e a t h a t b e s t a l i g n s w i t h y o u r g o a l s ,

i n t e r e s t s a n d v a l u e s . Y o u w i l l g a i n v a l u a b l e p r a c t i c a l l e g a l e x p e r i e n c e b y w o r k i n g o n r e a l a n d

e n g a g i n g m a t t e r s A p p l i c a t i o n s a r e g e n e r a l l y o p e n t o p e n u l t i m a t e a n d f i n a l y e a r s t u d e n t s , a s

f i r m s o f t e n e x t e n d g r a d u a t e r o l e s t o t h o s e w h o h a v e c l e r k e d w i t h t h e m .

O b t a i n i n g a c l e r k s h i p p r o v i d e s a p l e t h o r a o f b e n e f i t s f o r y o u r c a r e e r a n d f o r y o u p e r s o n a l l y -

s e c u r i n g o n e i s u n d o u b t e d l y a c o m p e t i t i v e p r o c e s s . L a w s t u d e n t s f r o m V i c t o r i a , a n d e v e n o t h e r

s t a t e s , w i l l b e v y i n g f o r t h e s e l i m i t e d p l a c e m e n t s H e n c e , i t ’ s i m p o r t a n t t o a p p r o a c h y o u r

a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d t h e w h o l e p r o c e s s w i t h g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t , a t t e n t i o n t o d e t a i l , a n d a u t h e n t i c i t y .

T h i s G u i d e w i l l h e l p y o u u n d e r s t a n d t h e p r o c e s s , a v o i d c o m m o n p i t f a l l s , a n d f e e l m o r e

c o n f i d e n t a b o u t w h a t ’ s a h e a d

W h i l e c l e r k s h i p s a r e o n e p a t h w a y t o c o n s i d e r w h e n p u r s u i n g a c a r e e r i n c o m m e r c i a l l a w ,

r e m e m b e r t h a t l a w g r a d u a t e s a r e s o u g h t a f t e r b y v a r i o u s e m p l o y e r s , i n c l u d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l

s e r v i c e f i r m s , b u s i n e s s e s a n d g o v e r n m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s . I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o k e e p i n m i n d t h a t

o b t a i n i n g a c l e r k s h i p i s n o t t h e s o l e r o u t e t o a c a r e e r i n c o m m e r c i a l l a w .

I w i s h y o u a l l t h e v e r y b e s t a s y o u n a v i g a t e

t h e n ex t s t e p s ! M a ke f u l l u s e o f t h i s G u i d e , ex p l o r e a l l t h e a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s ( i n c l u d i n g

t h e C o m m e r c i a l C a r e e r s p o r t f o l i o ) , a n d m o s t

i m p o r t a n t l y - b a c k y o u r s e l f I c a n ’ t w a i t t o s e e

w h e r e t h i s j o u r n e y t a ke s y o u a l l !

T h e D L S S C o m m e r c i a l C a r e e r s P o r t f o l i o i s p r o u d t o p r e s e n t o u r S e a s o n a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e f o r

2 0 2 5

T h i s G u i d e s t r i v e s t o e n s u r e D e a k i n L a w s t u d e n t s f e e l a d e q u a t e l y i n f o r m e d w i t h k e y

i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g c o m m e r c i a l p a t h w a y s a n d t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s . W h i l e i t i s n o t

u n c o m m o n f o r t h i s s t a g e o f y o u r l e g a l c a r e e r t o b e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y e x c i t i n g a n d d a u n t i n g , t h i s

G u i d e w i l l e n s u r e y o u a r e p r e p a r e d b y p r o v i d i n g i m p o r t a n t d a t e s , i n d u s t r y r e l e v a n t t i p s , f i r m

o v e r v i e w s , a n d f i r s t - h a n d t e s t i m o n i a l s f r o m r e c e n t c l e r k s a n d g r a d u a t e s .

F i r s t a n d f o r e m o s t , w e w o u l d l i k e t o e x t e n d o u r g r a t i t u d e t o o u r s p o n s o r s f o r t h e i r c o m m i t m e n t

a n d c o n t r i b u t i o n s . I t i s t h e i r o n g o i n g s u p p o r t t h a t e n a b l e s D e a k i n l a w s t u d e n t s t o a p p r o a c h t h e

c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s w i t h c l a r i t y a n d c o n f i d e n c e

F u r t h e r , w e w o u l d l i k e t o e x p r e s s o u r d e e p e s t a p p r e c i a t i o n t o o u r D i r e c t o r , S a n y a P a t e l .

W i t h o u t h e r v i s i o n , l e a d e r s h i p , a n d d e v o t i o n , t h i s G u i d e w o u l d g e n u i n e l y h a v e n o t b e e n

p o s s i b l e .

F i n a l l y , w e a r e i m m e n s e l y g r a t e f u l t o t h e D L S S S p o n s o r s h i p P o r t f o l i o , t h e i r o n g o i n g s u p p o r t

a n d h a r d w o r k h a v e b e e n i n s t r u m e n t a l t h r o u g h o u t t h i s p r o c e s s .

T o a l l t h e 2 0 2 5 C l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a n t s , w e w i s h y o u e v e r y s u c c e s s w h e n e m b a r k i n g o n t h i s

e x c i t i n g n e x t s t e p s i n y u l a t i o n s o n a l l y o u h a v e a c h i e v e d i n t h e l e a d

u p t o t h i s p o i n t

F I R M

P E R I O D S

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 90-100

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 40-45

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 70

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 30 (approx )

Summer and Winter 10 - 12

Summer and Winter 40-50

Summer 4

Summer 1, Summer 2, Winter 65-70

Penultimate, final year, and international students

Penultimate students

Penultimate and final year students

Penultimate, final year, and international students

Penultimate, final year students

Penultimate, final year, and international students

Penultimate, final year students

Summer and Winter 15-20

Penultimate, final year, and international students

Penultimate, final year students

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter 35-40

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 30 (approx.)

Penultimate and final year students

Penultimate, final year, and international students

F I R M

P E R I O D S

C L E R K S H I P S

Summer and Winter 30

Summer and Winter 8

Summer and Winter 65-70

Penultimate and final year students

Penultimate, final year, and international students

Summer and Winter 30 (approx.) Penultimate students

Summer 1, Summer 2, Autumn and Winter 16-20

Penultimate and final year students

Summer 1

No specific target

Summer and Winter 25-30

Winter 2024 and Summer TBC

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 90 - 100

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 30- 33

Penultimate and final year students

Penultimate, final year and international students

Penultimate and final year students

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter 35-45

Summer and Winter 55-60

Summer and Winter 30

Penultimate and final year students

Penultimate, final year and international students

Winter 5 Penultimate students

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter Up to 40

Summer 1, Summer 2, and Winter

Summer 1 and Summer 2

Penultimate and final year students 12

Penultimate and final year students 12-14

Penultimate students

Summer and Winter 18-20

Penultimate, final year, and international students

PROGRESSING FROM

V i c t o r i a

R e q u i r e s a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) o r J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) . G r a d u a t e s m u s t c o m p l e t e P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( ‘ P L T ’ )

i n t h e f o r m o f S u p e r v i s e d L e g a l T r a i n i n g o r a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g C o u r s e b y a p p r o v e d p r o v i d e r s . G r a d u a t e s

w h o h a v e s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r P L T m u s t t h e n l o d g e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a C o m p l i a n c e C e r t i f i c a t e a n d t h e

V i c t o r i a n L e g a l A d m i s s i o n s B o a r d m u s t b e s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t i s a f i t a n d p r o p e r p e r s o n t o b e a d m i t t e d t o

p r a c t i c e F i n a l l y , i n o r d e r t o b e a d m i t t e d , a p e r s o n m u s t a t t e n d a n a d m i s s i o n c e r e m o n y i n t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t o f

V i c t o r i a , w h e r e t h e y t a k e a n O a t h a n d s i g n t h e R o l l . O n c e a d m i t t e d , a p e r s o n m a y a p p l y t o t h e V i c t o r i a n L e g a l

S e r v i c e s B o a r d f o r a P r a c t i s i n g C e r t i f i c a t e . A p e r s o n m u s t h o l d a c u r r e n t P r a c t i s i n g C e r t i f i c a t e t o p r a c t i s e l a w i n

V i c t o r i a

N e w S o u t h W a l e s

R e q u i r e s a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) o r J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) . G r a d u a t e s m u s t c o m p l e t e P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( ‘ P L T ’ )

i n t h e f o r m o f S u p e r v i s e d L e g a l T r a i n i n g o r a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g C o u r s e b y a p p r o v e d p r o v i d e r s G r a d u a t e s w h o h a v e s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r P L T m u s t t h e n l o d g e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m i s s i o n a n d t h e n t a k e a n O a t h a n d s i g n t h e R o l l o f A u s t r a l i a n L a w y e r s a t a d m i s s i o n d a y a t t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t o f N e w S o u t h W a l e s , w h e r e t h e y w i l l r e c e i v e t h e i r C e r t i f i c a t e o f A d m i s s i o n A f t e r b e i n g a d m i t t e d , a p e r s o n m a y a p p l y f o r a P r a c t i s i n g C e r t i f i c a t e

i s s u e d b y t h e C o u n c i l o f t h e L a w S o c i e t y o f N e w S o u t h W a l e s i n o r d e r t o p r a c t i s e l a w i n N e w S o u t h W a l e s .

Q u e e n s l a n d

R e q u i r e s a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) o r J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) G r a d u a t e s m u s t c o m p l e t e P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( ‘ P L T ’ )

i n t h e f o r m o f S u p e r v i s e d L e g a l T r a i n i n g o r a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g C o u r s e b y a p p r o v e d p r o v i d e r s . G r a d u a t e s

w h o h a v e s u c c e s s f u l l y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r P L T m u s t t h e n l o d g e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m i s s i o n t o t h e R o l l o f L a w y e r s

a n d t h e A d m i s s i o n s B o a r d m u s t b e s a t i s f i e d o f t h e i r f i t n e s s t o p r a c t i c e A p e r s o n m u s t t h e n a p p l y f o r a P r a c t i s i n g

C e r t i f i c a t e t o p r a c t i s e l a w i n Q u e e n s l a n d

S o u t h A u s t r a l i a

R e q u i r e s a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) o r J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) G r a d u a t e s m u s t c o m p l e t e P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( ‘ P L T ’ )

i n t h e f o r m o f S u p e r v i s e d L e g a l T r a i n i n g o r a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g C o u r s e b y a p p r o v e d p r o v i d e r s T h e y m u s t

a l s o h a v e t h o s e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s f o r m a l l y a c c r e d i t e d b y t h e B o a r d o f E x a m i n e r s p r i o r t o a d m i s s i o n G r a d u a t e s m u s t

t h e n l o d g e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m i s s i o n . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t m u s t b e s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p l i c a n t i s s u i t a b l e f o r

a d m i s s i o n . A p e r s o n m u s t t h e n a t t e n d a n a d m i s s i o n c e r e m o n y . A f t e r a p e r s o n h a s b e e n a d m i t t e d a n d s i g n e d t h e

R o l l o f P r a c t i t i o n e r s , t h e y a r e a b l e t o a p p l y f o r a P r a c t i s i n g C e r t i f i c a t e , w h i c h a l l o w s t h e m t o p r a c t i s e l a w i n S o u t h

A u s t r a l i a

W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a

R e q u i r e s a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) o r J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) . G r a d u a t e s m u s t c o m p l e t e P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( ‘ P L T ’ ) i n t h e f o r m o f S u p e r v i s e d L e g a l T r a i n i n g o r a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g C o u r s e b y a p p r o v e d p r o v i d e r s G r a d u a t e s m u s t t h e n m a k e a n a p p l i c a t i o n f o r a d m i s s i o n A p e r s o n m u s t a t t e n d a n a d m i s s i o n c e r e m o n y , w h e r e t h e y w i l l t a k e a n O a t h a n d s i g n t h e R o l l F i n a l l y , a p e r s o n m u s t a p p l y f o r a P r a c t i s i n g C e r t i f i c a t e t o p r a c t i s e l a w i n W e s t e r n

A u s t r a l i a .

U n i t e d S t a t e o f A m e r i c a

R e q u i r e m e n t s v a r y f r o m s t a t e t o s t a t e , h o w e v e r , t h e U S A g e n e r a l l y r e q u i r e s e i t h e r a J u r i s D o c t o r ( J D ) o r M a s t e r

o f L a w ( L L M ) . T h e s e a r e n e c e s s a r y i n o r d e r t o s i t t h e r e l e v a n t s t a t e b a r e x a m i n a t i o n . S o m e s t a t e s , s u c h a s N e w

Y o r k , a l l o w A u s t r a l i a n G r a d u a t e s t o s i t S t a t e b a r e x a m s

U n i t e d K i n g d o m

R e q u i r e s a L L B o r J D . T h e U K a l s o r e q u i r e s g r a d u a t e s t o h a v e c o m p l e t e d a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g c o u r s e .

L a w y e r s t h a t h a v e b e e n a d m i t t e d t o p r a c t i c e i n A u s t r a l i a c a n p r a c t i c e i n t h e U K a s S o l i c i t o r s b y t r a n s f e r r i n g

t h r o u g h t h e S o l i c i t o r s R e g u l a t i o n A u t h o r i t y ( S R A ) u n d e r t h e Q u a l i f i e d L a w y e r s T r a n s f e r S c h e m e ( Q L T S )

S i n g a p o r e

R e q u i r e s L L M o r J D f r o m a n a p p r o v e d u n i v e r s i t y . A n y p e r s o n s e e k i n g t o b e a d m i t t e d m u s t f i r s t b e t w e n t y - o n e

y e a r s o f a g e o r o l d e r P r o s p e c t i v e l a w y e r s m u s t a l s o s i t t h e B a r e x a m i n a t i o n a n d c o m p l e t e a o n e y e a r P r a c t i c a l

T r a i n i n g C o n t r a c t

H o n g K o n g

R e q u i r e s a p e r s o n t o b e a v a l i d l e g a l p r a c t i t i o n e r i n t h e i r j u r i s d i c t i o n o f a d m i s s i o n a n d t o h a v e b e e n p r a c t i s i n g i n

t h e i r s a i d j u r i s d i c t i o n f o r a t l e a s t t w o y e a r s H o p e f u l c a n d i d a t e s w i l l n e e d t o p a s s t h e B a r r i s t e r ’ s Q u a l i f i c a t i o n

E x a m i n a t i o n ( B Q E )

C h i n a

L a w y e r s f r o m o t h e r c o u n t r i e s a r e a b l e t o w o r k f o r l a w f i r m s i n C h i n a b u t a r e n o t a u t h o r i s e d t o p r a c t i s e l a w

C h i n e s e l a w h e a v i l y r e s t r i c t s a p e r s o n ’ s a b i l i t y t o g i v e l e g a l a d v i c e A u s t r a l i a n q u a l i f i e d l a w y e r s s h o u l d

t h o r o u g h l y d i s c u s s t h e s e r e s t r i c t i o n s w i t h a n y p r o s p e c t i v e C h i n e s e l a w f i r m s

J a p a n

L a w y e r s f r o m o t h e r c o u n t r i e s m a y s e e k a p p r o v a l f r o m t h e M i n i s t e r o f J u s t i c e a n d r e g i s t e r a s f o r e i g n l a w y e r s i n

J a p a n A s u c c e s s f u l a p p l i c a n t w i l l n e e d t o h o l d a c u r r e n t l i c e n c e t o p r a c t i c e i n t h e i r h o m e c o u n t r y , h a v e a t l e a s t 3

y e a r s p o s t - q u a l i f i c a t i o n l e g a l w o r k e x p e r i e n c e , h a v e a b u s i n e s s p l a n , a n d c u r r e n t l y l i v e i n J a p a n .

E u r o p e

T h e m a j o r i t y o f E u r o p e a n c o u n t r i e s r e q u i r e b o t h a n L L B a n d L L M O b t a i n i n g a l i c e n c e o r d i p l o m a i n o n e c o u n t r y a l l o w s y o u t o p r a c t i c e i n a n o t h e r . M e m b e r s h i p s o f i n d i v i d u a l B a r a s s o c i a t i o n s a r e s o m e t i m e s r e q u i r e d b y c o u n t r i e s t o u s e t h e t i t l e o f ‘ l a w y e r ’ , h o w e v e r , y o u m a y s t i l l p r a c t i s e l a w .

Overview

T h e L a w I n s t i t u t e o f V i c t o r i a ( L I V ) r e p r e s e n t s m o r e t h a n 1 8 , 0 0 0 l a w y e r s a n d l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s i n V i c t o r i a ,

i n t e r s t a t e , a n d o v e r s e a s T h e L I V p r o v i d e s c o m m i t m e n t , d i v e r s i t y , a n d e x p e r t i s e t o s h a p e V i c t o r i a ' s l a w s a n d

e n s u r e j u s t i c e f o r a l l

T h e L I V a d v o c a t e s f o r s o c i a l a n d p u b l i c w e l f a r e i n t h e c o u r t a n d l e g a l s y s t e m s . T h e y a l s o p r o m o t e e d u c a t i o n a n d p u b l i c c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a n d t h e l a w - m a k i n g a n d a d m i n i s t r a t i o n p r o c e s s e s .

A s t h e p e a k b o d y f o r t h e V i c t o r i a n l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n , t h e L I V i n i t i a t e s p r o g r a m s t o s u p p o r t t h e e v o l v i n g n e e d s o f

t h e p r o f e s s i o n T h e y a c t i v e l y p r o m o t e l a w r e f o r m , a d d r e s s c o m m u n i t y i s s u e s , o f f e r c o n t i n u i n g l e g a l e d u c a t i o n ,

a n d p r o v i d e e x p e r t s e r v i c e s a n d r e s o u r c e s .

T h e L I V i s a n o n - p r o f i t o r g a n i s a t i o n d e d i c a t e d t o i t s m e m b e r s a n d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t , m a i n t e n a n c e a n d s u s t e n a n c e o f t h e l e g a l s y s t e m f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e c o m m u n i t y

LIV Young Lawyers

T h e L I V ’ s c o m m i t m e n t t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f y o u r l e g a l c a r e e r b e g i n s w e l l b e f o r e y o u r f i r s t j o b . T h e i r e d u c a t i o n , m e n t o r i n g a n d n e t w o r k i n g o p p o r t u n i t i e s a r e s p e c i f i c a l l y t a i l o r e d t o s u p p o r t g r o w t h a s a s t u d e n t a n d g r a d u a t e , t o

e n s u r e a d e q u a t e p r e p a r a t i o n f o r l a u n c h i n g a s u c c e s s f u l c a r e e r

T h e L I V L a w S t u d e n t M e m b e r s h i p p r o v i d e s e x c l u s i v e a c c e s s t o a b r o a d r a n g e o f r e s o u r c e s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t

h e l p n a v i g a t e t h e i n i t i a l s t a g e s o f y o u r l e g a l c a r e e r T h e s e i n c l u d e :

M e m b e r s h i p o f t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l b o d y f o r l a w y e r s b u t a l s o t h e c o m m u n i t y o f L I V Y o u n g L a w y e r s , c o m p r i s e d

o f m o r e t h a n 6 , 0 0 0 l a w s t u d e n t s , g r a d u a t e s a n d e a r l y c a r e e r l a w y e r s .

E d u c a t i o n , n e t w o r k i n g a n d c a r e e r d e v e l o p m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n c l u d i n g a c c e s s t o t h e L I V Y o u n g L a w y e r s

e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m s , r e s o u r c e s , n e t w o r k s a n d s u p p o r t Y o u w i l l b e i n v i t e d t o a t t e n d p r o f e s s i o n a l

n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s i n c l u d i n g t h e a n n u a l L I V L e g a l C a r e e r P a t h w a y s e v e n t w h i c h p r o v i d e s g u i d a n c e t o h e l p

d e f i n e a c a r e e r p a t h a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o c o n n e c t w i t h o t h e r l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a l s .

W e l l - b e i n g a n d p e r s o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t s u p p o r t , i n c l u d i n g a c c e s s t o t h e L I V ’ s c o n f i d e n t i a l s u p p o r t a n d

c o u n s e l l i n g s e r v i c e s t h r o u g h t h e E m p l o y e e A s s i s t a n c e P r o g r a m

R e s o u r c e s , r e s e a r c h a n d s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s i n c l u d i n g a c c e s s t o t h e L I V ’ s L a w L i b r a r y ’ s e x t e n s i v e r e s o u r c e s ,

b o o k s a n d o t h e r o n l i n e l e g a l d a t a b a s e s , a s w e l l a s d i s c o u n t s o n l e g a l t e x t s , b o o k s a n d f o r m s p u r c h a s e d

f r o m t h e L I V L a w B o o k ’ s w e b s i t e a n d b o o k s h o p .

A d v o c a c y a n d i n f l u e n c e t h r o u g h j o i n i n g o n e o f t h e L I V Y o u n g L a w y e r s ’ C o m m i t t e e s .

C o n t r i b u t e a r t i c l e s t o Y o u n g L a w y e r s p u b l i c a t i o n s t o b u i l d y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l p r o f i l e

S t a y i n f o r m e d o n a l l t h a t i s r e l e v a n t t o y o u n g l a w y e r s t h r o u g h t h e m o n t h l y Y o u n g L a w y e r s N e w s l e t t e r , a c c e s s c a r e e r a d v i c e a n d f r e s h i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e f u t u r e o f t h e p r o f e s s i o n v i a t h e Y o u n g L a w y e r s b l o g a n d

Y o u n g L a w y e r s c o l u m n o f t h e L a w I n s t i t u t e J o u r n a l .

L I V S t u d e n t m e m b e r s h i p i s f r e e a n d w i l l a l l o w y o u t o a c c e s s t h e g r e a t b e n e f i t s a n d o p p o r t u n i t i e s a v a i l a b l e F o r

a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , p l e a s e v i s i t t h e L I V w e b s i t e o r e m a i l y o u n g l a w @ l i v a s n a u

T h e L I V C l e r k s h i p a n d G r a d u a t e G u i d e l i n e s ( t h e G u i d e l i n e s ) a r e t o p r o v i d e t h e a g r e e d f r a m e w o r k f o r t h e

d a t e s a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n p r o t o c o l s f o r t h e m a k i n g o f o f f e r s f o r c l e r k s h i p s a n d g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n s b y

s i g n a t o r y l a w f i r m s a n d t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f o f f e r s b y l a w s t u d e n t s t o e n s u r e c o n s i s t e n c y a n d f a i r n e s s i n t h e

r e c r u i t m e n t p r o c e s s .

E l i g i b i l i t y

( a ) A n y o f f e r m a d e u n d e r t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s r e l a t e s t o c l e r k s h i p p o s i t i o n s c o m m e n c i n g i n 2 0 2 5 a n d 2 0 2 6

( b ) T o b e e l i g i b l e t o a p p l y f o r c l e r k s h i p s a s t u d e n t m u s t b e i n t h e i r f i n a l o r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r o f s t u d y i n 2 0 2 5 .

( c ) S t u d e n t s w h o h a v e a l r e a d y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r l a w d e g r e e a r e e l i g i b l e t o a p p l y , h o w e v e r a p p l i c a t i o n s w i l l b e

a c c e p t e d a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f e a c h S i g n a t o r y

A p p l i c a t i o n s

( a ) A p p l i c a t i o n s f o r c l e r k s h i p s w i l l o p e n a n d c l o s e o n t h e d a t e s s e t o u t i n S c h e d u l e 1 .

( b ) E a c h S i g n a t o r y i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r s e t t i n g i t s o w n a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s a n d t h i s a s p e c t o f t h e r e c r u i t m e n t

p r o c e s s i s o u t s i d e t h e s c o p e o f t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s a n d t h e L I V ’ s i n v o l v e m e n t

( c ) S t u d e n t s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o f a m i l i a r i s e t h e m s e l v e s w i t h t h e c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s a n d p o l i c i e s o f a n y

s i g n a t o r y t o w h i c h t h e y a r e a p p l y i n g a n d a l l o w s u f f i c i e n t t i m e f o r l o d g e m e n t o f t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n

( d ) A l l i n t e r v i e w s f o r c l e r k s h i p p o s i t i o n s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o b e c o n d u c t e d b y e l e c t r o n i c m e a n s .

( e ) A n a p p l i c a n t w h o , d u e t o “ g e n u i n e n e c e s s i t y ” w i l l b e u n a b l e t o a t t e n d a n i n t e r v i e w d u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w

p e r i o d s h o u l d a p p l y t o t h e L I V f o r p e r m i s s i o n t o b e i n t e r v i e w e d a t a d a t e o u t s i d e t h e a p p l i c a t i o n d a t e s “ G e n u i n e

N e c e s s i t y ” w i l l b e d e t e r m i n e d o n a c a s e - b y - c a s e b a s i s b y t h e L I V A p p l i c a t i o n s s h o u l d b e m a d e t o t h e L I V Y o u n g

L a w y e r s M a n a g e r i n w r i t i n g a n d i n c l u d e a p p r o p r i a t e s u p p o r t i n g d o c u m e n t a t i o n W r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n i s t o b e

g r a n t e d a t t h e s o l e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e L I V .

( f ) W h e r e a n e r r o r o c c u r s i n t h e l o d g e m e n t o f a n a p p l i c a t i o n m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s , t h e s t u d e n t m a y

m a k e a c a s e f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e r e l e v a n t S i g n a t o r y , b u t i t i s a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e S i g n a t o r y c o n c e r n e d a s

t o w h e t h e r t h e a p p l i c a t i o n i s a c c e p t e d

O f f e r s

( a ) B u s i n e s s D a y i s d e f i n e d a s M o n d a y t o F r i d a y .

B u s i n e s s H o u r s i s d e f i n e d a s t h e p e r i o d b e t w e e n 9 a m a n d 5 p m .

( b ) A S i g n a t o r y m a y m a k e a n o f f e r o f a c l e r k s h i p t o a s t u d e n t a t a n y t i m e d u r i n g t h e o f f e r p e r i o d s e t o u t i n

S c h e d u l e 1

( c ) S u b j e c t t o p a r a g r a p h 7 ( d ) , a n y o f f e r o f c l e r k s h i p m u s t r e m a i n o p e n f o r a m i n i m u m p e r i o d o f f o u r ( 4 ) B u s i n e s s

H o u r s f r o m t h e t i m e t h e o f f e r w a s m a d e o r u n t i l 1 0 a m t h e f o l l o w i n g B u s i n e s s D a y f o r o f f e r s m a d e a f t e r 1 p m .

( d ) S t u d e n t s m u s t n o t h o l d m o r e t h a n f o u r ( 4 ) c l e r k s h i p o f f e r s f o r a p e r i o d o f m o r e t h a n t w o ( 2 ) B u s i n e s s H o u r s .

( e ) A l l o f f e r s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o p a r a g r a p h 7 ( b ) o f t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s w i l l b e m a d e b y e m a i l A l l e m a i l o f f e r s m u s t d e t a i l :

( i ) t h e t e r m s o f t h e o f f e r ; a n d

( i i ) t h a t t h e o f f e r i s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s

S i g n a t o r i e s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o m a k e f o l l o w u p c a l l s t o o f f e r e e s o n c e t h e o f f e r h a s b e e n m a d e b y e m a i l . f ) A c l e r k s h i p p o s i t i o n o f f e r e d u n d e r t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s m a y b e d e f e r r e d f o r o n e ( 1 ) y e a r a t t h e s t u d e n t ’ s r e q u e s t , s u b j e c t t o a g r e e m e n t b y t h e S i g n a t o r y ( g ) S i g n a t o r i e s a r e n o t o b l i g a t e d t o o f f e r c l e r k s h i p s e a c h y e a r b u t i f t h e y d o , t h e y m u s t f o l l o w t h e G u i d e l i n e s

E l i g i b i l i t y t o a p p l y f o r G r a d u a t e P o s i t i o n

( a ) S u b j e c t t o p a r a g r a p h 8 ( c ) , a n y o f f e r m a d e u n d e r t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s r e l a t e s t o a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n c o m m e n c i n g

i n 2 0 2 6 .

( b ) T o b e e l i g i b l e t o a p p l y f o r a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n a s t u d e n t m u s t h a v e a l r e a d y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r l a w d e g r e e o r w i l l

c o m m e n c e t h e i r f i n a l s e m e s t e r i n 2 0 2 5

( c ) S u c c e s s f u l a p p l i c a n t s w h o h a v e a l r e a d y c o m p l e t e d t h e i r l a w d e g r e e a r e e l i g i b l e t o c o m m e n c e t h e i r g r a d u a t e

p o s i t i o n p r i o r t o 2 0 2 6 b y a g r e e m e n t b e t w e e n t h e S i g n a t o r y a n d t h e a p p l i c a n t

A p p l i c a t i o n s

( a ) A p p l i c a t i o n s f o r g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n s w i l l o p e n a n d c l o s e o n t h e d a t e s s e t o u t i n S c h e d u l e 1

( b ) E a c h S i g n a t o r y i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r s e t t i n g i t s o w n a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s a n d t h i s a s p e c t o f t h e r e c r u i t m e n t

p r o c e s s i s o u t s i d e t h e s c o p e o f t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s a n d t h e L I V ’ s i n v o l v e m e n t .

( c ) S t u d e n t s a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o f a m i l i a r i s e t h e m s e l v e s w i t h t h e g r a d u a t e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s a n d p o l i c i e s o f a n y

S i g n a t o r y t o w h i c h t h e y a r e a p p l y i n g a n d a l l o w s u f f i c i e n t t i m e f o r l o d g e m e n t o f t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n

( d ) A l l i n t e r v i e w s f o r g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o b e c o n d u c t e d b y e l e c t r o n i c m e a n s

( e ) A n a p p l i c a n t w h o , d u e t o “ g e n u i n e n e c e s s i t y ” w i l l b e u n a b l e t o a t t e n d a n i n t e r v i e w d u r i n g t h e i n t e r v i e w

p e r i o d s h o u l d a p p l y t o t h e L I V f o r p e r m i s s i o n t o b e i n t e r v i e w e d a t a d a t e o u t s i d e t h e a p p l i c a t i o n d a t e s . “ G e n u i n e

N e c e s s i t y ” w i l l b e d e t e r m i n e d o n a c a s e - b y - c a s e b a s i s b y t h e L I V . A p p l i c a t i o n s s h o u l d b e m a d e t o t h e L I V Y o u n g

L a w y e r s M a n a g e r i n w r i t i n g a n d i n c l u d e a p p r o p r i a t e s u p p o r t i n g d o c u m e n t a t i o n W r i t t e n p e r m i s s i o n i s t o b e

g r a n t e d a t t h e s o l e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e L I V

( f ) W h e r e a n e r r o r o c c u r s i n t h e l o d g e m e n t o f a n a p p l i c a t i o n m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s , t h e s t u d e n t m a y

m a k e a c a s e f o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e r e l e v a n t S i g n a t o r y , b u t i t i s a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e S i g n a t o r y c o n c e r n e d a s

t o w h e t h e r t h e a p p l i c a t i o n i s a c c e p t e d .

P r i o r i t y O f f e r s

( a ) B u s i n e s s D a y i s d e f i n e d a s M o n d a y t o F r i d a y

B u s i n e s s H o u r s i s d e f i n e d a s t h e p e r i o d b e t w e e n 9 a m a n d 5 p m .

P r i o r i t y O f f e r i s d e f i n e d a s a n o f f e r m a d e p u r s u a n t t o p a r a g r a p h 1 0 ( b ) .

( b ) I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h p a r a g r a p h 1 0 , S i g n a t o r i e s m a y m a k e p r i o r i t y o f f e r s o f a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n t o t h e f o l l o w i n g s t u d e n t s :

( i ) S t u d e n t s w h o w i t h i n t h e p r e v i o u s t w o ( 2 ) y e a r s p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f m a k i n g t h e o f f e r r e f e r r e d t o i n t h i s p a r a g r a p h , h a v e s u b s t a n t i a l l y c o m p l e t e d a c l e r k s h i p o f a t l e a s t t w o ( 2 ) w e e k s d u r a t i o n w i t h t h e o f f e r i n g f i r m , e i t h e r i n V i c t o r i a o r a t o n e o f t h e f i r m ’ s i n t e r s t a t e o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l o f f i c e s o r v i r t u a l l y ; o r

( i i ) S t u d e n t s w h o d u r i n g t h e p r e v i o u s t w o ( 2 ) y e a r s a n d f o r a m i n i m u m p e r i o d o f t e n ( 1 0 ) w o r k i n g d a y s , h a v e p e r f o r m e d p a r a l e g a l w o r k f o r t h e o f f e r i n g f i r m , e i t h e r i n V i c t o r i a o r a t o n e o f t h e f i r m ’ s i n t e r s t a t e o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l o f f i c e s o r v i r t u a l l y .

( c ) O f f e r s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o p a r a g r a p h 1 0 ( b ) ( i ) a n d 1 0 ( b ) ( i i ) a r e a t t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e S i g n a t o r y

( d ) I t i s a c c e p t e d t h a t S i g n a t o r i e s i n v i t e s t u d e n t s t o e x p r e s s t h e i r i n t e r e s t i n b e i n g c o n s i d e r e d f o r a P r i o r i t y O f f e r

a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e i r c l e r k s h i p

( e ) S u b j e c t t o p a r a g r a p h 1 0 ( f ) , S i g n a t o r i e s i n t e n d i n g t o m a k e P r i o r i t y O f f e r s a r e n o t p e r m i t t e d t o i n t e r v i e w m a r k e t

g r a d u a t e a p p l i c a n t s o r t o m a k e o f f e r s o r a r r a n g e m e n t s c o n c e r n i n g m a r k e t g r a d u a t e a p p l i c a n t s p r i o r t o m a k i n g a

P r i o r i t y O f f e r

( f ) S i g n a t o r i e s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o i n t e r v i e w p a r a g r a p h 1 0 ( b ) ( i i ) P r i o r i t y O f f e r c a n d i d a t e s b e f o r e m a k i n g a P r i o r i t y

O f f e r

( g ) T h e P r i o r i t y O f f e r s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h i s p a r a g r a p h c a n b e m a d e e i t h e r i n w r i t i n g a n d / o r b y t e l e p h o n e o n t h e

d a t e s a n d t i m e s s e t o u t i n S c h e d u l e 1 .

( h ) A P r i o r i t y O f f e r m u s t r e m a i n o p e n u n t i l t h e e a r l i e r o f a c c e p t a n c e / r e j e c t i o n i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h p a r a g r a p h s 1 0 ( i )

a n d 1 0 ( j ) o r 4 p m o n W e d n e s d a y 6 A u g u s t 2 0 2 5

( i ) A n a p p l i c a n t w i l l n o t h o l d m o r e t h a n t w o ( 2 ) P r i o r i t y O f f e r s f o r l o n g e r t h a n a t w o ( 2 ) h o u r - p e r i o d

( j ) A n a p p l i c a n t m u s t a c c e p t / r e j e c t a n y P r i o r i t y O f f e r r e c e i v e d w i t h i n f o u r ( 4 ) B u s i n e s s H o u r s o f i t b e i n g m a d e .

F o r a v o i d a n c e o f d o u b t , P r i o r i t y O f f e r s m a d e a t 1 p m m u s t b e a c c e p t e d o r r e j e c t e d b y

5 p m o n t h e s a m e B u s i n e s s D a y P r i o r i t y O f f e r s m a d e a f t e r 1 p m m u s t b e a c c e p t e d o r

r e j e c t e d b y 1 0 a m t h e f o l l o w i n g B u s i n e s s D a y

( k ) A g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n o f f e r e d u n d e r t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s m a y b e d e f e r r e d f o r o n e ( 1 ) y e a r a t t h e s t u d e n t ’ s r e q u e s t ,

s u b j e c t t o a g r e e m e n t b y t h e S i g n a t o r y .

M a r k e t O f f e r s

( a ) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n p a r a g r a p h 1 0 , S i g n a t o r i e s m a y m a k e o f f e r s o f g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n s t o e l i g i b l e s t u d e n t s o n

t h e d a t e a n d t i m e s e t o u t i n S c h e d u l e 1

( b ) A l l o f f e r s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h i s p a r a g r a p h w i l l b e m a d e b y e m a i l . A l l e m a i l o f f e r s m u s t d e t a i l :

( i ) t h e t e r m s o f t h e o f f e r ; a n d

( i i ) t h a t t h e o f f e r i s m a d e p u r s u a n t t o t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s

( c ) S i g n a t o r i e s a r e p e r m i t t e d t o m a k e f o l l o w u p c a l l s t o o f f e r e e s o n c e t h e o f f e r h a s b e e n m a d e b y e m a i l

( d ) E x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d i n p a r a g r a p h 1 0 , a n o f f e r o f a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n w i l l r e m a i n o p e n f o r a p e r i o d o f n o t l e s s

t h a n t w e n t y - f o u r ( 2 4 ) h o u r s f r o m t h e t i m e t h e o f f e r w a s m a d e o r u n t i l 1 1 a m t h e f o l l o w i n g B u s i n e s s D a y f o r o f f e r s m a d e p r i o r t o 1 1 a m .

S i g n a t o r i e s s h o u l d m a k e t h i s k n o w n t o s t u d e n t s a t t h e t i m e o f m a k i n g o f f e r s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h

t h i s p a r a g r a p h

( e ) A g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n o f f e r e d u n d e r t h e s e G u i d e l i n e s m a y b e d e f e r r e d f o r o n e ( 1 ) y e a r a t t h e s t u d e n t ’ s r e q u e s t , s u b j e c t t o a g r e e m e n t b y t h e S i g n a t o r y .

( f ) S i g n a t o r i e s a r e n o t o b l i g a t e d t o o f f e r g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n s e a c h y e a r b u t i f t h e y d o , t h e y m u s t f o l l o w t h e

G u i d e l i n e s

I n o r d e r t o b e a d m i t t e d a s a l e g a l p r a c t i t i o n e r i n V i c t o r i a , a P r a c t i c a l L e g a l T r a i n i n g ( P L T ) c o u r s e o r a S u p e r v i s e d

W o r k p l a c e T r a i n i n g P r o g r a m m e m u s t f i r s t b e c o m p l e t e d . U p o n c o m p l e t i o n o f a P L T , y o u w i l l b e a w a r d e d w i t h a

G r a d u a t e D i p l o m a i n L e g a l P r a c t i c e w h i c h f u r t h e r a l l o w s y o u t o a p p l y f o r a d m i s s i o n a s a L e g a l P r a c t i t i o n e r I n t h e

m a j o r i t y o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a P L T i s u n d e r t a k e n a f t e r t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f a l a w d e g r e e H o w e v e r , e x c e p t i o n s c a n

b e m a d e b y s e e k i n g a p p r o v a l f r o m t h e C o u n c i l o f L e g a l E d u c a t i o n B o a r d o f E x a m i n e r s t o c o m m e n c e y o u r P L T

p r i o r t o t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f y o u r l a w d e g r e e . E f f e c t i v e l y , a P L T c o u r s e p r e p a r e s y o u f o r r e a l w o r l d a n d p r a c t i c a l

s i t u a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g d r a f t i n g d o c u m e n t s , i n t e r v i e w i n g c l i e n t s , a d v o c a c y n e g o t i a t i o n a n d o t h e r s k i l l s t h a t a r e

e s s e n t i a l f o r e v e r y p r a c t i s i n g l a w y e r

H o w l o n g w i l l i t t a k e :

P L T c o u r s e s g e n e r a l l y t a k e a n y w h e r e b e t w e e n 1 5 t o 3 0 w e e k s t o c o m p l e t e , d e p e n d i n g o n w h e t h e r t h e y a r e

s t u d i e d p a r t - t i m e o r f u l l - t i m e

H o w m u c h d o e s i t c o s t :

T h e p r i c e o f a P L T c o u r s e i s d e p e n d e n t o n t h e i n s t i t u t i o n . F o r d o m e s t i c s t u d e n t s , t h e P L T c o u r s e w i l l c o s t

a p p r o x i m a t e l y b e t w e e n $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 - $ 1 2 , 0 0 0 . T h e r e a r e d i f f e r e n c e s i n p r i c e s b a s e d o n p r o v i d e r s , a n d w h e t h e r y o u

a r e a d o m e s t i c o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t u d e n t W o r k e x p e r i e n c e c a n a l s o c o u n t t o w a r d s y o u r P L T c o u r s e , k e e p i n g y o u r

f e e s l o w e r F E E - H E L P i s a l s o a v a i l a b l e f o r P L T c o u r s e s

W h e r e c a n I d o i t :

T h e r e a r e f o u r P L T p r o v i d e r s i n A u s t r a l i a :

T h e A u s t r a l i a n C o l l e g e o f A p p l i e d P r o f e s s i o n s [ h t t p s : / / w w w a c a p e d u a u / p l t / ]

C e n t r e f o r L e g a l S t u d i e s [ h t t p s : / / w w w c f l s c o m a u / ]

T h e C o l l e g e o f L a w [ h t t p s : / / w w w . c o l l a w . e d u . a u / ]

L e o C u s s e n C e n t r e F o r L a w [ h t t p s : / / w w w . l e o c u s s e n . e d u . a u / ]

H o w d o I g e t i n :

E a c h P L T p r o v i d e r h a s i t s o w n d i s t i n c t i v e m e t h o d s f o r a p p l i c a t i o n . C o m m o n l y , h o w e v e r , y o u a r e o n l y r e q u i r e d t o f i l l o u t f o r m s a n d s u b m i t b o t h y o u r a c a d e m i c t r a n s c r i p t a n d r e s u m e . T h e i n t e n t i o n o f e a c h i n s t i t u t i o n i s t o u s e y o u r r e s u m e a n d t r a n s c r i p t t o a s s e s s y o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o u t i l i s e t h e P L T c o u r s e t o i t s f u l l p o t e n t i a l A s t u d e n t w h o d e m o n s t r a t e s t h e i r w i l l i n g n e s s w i l l i n h e r e n t l y b e s e l e c t e d o v e r t h o s e w h o f a i l t o d o s o

P o i n t s t o c o n s i d e r :

W h e n d e c i d i n g o n y o u r P L T c o u r s e , i t i s w i s e t o a s k y o u r s e l f w h e t h e r y o u w i s h t o c o m p l e t e i t o n l i n e o r o n s i t e .

T h e d e c i s i o n s h o u l d b e i n f l u e n c e d b y f a c t o r s s u c h a s y o u r o w n f l e x i b i l i t y , y o u r r e q u i r e m e n t s , a n d w h e t h e r y o u i n t e n d t o w o r k i n a n o f f i c e e n v i r o n m e n t I t i s a l s o w o r t h c o n s i d e r i n g w h e t h e r y o u f e e l c o m f o r t a b l e f i n d i n g

p l a c e m e n t f o r y o u r s e l f a s p a r t o f t h e c o u r s e o r w h e t h e r y o u w i s h t o b e a s s i g n e d o n e

STRAIGHT FROM STUDENTS...

A d a m M a r s h a l l

2 0 2 4 S e a s o n a l C l e r k a t R u s s e l l K e n n e d y , G a d e n s a n d

N o r t o n R o s e F u l b r i g h t

C l e r k s h i p s e a s o n c a n f e e l l i k e a w h i r l w i n d o f a p p l i c a t i o n s , i n t e r v i e w s , a n d i m p o s t e r s y n d r o m e .

B u t f o r D e a k i n s t u d e n t s , t h e r e i s n o r e a s o n t o f e e l o u t o f p l a c e W i t h s t r o n g a c a d e m i c

f o u n d a t i o n s , p r a c t i c a l a s s e s s m e n t s , a n d a g r o w i n g a l u m n i p r e s e n c e i n t o p f i r m s , y o u r D e a k i n

e d u c a t i o n c a n b e l e v e r a g e d a s a t o o l t h r o u g h o u t y o u r c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s I t c a n b e d a u n t i n g t o

b e i n a r o o m o f s t u d e n t s f r o m o t h e r u n i v e r s i t i e s , b u t b e i n g a b l e t o b a c k y o u r s e l f a n d y o u r

a c a d e m i c e x p e r i e n c e i s f u n d a m e n t a l t o p r e s e n t i n g y o u r s e l f s t r o n g l y .

I f y o u a r e w o n d e r i n g h o w t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e y o u r s e l f , s t a r t b y r e f l e c t i n g

o n w h a t s e t s D e a k i n a p a r t . P r a c t i c a l a s s e s s m e n t s , a c o m p u l s o r y

W o r k - I n t e g r a t e d L e a r n i n g ( W I L ) u n i t , a n d f l e x i b l e s t u d y o p t i o n s a r e

j u s t a f e w o f t h e s t a n d o u t f e a t u r e s t h a t g i v e u s r e a l - w o r l d r e a d i n e s s .

Practical Assessments

W h i l e o t h e r u n i v e r s i t i e s m a y f o c u s h e a v i l y o n r e s e a r c h e s s a y s o r p r o b l e m - b a s e d q u e s t i o n s , m a n y D e a k i n u n i t s i n c o r p o r a t e a s s e s s m e n t s t h a t m i r r o r a c t u a l l e g a l p r a c t i c e T h e s e

a s s e s s m e n t s a r e g r e a t e x a m p l e s t o d r a w o n i n c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w s , e s p e c i a l l y i f y o u d o n o t y e t

h a v e f o r m a l l e g a l w o r k e x p e r i e n c e .

E x a m p l e s i n c l u d e :

C r i m i n a l P r o c e d u r e – t h e b a i l a p p l i c a t i o n r e q u i r e s y o u t o a p p l y b a i l l a w s t o a f a c t u a l

s c e n a r i o a n d m a k e o r a l s u b m i s s i o n s

E v i d e n c e L a w – t h e m o c k t r i a l e x e r c i s e i n v o l v e s c a s e t h e o r y d e v e l o p m e n t , w i t n e s s q u e s t i o n i n g , a n d o r a l a d v o c a c y

C i v i l P r o c e d u r e – ( d e p e n d i n g o n t h e y e a r y o u c o m p l e t e d t h i s u n i t ) d r a f t i n g a s t a t e m e n t o f c l a i m , d e m o n s t r a t i n g y o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f i n i t i a t i n g p r o c e e d i n g s a n d p r o c e d u r a l r u l e s

P r o p e r t y L a w , A d m i n i s t r a t i v e L a w , a n d m o r e – d r a f t i n g l e t t e r s o f a d v i c e , w i t h v a r i e d a u d i e n c e s l i k e c l i e n t s , i n - h o u s e c o u n s e l , o r e x t e r n a l l a w y e r s .

T h e s e e x p e r i e n c e s s h o w t h a t y o u r l e g a l e d u c a t i o n h a s e x t e n d e d b e y o n d e x a m s a n d p r o b l e m

q u e s t i o n s . H i g h l i g h t i n g t h e s e a s s e s s m e n t s c a n d e m o n s t r a t e y o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n s k i l l s , p r a c t i c a l

t h i n k i n g , a n d l e g a l u n d e r s t a n d i n g . T h i s l i s t i s b y n o m e a n s e x h a u s t i v e , a n d y o u s h o u l d c o n s i d e r

w h e t h e r y o u h a v e c o m e a c r o s s a n y a s s e s s m e n t s w h i c h h a v e g i v e n y o u a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g

o f l e g a l p r a c t i c e

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) and Electives

x p e r i e n c e t o s p e a k a b o u t y o u r i n t e r e s t s , v a l u e s , a n d h o w y o u h a v e a p p l i e d y o u r l e a r n i n g o u t s i d e o f l e c t u r e s a n d s e m i n a r s .

Y o u m a y a l s o c o n s i d e r t h e l a w e l e c t i v e s y o u s t u d i e d , a s t h i s c a n h e l p y o u d e m o n s t r a t e a g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t i n a f i r m ’ s p r a c t i c e a r e a s . F o r e x a m p l e , I t o o k W o r k p l a c e L a w a n d f o u n d i t g a v e m e a g o o d f o u n d a t i o n o f e m p l o y m e n t i s s u e s s u c h a s u n f a i r d i s m i s s a l , e n t e r p r i s e a g r e e m e n t s ,

a n d c o n t r a c t i s s u e s . M y g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t f o r t h i s a r e a m a d e t a i l o r i n g c o v e r l e t t e r s a n d a s k i n g q u e s t i o n s t o i n t e r v i e w e r s m u c h m o r e a u t h e n t i c D o n o t b e a f r a i d t o t a l k o n u n i t s y o u h a v e f o u n d

i n t e r e s t i n g , a s i t s h o w s y o u i n t e r e s t i n t h e l a w

Flexible Learning

D e a k i n o f f e r s f l e x i b l e l e a r n i n g c o n d i t i o n s b y p r o v i d i n g o n l i n e l e c t u r e s a n d s e m i n a r s o p t i o n s ,

a n d p r o v i d i n g r e c o r d i n g s i n c a s e y o u m i s s a c l a s s . T h i s f l e x i b i l i t y e n a b l e s y o u t o m a n a g e a

r a n g e o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , w h e t h e r t h a t b e t h r o u g h e m p l o y m e n t , e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s , o r

f a m i l y a n d c a r e r c o m m i t m e n t s P e r s o n a l l y , I t o o k a d v a n t a g e o f T r i m e s t e r 3 e a c h y e a r L a s t y e a r ,

I b a l a n c e d a m i x o f w o r k a n d e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r c o m m i t m e n t s b y d o i n g t h r e e u n i t s i n T r i m e s t e r s 1

a n d 2 , a n d t w o o v e r t h e s u m m e r T h i s a l l o w e d m e t o m a i n t a i n m y a c a d e m i c p e r f o r m a n c e

w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g o n o t h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s S h a r i n g s t o r i e s l i k e t h i s i n y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n c a n s h o w t i m e m a n a g e m e n t , t h a t y o u c a n m a n a g e m u l t i p l e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s , a n d s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e

Using it to your advantage

F r o m m y e x p e r i e n c e , m a n y f i r m s a c t i v e l y e n c o u r a g e a n d v a l u e D e a k i n a p p l i c a n t s , r e c o g n i s i n g t h e p r a c t i c a l a n d d i v e r s e e x p e r i e n c e s t h e y b r i n g B e i n g a D e a k i n s t u d e n t i s a d v a n t a g e o u s T h e k e y i s t o r e c o g n i s e t h e v a l u e o f y o u r a c a d e m i c j o u r n e y a n d s p e a k c o n f i d e n t l y a b o u t i t

W i s h i n g y o u a l l t h e b e s t w i t h y o u r c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s !

C o u r t n e y M c K e n z i e

2 0 2 4 S e a s o n a l C l e r k a t H e r b e r t S m i t h F r e e h i l l s , A l l e n s ,

M i n t e r E l l i s o n a n d W h i t e & C a s e

F o r t h o s e o f y o u w h o a r e r e a d i n g t h i s a r t i c l e , g o o d l u c k ! S e c u r i n g a c l e r k s h i p i s a s i g n i f i c a n t

m i l e s t o n e i n y o u r l e g a l c a r e e r , b u t i t ' s n o t w i t h o u t i t s h u r d l e s W h e t h e r y o u ' r e j u s t s t a r t i n g o r w e l l i n t o t h e p r o c e s s , a p p l y i n g t o f i r m s i s a m a s s i v e u n d e r t a k i n g , s o t a k e p r i d e i n e v e r y s t e p y o u t a k e .

T h e r e ' s n o o n e - s i z e - f i t s - a l l a p p r o a c h t o p r e p a r i n g f o r c l e r k s h i p s o r n a v i g a t i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s H o w e v e r , c e r t a i n s t r a t e g i e s c a n e n h a n c e y o u r c h a n c e s o f s t a n d i n g o u t R e m e m b e r , t h e r e ' s n o ' p e r f e c t ' f o r m u l a , h o w e v e r , t h e r e a r e c e r t a i n l y a f e w t h i n g s t h a t i n m y o p i n i o n h e l p t o m a k e y o u a b e t t e r c h a n c e o f s u c c e s s .

Effective Networking and Research

R e g a r d l e s s o f w h e n y o u c o m e a c r o s s t h i s a d v i c e , r e s t a s s u r e d , t h e r e ' s

s t i l l t i m e t o p r e p a r e !

L e t ' s s t a r t w i t h s t e p o n e : s e t t i n g u p a L i n k e d I n p r o f i l e I k n o w , t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l w o r l d c a n s e e m

d a u n t i n g , b u t L i n k e d I n i s a n i n v a l u a b l e t o o l a t y o u r d i s p o s a l . E v e n i f i t ' s j u s t a b a s i c o u t l i n e , c r e a t i n g a p r o f i l e a n d f o l l o w i n g f i r m s y o u ' r e i n t e r e s t e d i n i s k e y .

A s c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s d r a w n e a r e r , f i r m s o f t e n r e l e a s e a r t i c l e s t a i l o r e d t o s t u d e n t s . T h e s e

p i e c e s p r o v i d e i n s i g h t s i n t o t h e f i r m , e x p l a n a t i o n s o f r e c e n t d e a l s , o r s p o t l i g h t s o n t h e i r

p r a c t i t i o n e r s . R e a d i n g t h e s e n o t o n l y b o o s t s y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n b u t a l s o p r o v i d e s t a l k i n g p o i n t s f o r

i n t e r v i e w s , d e m o n s t r a t i n g y o u r g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t a n d a w a r e n e s s o f c u r r e n t e v e n t s

N e x t , e m b a r k o n a f o l l o w i n g s p r e e W h e n e v e r y o u m e e t a l a w y e r o r f e l l o w l a w s t u d e n t a t

c l e r k s h i p o r l a w e v e n t s , a d d t h e m o n L i n k e d I n T h i s p r a c t i c e p r o v e d i m m e n s e l y h e l p f u l f o r m e

B e f o r e i n t e r v i e w s , I c o u l d e a s i l y r e v i e w m y c o n n e c t i o n s b y f i l t e r i n g b y f i r m , r e f r e s h i n g m y

m e m o r y o f w h o I ' d m e t I t a l s o a l l o w e d m e t o d e l v e d e e p e r i n t o t h e b a c k g r o u n d s o f m y

i n t e r v i e w e r s , p r o v i d i n g e a s y c o n v e r s a t i o n s t a r t e r s

Orgranisation

Breakdown of each firm including under each:

Timeline/stages of application;

Any person you have met connected to the firm (through either events or personnel networking);

HR contact to address the cover letter to (a very easy thing to accidentally get wrong or mixed); and

Particular things that interest you (e g practice groups, deals or other graduate opportunities)

Master document of short answer questions

Separate by firm and then write the questions underneath it; Create a table of contents with the questions; and You will see that many questions will ask the same question with slightly different wording – it is ok to use the same answer but check it still aligns.

Progress Tracker

Create a colour chart tracker for the different stages of each firm inclusive of dates – VERY important so that you’re not scheduling things for the same time; and Potential stages to include: application, psychometric testing, cocktail night and interview (discretionary to each firm)

e t y p e s o f f i r m s I w a n t e d t o p u r s u

. A s y o u g o t h r o u g h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s , y o u ' l l s t a r t t o n o t i c e w h a t a s p e c t s a r e t r u l y i m p o r t a n t t o y o

. I t ' s a j o u r n e y t h a t n o t

n l y r e f i n e s y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l g o a l s b u t a l s o p r o v i d e s v a l u a b l e s e l f - d i s c o v e r y a l o n g t h e w a y . I w i s h y o u a l l t h e a b s o l u t e b e s t !

J o s h u a H e r i n g t o n

2 0 2 5 S e a s o n a l C l e r k a t M a d d o c k s a n d B a k e r M c K e n z i e

T h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s c a n b e a s o m e w h a t d a u n t i n g e x p e r i e n c e t o e m b a r k o n ; b e t w e e n t h e

o v e r l o a d o f i n f o r m a t i o n , c o m p a r i n g y o u r s e l f t o y o u r p e e r s , a n d f r a n t i c a l l y r e a d i n g a r t i c l e s i n t h e

S e a s o n a l C l e r k s h i p G u i d e ( l i k e t h i s o n e ! ) , i t i s e a s y t o f e e l o v e r w h e l m e d a n d c o n f u s e d a t t i m e s

W h i l e t h i s i s b y n o m e a n s a d e f i n i t i v e g u i d e t o n a v i g a t i n g t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s , i t i s a n i n s i g h t

i n t o w h a t I f o u n d u s e f u l a n d w h a t h e l p e d m e a l o n g t h e w a y .

1. Establishing strong foundations that help to showcase your strengths

S p e n d i n g t i m e t o p r o p e r l y b u i l d y o u L i n k e d I n p r o f i l e i s a g r e a t s t a r t i n g p o i n t . A s L i n k e d I n i s

e s s e n t i a l l y a d i g i t a l C V , m a k e s u r e y o u r p r o f i l e i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f y o u r s t r o n g e s t a b i l i t i e s a n d

e x p e r i e n c e s . H a v i n g a L i n k e d I n p r o f i l e w i l l a l s o m a k e i t e a s i e r t o n e t w o r k w i t h p r o f e s s i o n a l s

w h o y o u c a n l a t e r c o n n e c t w i t h – t h e s t a r t o f y o u r n e t w o r k o f c o n n e c t i o n s i n t h e l e g a l f i e l d ! O f

c o u r s e , e n s u r i n g y o u r C V i s u p t o d a t e ( a n d n i c e t o l o o k a t ) i s a m u s t w h e n y o u b e g i n a p p l y i n g

f o r c l e r k s h i p s

2. Know what you’re looking for

I f o u n d i t v e r y u s e f u l h a v i n g a g o o d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e t y p e o f f i r m s I w a n t e d t o a p p l y f o r . F o r

y o u , i t m i g h t b e t h a t y o u w a n t a g l o b a l l y r e c o g n i s e d n a m e , o r a n e x p e r t t e a m i n a p a r t i c u l a r

f i e l d . F o r m e , i t w a s m u c h m o r e c e n t r e d a r o u n d c u l t u r e , a n d w h e t h e r a f i r m ’ s v a l u e s a l i g n e d w i t h

m y o w n . A t r i s k o f o v e r l a p p i n g w i t h m y n e x t p o i n t , r e s e a r c h i n g e a c h f i r m , i t s v a l u e s , i t s g o a l s , m a y b e e v e n a r t i c l e s o n t h e m , i s a g r e a t s t a r t i n g p o i n t i n d e t e r m i n i n g w h e t h e r t h a t f i r m w o u l d b e a g o o d f i t f o r y o u I w o u l d p e r s o n a l l y a v o i d a p p l y i n g t o a s m a n y f i r m s a s p o s s i b l e j u s t b e c a u s e y o u c a n – h a v i n g a l i s t o f a r o u n d 1 0 f i r m s y o u l i k e c a n b e r e a l l y u s e f u l w h e n n a v i g a t i n g t h i s p r o c e s s

3. Personalise your research

O n c e I h a d a n i d e a o f t h e f i r m s I w a n t e d t o a p p l y f o r , I s t a r t e d d o i n g m o r e t a r g e t e d r e s e a r c h o n e a c h f i r m . T h i s c o u l d l o o k d i f f e r e n t f o r y o u , b u t f o r m e , t h i s i n v o l v e d r e s e a r c h i n g p a r t i c u l a r m a t t e r s a f i r m w o r k e d o n t h a t w e r e o f i n t e r e s t t o m e , o r m a t t e r s t h a t i n v o l v e d a n a r e a o f l a w I h a d e x p e r i e n c e i n

I f o u n d t h a t h a v i n g t h i s r e s e a r c h i n m y b a c k p o c k e t w a s v e r y u s e f u l a t n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s , a s i t

n o t o n l y i l l u s t r a t e s y o u r i n t e r e s t i n t h e f i r m , b u t c a n a l s o s t a r t g r e a t c o n v e r s a t i o n ! B e y o n d t h i s ,

k n o w i n g w h i c h p e o p l e a t t h e f i r m y o u w a n t t o m e e t c a n a l s o b e g r e a t a t n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s ( j u s t

m a k e s u r e y o u h a v e q u e s t i o n s t o a s k t h e m a b o u t t h e w o r k t h e y d o ! ) I f o u n d t h a t t h i s m o r e

t a r g e t e d r e s e a r c h w a s p a r t i c u l a r l y u s e f u l w h e n w r i t i n g c o v e r l e t t e r s – b e y o n d t h e a d v a n t a g e s

m e n t i o n e d a b o v e , i t a l s o s h o w s y o u h a v e n ’ t s i m p l y c o p y - a n d - p a s t e d y o u r c o v e r l e t t e r s

s u b m i t t e d t o o t h e r f i r m s .

4. Take advantage of networking opportunities

W h i l s t c r e a t i n g y o u r C V a n d d o i n g y o u r r e s e a r c h i s s o m e w h a t a g i v e n , a n o t h e r g r e a t w a y t o

m a k e y o u r s e l f k n o w n t o f i r m r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s i s b y a t t e n d i n g a s m a n y n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s a s y o u

c a n . D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ’ S o c i e t y e v e n t s l i k e M e e t t h e P r o f e s s i o n a l s i s a g r e a t w a y t o s p e a k

f a c e - t o - f a c e w i t h f i r m s a n d t o s h o w o f f y o u r n e w k n o w l e d g e A t t i m e s , a t t e n d i n g t h e s e e v e n t s

( s o m e t i m e s a f e w a w e e k ) c a n b e a b i t t i r i n g , b u t i t i s a b s o l u t e l y w o r t h i t J u s t d o n ’ t t a k e

a d v a n t a g e o f t h e o p e n b a r t o o m u c h !

5. Be yourself

B e y o n d e v e r y t h i n g e l s e , b e a u t h e n t i c . I f o u n d t h a t t r y i n g t o p u t o n a n ‘ o v e r l y p o l i s h e d ’ v e r s i o n o f

m y s e l f m a d e t h e w h o l e p r o c e s s m u c h m o r e e x h a u s t i n g . B e o n y o u r b e s t b e h a v i o u r , y e s , b u t i t i s

o k t o s h o w o f y o u r t r u e s e l f a n d b e a l i t t l e m o r e r e l a x e d . I n m y e x p e r i e n c e , b e y o n d a s k i n g t h e

‘ l e g a l ’ q u e s t i o n s a s o u t l i n e d i n m y p r e v i o u s p o i n t s , i n t e g r a t i n g q u e s t i o n s n a t u r a l l y i n t o

c o n v e r s a t i o n l i k e “ w h a t s p o r t s d o y o u f o l l o w ” o r “ w h a t ’ s y o u r f a v o u r i t e b a n d ” o r “ d i d y o u s e e

x y z i n t h e n e w s t o d a y ” c a n a c t u a l l y l e a d t o a m u c h s t r o n g e r c o n n e c t i o n w i t h s o m e o n e – a s a n

a d d e d b o n u s , y o u w i l l h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o t a l k a b o u t w i t h t h e m a t t h e n e x t e v e n t !

Y e s , t h i s p r o c e s s c a n b e v e r y s t r e s s f u l H o p e f u l l y t h i s h a s h e l p e d i n s o m e w a y , b u t i f n o t k n o w

t h a t y o u w i l l f i n d a w a y o f n a v i g a t i n g a l l o f t h i s i n a w a y t h a t s u i t s y o u b e s t P l e a s e f e e l f r e e t o

r e a c h o u t i f y o u n e e d e d a n y h e l p , o r j u s t w a n t e d a c h a t B e s t o f l u c k !

E m i l y H a j i c o s t a

G r a d u a t e L a w y e r a t C l a y t o n U t z

2 0 2 4 S e a s o n a l C l e r k a t M a d d o c k s a n d C l a y t o n U t z

T h e c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s i s r e n o w n e d f o r i t s h i g h s t a k e s a n d h i g h s t r e s s I t f e e l s l i k e a

c u l m i n a t i o n o f a l l y o u r h a r d w o r k o v e r y o u r d e g r e e , w h e r e i t o f t e n s e e m s l i k e t h e s t a k e s a r e

m a k e o r b r e a k . W h i l s t t h i s m a y b e m o t i v a t i n g f o r s o m e , a n d c r i p p l i n g f o r o t h e r s , i t ’ s i m p o r t a n t

t h a t y o u l o o k a f t e r y o u r s e l f t o e n s u r e y o u a r e p u t t i n g y o u r b e s t f o o t f o r w a r d a n d p r e s e n t i n g

y o u r s e l f i n t h e b e s t p o s s i b l e l i g h t .

Knowing what firms to apply for

A q u e s t i o n t h a t o f t e n a r i s e s i s “ h o w d i d y o u k n o w w h a t f i r m s t o a p p l y f o r ? ”

T h e a n s w e r I h a v e f o r t h a t i s o f t e n e a s i e r s a i d t h a n d o n e , b u t e s s e n t i a l l y c o m e s d o w n t o s e e k i n g

o u t f i r m s t h a t a l i g n w i t h y o u r i n t e r e s t s a n d y o u r c h a r a c t e r

Y o u r i n t e r e s t s

A g o o d s t a r t i n g p o i n t t o f i n d i n g o u t h o w f i r m s a l i g n w i t h y o u r i n t e r e s t s , i s r e s e a r c h i n g n o t a b l e

a n d r e c e n t m a t t e r s t h e y h a v e w o r k e d W h e n d o i n g t h i s , t h i n k t o y o u r s e l f w h e t h e r t h e s e a r e

m a t t e r s y o u w o u l d l i k e t o w o r k o n A n o t h e r w a y t o g a i n a g o o d o v e r v i e w i s g o i n g o n f i r m w e b s i t e s a n d l o o k i n g a t t h e i r p r a c t i c e a r e a s . F i r m w e b s i t e s w i l l u s u a l l y g i v e a g r e a t o v e r v i e w o f

t h e i r p r a c t i c e a r e a s . S o s p e n d s o m e t i m e n a v i g a t i n g t h e s e p a g e s a n d f i n d i n g a r e a s t h a t s e e m

i n t e r e s t i n g t o y o u , w h e t h e r i t i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t a l i g n s w i t h a u n i t a t u n i v e r s i t y , o r a n a r e a o f l a w y o u ’ v e n e v e r h e a r d o f b e f o r e a n d w a n t t o e x p l o r e f u r t h e r . A l l o f t h e s e a r e v a l i d m o t i v a t o r s t o a p p l y t o a f i r m .

Y o u r c h a r a c t e r

A h e l p f u l w a y t o i d e n t i f y w h i c h f i r m s a l i g n w i t h y o u r c h a r a c t e r i s i n t e r a c t i n g w i t h a r a n g e o f f i r m s

T h i s m e a n s a t t e n d i n g f i r m e v e n t s , o r e v e n t s h o s t e d b y D e a k i n L a w S t u d e n t s ’ S o c i e t y l i k e M e e t

t h e P r o f e s s i o n a l s , w h i c h g i v e s y o u a c c e s s t o v a r i o u s f i r m s W h e n s p e a k i n g w i t h f i r m s a t t h e s e

e v e n t s b e y o u r s e l f a n d a s k q u e s t i o n s , y o u ’ l l o f t e n g e t a g o o d f e e l a b o u t w h e t h e r y o u s e e

y o u r s e l f a t t h a t f i r m – t r u s t y o u r g u t w i t h t h i s !

Building a network

B u i l d i n g y o u r o w n n e t w o r k i s e s s e n t i a l t o f o u n d i n g a s t r o n g s u p p o r t s y s t e m , w h i c h a l l h e l p s t o m a k e t h e p r o c e s s a l i t t l e e a s i e r

A f e w g o o d w a y s t o b u i l d y o u r n e t w o r k a r e :

S p e a k i n g w i t h p e o p l e y o u k n o w t h a t h a v e g o n e t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s b e f o r e ( e . g . u n i v e r s i t y

o r s c h o o l f r i e n d s ) ;

R e a c h i n g o u t o n L i n k e d I n t o l a w y e r s a f t e r n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t s ( a s k i n g t o c a t c h u p f o r a c o f f e e

i s a g r e a t w a y t o b u i l d a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h o u t i t b e i n g t o o f o r m a l ) ;

C a s u a l l y m e n t i o n i n g y o u r i n t e r e s t i n c o m m e r c i a l l a w i n e v e r y d a y c o n v e r s a t i o n s ( y o u w o u l d

b e s u r p r i s e d h o w m a n y p e o p l e k n o w s o m e o n e w o r k i n g i n c o m m e r c i a l l a w , w h o a r e w i l l i n g

t o p u t y o u i n c o n t a c t w i t h t h e m ! )

Showcasing your experience

I d e n t i f y i n g w h e r e y o u r c o m m e r c i a l s k i l l s l i e i s e s s e n t i a l w h e n a p p l y i n g t o f i r m s a n d c r a f t i n g y o u r

c o v e r l e t t e r a n d r e s u m e W h e t h e r y o u h a v e w o r k e d i n r e t a i l , h o s p i t a l i t y o r t h e l e g a l i n d u s t r y , I

g u a r a n t e e y o u c a n d r a w o n y o u r e x p e r i e n c e t o d e m o n s t r a t e c o m m e r c i a l i t y

W e a l l h a v e o u r o w n u n i q u e e m p l o y m e n t e x p e r i e n c e s – t h a t ’ s w h a t m a k e s u s a l l u n i q u e a p p l i c a n t s ! S o I e n c o u r a g e y o u t o d r a w o n a s p e c t s o f y o u r p r e v i o u s r o l e s t h a t m a y s e e m

u n c o n v e n t i o n a l a t f i r s t , b u t I g u a r a n t e e y o u c a n t r u l y i d e n t i f y c o m m e r c i a l i t y i n a w i d e r a n g e o f

c o n t e x t s . I n m y c a s e , I i n c l u d e d m y e x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g i n t h e P r o d u c e D e p a r t m e n t a t a

s u p e r m a r k e t , n o t i n g t h a t I e n g a g e d i n m e t i c u l o u s a t t e n t i o n t o d e t a i l a n d q u a l i t y c o n t r o l d u r i n g

t h i s r o l e , w h i l e a l s o k e e p i n g c u s t o m e r e x p e c t a t i o n s a t f r o n t o f m i n d I w a s s u r p r i s e d h o w o f t e n

t h i s w a s b r o u g h t u p w h e n I w a s i n t e r v i e w i n g a t f i r m s , w h e r e P a r t n e r s o r H R R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s h a d

s i m i l a r e m p l o y m e n t e x p e r i e n c e t h e y r e l a t e d t o

M y s e c o n d t i p i s t o b e p r o u d o f y o u r s k i l l s a n d c o n v e y t h e m w i t h c o n v i c t i o n T h i s i s a g r e a t

c h a n c e f o r y o u t o r e f l e c t o n a l l y o u r e x p e r i e n c e a n d h a r d w o r k t o d a t e – s o b e p r o u d o f y o u r s e l f ! W h e t h e r i t ’ s a s p o r t i n g a c h i e v e m e n t , o r a g r e a t m a r k o n a n a s s i g n m e n t , c e l e b r a t e y o u r a c h i e v e m e n t s a n d b e m i n d f u l a b o u t l i n k i n g t h e m t o c o m m e r c i a l s o f t s k i l l s .

T h i s i s u n d o u b t e d l y a n e x t r e m e l y s t r e s s f u l p r o c e s s , b u t o n e t h a t i s e q u a l l y r e w a r d i n g . W h a t e v e r

t h e o u t c o m e , t r u s t t h a t d u r i n g t h i s p r o c e s s y o u w i l l d e v e l o p i n v a l u a b l e s k i l l s f r o m n e t w o r k i n g , r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r w r i t i n g t o i n t e r v i e w i n g , a n d h o p e f u l l y f i n d i n g a n a r e a o f l a w y o u a r e p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t P l e a s e f e e l f r e e t o r e a c h o u t i f y o u h a v e a n y q u e s t i o n s , o r j u s t n e e d s o m e s u p p o r t , I a m a l w a y s h a p p y t o h e l p W i s h i n g y o u t h e b e s t o f l u c k !

T h e s e t o p t i p s a r e w r i t t e n b y D e a k i n T A L E N T s t a f f w h o h a v e p r e v i o u s l y w o r k e d a s C l e r k s h i p / L e g a l R e c r u i t e r s f o r t o p - t i e r L a w & C o n s u l t i n g f i r m s

T h e c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w w i l l s e e k t o a s s e s s t h r e e c o r e a r e a s :

Ability (can you do it?)

Motivation (will you do it?)

Cultural fit (will people like you and want to work with you?)

O n t h e f l i p s i d e , y o u n e e d t o d e t e r m i n e i f a f i r m i s t h e r i g h t m a t c h f o r y o u . T o a s s i s t y o u w i t h y o u r p r e p a r a t i o n , D e a k i n T A L E N T ’ s t o p c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w t i p s a r e : Prepare Comprehensively

I t g o e s w i t h o u t s a y i n g , b u t t o p e r f o r m w e l l i n a c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w , t h o r o u g h r e s e a r c h a n d

p r e p a r a t i o n a r e e s s e n t i a l . T h e e f f o r t y o u p u t i n t o p r e p a r a t i o n w i l l h e l p t o d i s t i n g u i s h y o u .

C o r e a r e a s t o f o c u s y o u r p r e p a r a t i o n o n i n c l u d e :

I n d u s t r y a n d c o m m e r c i a l a w a r e n e s s

I n d u s t r y a n d c o m m e r c i a l a w a r e n e s s i n v o l v e s b e i n g u p t o s p e e d w i t h t h e b r o a d e r b u s i n e s s w o r l d i n w h i c h t h e l a w o p e r a t e s A m o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , i t e n a b l e s y o u t o f o r m o p i n i o n s a n d r e l a t e

t o t h e n e e d s o f c l i e n t s A s s u c h , i t ’ s a r e q u i r e d a n d s o u g h t a f t e r e m p l o y a b i l i t y s k i l l w h i c h w i l l b e

a s s e s s e d f o r i n a c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w

E x a m p l e q u e s t i o n s - W h a t a r e s o m e k e y c h a l l e n g e s c u r r e n t l y f a c i n g o u r i n d u s t r y ? H o w d o y o u

k e e p u p t o d a t e w i t h w h a t ’ s g o i n g o n i n o u r i n d u s t r y a n d t h e b u s i n e s s w o r l d m o r e b r o a d l y ?

W h a t ’ s a b u s i n e s s s t o r y i n t h e m e d i a t h a t h a s i n t e r e s t e d y o u r e c e n t l y ? W h a t ’ s y o u r

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f h o w o u r f i r m f i t s a n d o p e r a t e s w i t h i n o u r i n d u s t r y ? W h a t ’ s a n e x a m p l e o f a c a s e y o u ’ v e f o u n d i n t e r e s t i n g a n d w h y d i d i t i n t e r e s t y o u ?

H o w t o p r e p a r e – R e a d , w a t c h a n d l i s t e n o n a r e g u l a r b a s i s R e a d : N e w s p a p e r s , b u s i n e s s m a g a z i n e s , i n d u s t r y p u b l i c a t i o n s , b o o k s , n e w s w e b s i t e s , b l o g s , T w i t t e r W a t c h : T h e n e w s , a n d

p r o g r a m s t h a t p r o v i d e a n o b j e c t i v e a n a l y s i s o f w h a t t h e n e w s m e a n s L i s t e n : I n d u s t r y a n d

c u r r e n t a f f a i r s p o d c a s t s , s p e a k e r s a t i n d u s t r y e v e n t s

K n o w l e d g e o f t h e f i r m

U n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e f i r m y o u a r e i n t e r v i e w i n g w i t h i s e s s e n t i a l R e g a r d l e s s o f h o w i m p r e s s i v e

y o u r o t h e r r e s p o n s e s a r e , i f i t ’ s a p p a r e n t t h a t y o u d o n ’ t h a v e a n a d e q u a t e u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o r

i n t e r e s t i n t h e f i r m , i t w i l l b e a d e a l - b r e a k e r

E x a m p l e q u e s t i o n s - W h a t ’ s y o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o u r f i r m a n d t h e w o r k w e d o ? W h a t i n t e r e s t s

y o u a b o u t w o r k i n g w i t h o u r f i r m ? W h a t a r e a ( s ) o f l a w a r e y o u m o s t i n t e r e s t e d i n ? W h a t ’ s y o u r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o u r c l i e n t s a n d h o w w e w o r k w i t h t h e m ?

H o w t o p r e p a r e - A s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r f i r m r e s e a r c h m i g h t i n c l u d e ; p r a c t i c e a r e a s , r e p u t a t i o n i n

t h e m a r k e t , t y p e s o f c l i e n t s t h e y w o r k w i t h , f i r m h i s t o r y , s i g n i f i c a n t m e r g e r s / a c q u i s i t i o n s , k e y c o m p e t i t o r s , o f f i c e l o c a t i o n s , n u m b e r o f e m p l o y e e s , t y p e s o f r o l e s , f i r m v a l u e s , f i r m c u l t u r e , r e c e n t a w a r d s a n d n o t a b l e a c h i e v e m e n t s , r e c e n t m e d i a a r t i c l e s / m e n t i o n s , c o m m u n i t y

i n v o l v e m e n t , p o i n t s o f d i f f e r e n c e t o o t h e r s s i m i l a r f i r m s , t h e f i r m ’ s p o s i t i o n o n t o p i c s s u c h a s

c o r p o r a t e s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , s u s t a i n a b i l i t y , p r o - b o n o , d i v e r s i t y e t c D o n ’ t f e e l l i k e y o u h a v e t o

s h o w c a s e a l l i n f o r m a t i o n y o u l e a r n B e s t r a t e g i c a n d w e a v e i t i n o r g a n i c a l l y

K n o w l e d g e o f t h e c l e r k s h i p p o s i t i o n

E x a m p l e q u e s t i o n s - W h a t d o y o u f e e l y o u w o u l d b r i n g t o t h e f i r m / c l e r k s h i p ? W h a t d o y o u h o p e

t o g e t o u t o f a c l e r k s h i p w i t h u s ? W h a t d o y o u t h i n k w o u l d b e t h e m o s t c h a l l e n g i n g a s p e c t o f a c l e r k s h i p f o r y o u ?

H o w t o p r e p a r e – R e a d i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d a b o u t t h e c l e r k s h i p i n d e t a i l ( s t a r t w i t h t h e f i r m ’ s w e b s i t e ) A t t e n d f i r m p r e c l e r k s h i p e v e n t s S p e a k w i t h p e o p l e i n y o u r n e t w o r k w h o h a v e p r e v i o u s l y ( i d e a l l y s u c c e s s f u l l y ) u n d e r t a k e n a c l e r k s h i p

K n o w l e d g e o f y o u r d r i v e a n d m o t i v a t i o n t o p u r s u e a c a r e e r i n l a w

Y o u r r e s p o n s e s t o q u e s t i o n s a b o u t y o u r i n t e r e s t i n l a w , g e n e r a l m o t i v a t i o n s , a n d s h o r t / l o n g e r

t e r m g o a l s w i l l h e a v i l y i n f l u e n c e d e c i s i o n m a k i n g , a n d t h e r e f o r e n e e d t o b e c o n f i d e n t , c o n s i d e r e d , g e n u i n e a n d a r t i c u l a t e .

E x a m p l e q u e s t i o n s - T e l l m e a b o u t y o u r s e l f . W h a t m o t i v a t e s y o u ? W h a t a c h i e v e m e n t ( s ) a r e y o u m o s t p r o u d o f , a n d w h y ? D e s c r i b e a r e c e n t g o a l y o u s e t f o r y o u r s e l f a n d a c h i e v e d . W h y s h o u l d w e h i r e y o u ? W h a t a r e y o u r g r e a t e s t s t r e n g t h s / a r e a s f o r d e v e l o p m e n t ? W h e r e d o y o u w a n t t o b e i n f i v e y e a r s ? I n t e n ?

D e s c r i b e a t i m e w h e n y o u h a v e h a d t o m a n a g e a s t r e s s f u l s i t u a t i o n

D e s c r i b e a t i m e w h e n y o u h a v e m a n a g e d c o n f l i c t D e s c r i b e a t i m e w h e n y o u f a i l e d H o w d i d y o u r e s p o n d ? W h a t d o y o u l i k e t o d o o u t s i d e o f w o r k / s t u d y ? W h y w e r e y o u r g r a d e s [ a t X t i m e o r f o r X s u b j e c t ( s ) ] l o w ?

H o w t o p r e p a r e – S p e n d t i m e o n s e l f - r e f l e c t i o n I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e a b o v e q u e s t i o n s , b r a i n s t o r m

y o u r r e s p o n s e s t o : W h a t a r e t e n w o r d s a g o o d f r i e n d o r f a m i l y m e m b e r w o u l d u s e t o d e s c r i b e

y o u ? W h a t v a l u e s d o y o u h o l d c l o s e ? W h a t h a v e y o u a c h i e v e d t h a t y o u f e e l r e a l l y g o o d a b o u t ?

W h a t h a v e y o u e n j o y e d / n o t e n j o y e d a b o u t t h e w o r k / s t u d y y o u ’ v e u n d e r t a k e n W h a t i s y o u r

i d e a l w o r k e n v i r o n m e n t ? W h a t d o e s s u c c e s s m e a n t o y o u ? W h a t e l s e i s i m p o r t a n t t o y o u

o u t s i d e o f l a w ?

Master the Meet and Greet

A r r i v e a t r e c e p t i o n 5 - 1 0 m i n u t e s b e f o r e y o u r s p e c i f i e d i n t e r v i e w t i m e I f y o u a r r i v e e a r l i e r , g o

f o r a w a l k o u t s i d e o r w a i t i n t h e g r o u n d f l o o r l o b b y S i m i l a r t o a r r i v i n g l a t e , a r r i v i n g a t

r e c e p t i o n t o o e a r l y i s i n a p p r o p r i a t e

T h e f i r s t 3 0 s e c o n d s o f a n i n t e r v i e w a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t H o w y o u g r e e t p e o p l e

r e v e a l s a g r e a t d e a l a b o u t y o u r c o n f i d e n c e , a t t i t u d e , a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l p o l i s h S t a n d t o g r e e t y o u r i n t e r v i e w e r s w a r m l y w i t h a s m i l e a n d f i r m h a n d s h a k e . I f i n t r o d u c e d t o a d d i t i o n a l

i n t e r v i e w e r s i n t h e r o o m , w a l k a r o u n d t h e t a b l e t o s h a k e h a n d s i n s t e a d o f r e a c h i n g o v e r , i f p o s s i b l e . I n t r o d u c e y o u r s e l f u s i n g y o u r f i r s t a n d l a s t n a m e .

P l a c e y o u r n o t e b o o k / p o r t f o l i o a n d p e n o n t h e t a b l e , b u t n o p e r s o n a l i t e m s ( s u c h a s w a t e r

b o t t l e , p h o n e , h a n d b a g )

I f a g l a s s o f w a t e r i s o f f e r e d , a c c e p t i t I t h e l p s t o e a s e i n t o t h e i n t e r v i e w a n d y o u m a y n e e d

i t E x p e c t t o m e e t w i t h a c o m b i n a t i o n o f l a w y e r s a n d s t a f f f r o m d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s a n d d i f f e r e n t

a r e a s o f t h e f i r m P a r t n e r s , S e n i o r A s s o c i a t e s , a n d m e m b e r s o f t h e H u m a n R e s o u r c e s t e a m

t y p i c a l l y c o n d u c t c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w s .

Respond with Impact

T h e i n t e r v i e w w i l l l i k e l y c o m m e n c e w i t h s m a l l t a l k B e f r i e n d l y , r e s p o n s i v e a n d g e n u i n e I t ’ s i m p o r t a n t t h a t y o u b u i l d r a p p o r t , a n d t h a t t h e i n t e r v i e w e r ( s ) l i k e s y o u a n d c a n s e e y o u f i t t i n g i n t o t h e c u l t u r e o f t h e f i r m .

S p e a k a r t i c u l a t e l y a n d k e e p t r a c k o f t i m e a n d p a c e . E n s u r e y o u p r o v i d e a d e q u a t e d e t a i l i n y o u r r e s p o n s e s .

T h e i n t e r v i e w w i l l i n c l u d e b o t h b e h a v i o u r a l a n d m o t i v a t i o n a l q u e s t i o n s T a k e a m o m e n t t o

p r o c e s s t h e q u e s t i o n b e i n g a s k e d a n d c o n s i d e r t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o m p e t e n c y b e f o r e

l a u n c h i n g i n A f e w m o m e n t s o f s i l e n c e t o c o l l e c t y o u r t h o u g h t s i s p e r f e c t l y o k ! R e s p o n d t o

a l l b e h a v i o u r a l q u e s t i o n s u s i n g t h e ‘ S T A R ’ r e s p o n s e s t r u c t u r e – S i t u a t i o n / T a s k , A c t i o n ,

R e s u l t P r e p a r e r o b u s t e x a m p l e s f o r l i k e l y q u e s t i o n s i n a d v a n c e F o c u s o n r e c e n t ( o p p o s e d

t o h i g h s c h o o l ) e x a m p l e s

B e y o u r s e l f ! Y o u d o n ’ t n e e d t o f i t a c e r t a i n s t e r e o t y p e o r p e r s o n a . I t ’ s e a s y t o s p o t

i n s i n c e r i t y i n a n i n t e r v i e w .

C o n f i d e n c e s h o u l d b e t e m p e r e d w i t h h u m i l i t y . T h e r e i s a f i n e l i n e b e t w e e n c o n f i d e n c e a n d

a r r o g a n c e a n d i n t e r v i e w e r s w i l l b e o n a l e r t f o r t h i s D e a k i n s t u d e n t s h a v e a r e p u t a t i o n f o r b e i n g g e n u i n e a n d s e l f - a w a r e a n d f i r m s l o v e t h i s !

E x p e c t a n d p r e p a r e f o r a s t r u c t u r e d i n t e r v i e w p r o c e s s , b u t d o n ’ t b e s u r p r i s e d i f y o u e n d u p h a v i n g w h a t f e e l s m o r e l i k e a f i r e s i d e c h a t ! P a r t n e r s a r e n o t o r i o u s f o r t a k i n g a n i n t e r v i e w i n a n y d i r e c t i o n t h e y s e e f i t / i n t e r e s t i n g a t t h e t i m e E v e n i f t h e i r s t y l e m i g h t s e e m l a i d b a c k , y o u r i n t e r v i e w e r ( s ) w i l l b e a s s e s s i n g y o u , s o m a i n t a i n y o u r f o c u s

Close with Powerful Questions

T h e q u e s t i o n s y o u a s k a t t h e e n d o f a n i n t e r v i e w d o a s m u c h t o d i f f e r e n t i a t e y o u a s t h e

o n e s y o u a n s w e r T h e i n t e r v i e w i s a t w o w a y p r o c e s s a n d i t ’ s e x p e c t e d t h a t y o u w i l l h a v e

q u e s t i o n s P r e p a r e a t l e a s t t h r e e q u e s t i o n s t o a s k , e v e n i f y o u d o n ’ t u s e t h e m a l l

R e s p o n d i n g w i t h ; ‘ I h a v e n ’ t g o t a n y q u e s t i o n s , I t h i n k y o u ’ v e c o v e r e d e v e r y t h i n g ’ o r ‘ W h a t

a r e t h e n e x t s t e p s ? ’ a s a s t a n d - a l o n e q u e s t i o n w i l l r e f l e c t o n y o u n e g a t i v e l y .

F o c u s o n a s k i n g q u e s t i o n s t h e i n t e r v i e w e r i s u n i q u e l y p o s i t i o n e d t o a n s w e r a n d t h a t w i l l

p r o v i d e y o u w i t h u s e f u l i n s i g h t . F o r e x a m p l e ; W h a t d o y o u e n j o y m o s t a b o u t w o r k i n g h e r e ?

W h y d i d y o u c h o o s e [ X ] p a t h o u t o f u n i v e r s i t y ? W h y d i d y o u c h o o s e t o s p e c i a l i s e i n [ X ]

p r a c t i c e a r e a ?

T r e a d c a r e f u l l y i f y o u c h o o s e t o a s k a b o u t l o n g e r t e r m t r a i n i n g p r o v i d e d / f u n d e d b y t h e f i r m

W h i l e i m p o r t a n t t o u n d e r s t a n d , t h e i n t e r v i e w s h o u l d f o c u s o n w h a t y o u c a n o f f e r , o p p o s e d t o w h a t y o u w a n t t o g a i n

D o n o t a s k f o r i n t e r v i e w f e e d b a c k o n t h e d a y , o r m e n t i o n a n y t h i n g o n y o u r w a y o u t s u c h a s :

‘ I f e e l t h a t w e n t b a d l y ’ , ‘ I h o p e I g a v e s o m e g o o d r e s p o n s e s ’ , ‘ T h a t w a s c h a l l e n g i n g ! ’ e t c

T h e s e s t a t e m e n t s c a n d a m a g e y o u r c r e d i b i l i t y

T h a n k t h e i n t e r v i e w e r , l e t t h e m k n o w y o u e n j o y e d m e e t i n g t h e m . C l a r i f y n e x t s t e p s i f n o t y e t

a d d r e s s e d .

Maintain your interview focus

T h e f a c e - t o - f a c e c l e r k s h i p i n t e r v i e w t y p i c a l l y f o r m s o n e p a r t o f a b r o a d e r c l e r k s h i p s e l e c t i o n

p r o c e s s M o s t f i r m s , e s p e c i a l l y l a r g e r f i r m s , w i l l h o s t a m e e t a n d g r e e t n e t w o r k i n g e v e n t f o r

t h o s e s u c c e s s f u l t o i n t e r v i e w s t a g e I t i s i m p o r t a n t y o u a t t e n d a n d t h a t y o u r n e t w o r k i n g a n d

c o n v e r s a t i o n f o c u s i s s q u a r e l y o n f i r m r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , n o t o t h e r c a n d i d a t e s i n a t t e n d a n c e

I n t r o d u c e y o u r s e l f , a s k m e a n i n g f u l q u e s t i o n s , b e i n t e r e s t e d L i m i t d r i n k i n g t o s t a y a l e r t

I f y o u a r e f o r t u n a t e t o s e c u r e a c l e r k s h i p , c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! T h e i m p o r t a n t w o r k s t a r t s n o w .

T h e c l e r k s h i p i t s e l f i s y o u r i n t e r v i e w f o r a g r a d u a t e p o s i t i o n . I t i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t o : M a i n t a i n

s h a r p f o c u s , p r o d u c e e x c e l l e n t w o r k , c o m m u n i c a t e c l e a r l y a n d r e g u l a r l y , g e t i n v o l v e d , b e

i n t e r e s t e d , a s k q u e s t i o n s , a s s e s s i f a g r a d u a t e r o l e w i t h t h e f i r m i s r i g h t f o r y o u .

A l l t h e b e s t w i t h t h e u p c o m i n g s e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s ! P l e a s e r e a c h o u t w i t h a n y q u e s t i o n s

- D e a k i n T A L E N T

T h e s e t o p t i p s a r e w r i t t e n b y D e a k i n T A L E N T s t a f f w h o h a v e p r e v i o u s l y

w o r k e d a s C l e r k s h i p / L e g a l R e c r u i t e r s f o r t o p - t i e r L a w & C o n s u l t i n g f i r m s .

Ensure your resume is easy to read

F i r m s t y p i c a l l y r e c e i v e h u n d r e d s o f c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s . T o m a k e y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n s t a n d o u t ,

e n s u r e y o u r f o r m a t t i n g i s c l e a r a n d k e y i n f o r m a t i o n i s e a s y t o a c c e s s . A l l f o r m a t t i n g s h o u l d b e

c o n s i s t e n t - u s e t h e s a m e f o n t s i z e a n d s t y l e f o r s i m i l a r e l e m e n t s a n d e n s u r e a l l s p a c i n g i s

c o n s i s t e n t t h r o u g h o u t y o u r d o c u m e n t s I t ’ s i m p o r t a n t y o u r r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r l o o k l i k e

t h e y b e l o n g t o g e t h e r a s o n e a p p l i c a t i o n p a c k a g e

Demonstrate a broad range of skills and experience

R e l e v a n t l e g a l e x p e r i e n c e i s i m p o r t a n t t o h i g h l i g h t , h o w e v e r d o n ’ t u n d e r v a l u e o t h e r p a r t - t i m e

w o r k y o u h a v e u n d e r t a k e n a n d t h e t r a n s f e r a b l e s k i l l s y o u h a v e d e v e l o p e d . C h a r i t a b l e w o r k ,

i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e c o m m u n i t y , p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n u n i v e r s i t y c l u b s a n d s o c i e t i e s , i n d e p e n d e n t

t r a v e l , o v e r s e a s e x c h a n g e , a d d i t i o n a l l a n g u a g e s , e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s , a n d h o b b i e s a r e a l l t h i n g s t h a t c a n h e l p y o u t o s t a n d o u t a s a w e l l - r o u n d e d c a n d i d a t e .

Write in plain english

F i r m s a r e s e e k i n g c l e a r a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l c o m m u n i c a t o r s , t h e y a r e n o t i n t e r e s t e d i n h o w m a n y

b i g w o r d s y o u k n o w , s o y o u c a n p u t d o w n t h e t h e s a u r u s ! T h e v a s t m a j o r i t y o f w o r k y o u w i l l d o

i n y o u r c l e r k s h i p w i l l b e l e g a l r e s e a r c h , n o t e t a k i n g a n d d r a f t i n g m e m o s , s o t h e q u a l i t y o f y o u r

w r i t t e n w o r k i s e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t Y o u r r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r s h o u l d b e e v i d e n c e o f y o u r

a b i l i t y t o c o m m u n i c a t e c l e a r l y a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l l y i n w r i t i n g R e a d t h e f i r m ’ s w e b s i t e a n d t a k e n o t e o f t h e t o n e a n d l a n g u a g e t h e y u s e - t h i s w i l l p r o v i d e y o u w i t h a n i n s i g h t i n t o h o w t h e y p r e f e r i n f o r m a t i o n t o b e p r e s e n t e d a n d h o w t h e y c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h t h e i r c l i e n t s .

Let your skills and achievements shine

Y o u r r e s u m e m u s t f o c u s o n a c h i e v e m e n t s , r e s u l t s a n d o u t c o m e s o p p o s e d t o s o l e l y o u t l i n i n g

d u t i e s , t a s k s a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s C o n s i d e r w h e r e y o u h a v e a d d e d v a l u e , f o r e x a m p l e ;

“ C o n d e n s e d a n d s u m m a r i s e d a 1 2 0 p a g e l e g a l r e s e a r c h r e p o r t o n f a m i l y v i o l e n c e i n t o a t w o

p a g e b o o k l e t w h i c h w a s s u b s e q u e n t l y u s e d b y [ X t e a m ] t o c o n d u c t c o m m u n i t y o u t r e a c h ”

D e a k i n T A L E N T ’ s R e s u m e & A p p l i c a t i o n W o r k s h o p s c a n a s s i s t y o u i n r e f i n i n g y o u r b u l l e t p o i n t

s t a t e m e n t s f o r m a x i m u m i m p a c t

Conduct through research

T h e r o l e o f a c l e r k i n v o l v e s c o n d u c t i n g l e g a l r e s e a r c h . A s s u c h , y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n s h o u l d

e v i d e n c e y o u r r e s e a r c h s k i l l s b y d e m o n s t r a t i n g a s t r o n g u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e f i r m y o u a r e

a p p l y i n g t o . I f y o u h a v e s t r o n g i n t e r e s t i n a p a r t i c u l a r p r a c t i c e a r e a , i t ’ s g r e a t f o r y o u r i n t e r e s t

a n d e n t h u s i a s m t o s h i n e t h r o u g h i n y o u r r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r , h o w e v e r d o n ’ t l i m i t y o u r s e l f .

I t ’ s i m p o r t a n t t o p r e s e n t a s b e i n g o p e n t o o t h e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s , a n d w i l l i n g a n d a b l e t o a d a p t

w h e n r e q u i r e d O n a s i m i l a r n o t e , a l t h o u g h i t ’ s g o o d t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e r a n g e o f p r o b o n o w o r k

a f i r m e n g a g e s i n , a v o i d f o c u s i n g y o u r c o v e r l e t t e r a r o u n d t h e i r p r o b o n o w o r k a s t h i s i s n o t t h e

c o r e b u s i n e s s o f a c o m m e r c i a l f i r m

Tailor each application

W r i t i n g a n i n d i v i d u a l c o v e r l e t t e r f o r e a c h f i r m i s m o r e t i m e c o n s u m i n g , b u t i s e s s e n t i a l i n

e n s u r i n g t h a t e a c h a p p l i c a t i o n i s s t r o n g a n d t a i l o r e d . I f y o u a r e f i n d i n g i t h a r d t o w r i t e i n d i v i d u a l

c o v e r l e t t e r s a n d s t r u g g l i n g t o t h i n k o f a g e n u i n e r e a s o n w h y y o u a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n a p a r t i c u l a r

f i r m , c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r y o u s h o u l d b e a p p l y i n g I n s t e a d , f o c u s y o u r e n e r g y i n t o r e f i n i n g

a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r f i r m s t h a t r e a l l y m a t t e r t o y o u

Mention connections

I f y o u h a v e a c o n n e c t i o n t o o r w i t h i n t h e f i r m , m e n t i o n i t , b u t d o n ’ t o v e r s t a t e y o u r r e l a t i o n s h i p . I f

y o u r e f e r e n c e t h e i r n a m e , a s s u m e t h e y w i l l b e c o n t a c t e d , s o o n l y m e n t i o n c o n n e c t i o n s i f t h e y

w i l l h a v e s o m e t h i n g g o o d t o s a y ! I f t h e y d o n ’ t r e m e m b e r y o u t h i s c a n a c t u a l l y h u r t , r a t h e r t h a n h e l p , y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n O u t o f c o u r t e s y , a l w a y s s e e k a p p r o v a l t o n a m e a n y o n e i n y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n

Complete all short answer questions

Y o u m i g h t s p e n d h o u r s o n y o u r r e s u m e a n d c o v e r l e t t e r , b u t a l l s h o r t a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a r e j u s t a s i m p o r t a n t ! F i r m s w i l l o f t e n o n l y r e a d y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n a f t e r y o u r s h o r t a n s w e r r e s p o n s e s h a v e p a s s e d a n i n i t i a l s c r e e n F o r t h a t r e a s o n , d o N O T w r i t e “ r e f e r t o r e s u m e ” a s y o u r r e s p o n s e ! E v e n t h o u g h t h e y m i g h t f e e l r e p e t i t i v e , t h e s h o r t a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a r e t h e r e f o r a r e a s o n C l i c k t h r o u g h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o n t h e f i r m ’ s w e b s i t e w e l l a h e a d o f w h e n y o u p l a n t o s u b m i t T h a t w a y , y o u w i l l k n o w w h a t q u e s t i o n s a r e b e i n g a s k e d a n d y o u c a n e n s u r e a d e q u a t e t i m e t o p r e p a r e y o u r r e s p o n s e s D r a f t y o u r r e s p o n s e s i n a W o r d d o c u m e n t a n d c o p y t h e m i n t o t h e f o r m o p p o s e d t o d r a f t i n g t h e m i n t h e b o x p r o v i d e d I n a d d i t i o n t o a l l o w i n g y o u t o s p e l l c h e c k , m a n y f i r m s u s e s i m i l a r q u e s t i o n s , s o t h i s m a y b e a g r e a t s t a r t i n g p o i n t f o r y o u r n e x t a p p l i c a t i o n !

Academics only form part of overall assessment

Y o u d o n ’ t h a v e t o b e a h i g h d i s t i n c t i o n s t u d e n t t o s e c u r e a c l e r k s h i p , e s p e c i a l l y i f y o u h a v e

o t h e r s k i l l s a n d e x p e r i e n c e t o o f f e r t h e f i r m . A n i m p r o v e m e n t i n y o u r m a r k s t h r o u g h o u t y o u r

d e g r e e w i l l b e v i e w e d f a v o u r a b l y , s o d o n ’ t b e d i s h e a r t e n e d b y w e a k e r a c a d e m i c r e s u l t s f r o m

e a r l i e r y e a r s . A f a i l i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y a n a u t o m a t i c r e j e c t i o n f r o m t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s . I f y o u

h a v e f a i l e d a s u b j e c t ( C o n s t i t u t i o n a l L a w w e ’ r e l o o k i n g a t y o u ) , e x p l a i n w h y , a n d o u t l i n e w h a t

y o u l e a r n e d f r o m t h e e x p e r i e n c e i n y o u r c o v e r l e t t e r I f y o u h a v e r e p e a t e d t h e s u b j e c t a n d d i d b e t t e r t h e s e c o n d t i m e , m e n t i o n t h i s

Demonstrate commercial awareness

K e y c o m m e r c i a l s k i l l s t o d e m o n s t r a t e i n y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n i n c l u d e s t a k e h o l d e r m a n a g e m e n t ,

n e g o t i a t i o n a n d a b i l i t y t o b u i l d s t r o n g p r o f e s s i o n a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s . I t c a n a l s o b e h e l p f u l t o h a v e a

g o o d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n , c u r r e n t e c o n o m i c a n d p o l i t i c a l c l i m a t e a n d t h e

r e c e n t d e a l s a n d m a t t e r s t h e f i r m h a s s u c c e s s f u l l y n e g o t i a t e d F o r e x a m p l e , b e i n g a w a r e o f

s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l g o v e r n m e n t i n v e s t m e n t i n t o i n f r a s t r u c t u r e p r o j e c t s m a y i n d i c a t e a n i n c r e a s e i n

d e m a n d f o r l a w f i r m s s p e c i a l i s i n g i n c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d p r o p e r t y l a w S t u d e n t s w h o m a k e t h i s

c o n n e c t i o n i n t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n d e m o n s t r a t e t h e i r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e w i d e r b u s i n e s s a n d p o l i t i c a l c o n t e x t a n d h o w t h i s m a y l e a d t o o p p o r t u n i t i e s

Select referees carefully

F i r m s o f t e n c o m m e n t t h a t s t u d e n t s s e l e c t r e f e r e e s ( s u c h a s o t h e r l a w y e r s ) w h o d o n ’ t a c t u a l l y

k n o w t h e m v e r y w e l l W h e n s e l e c t i n g r e f e r e e s , c h o o s e s o m e o n e t h a t i s g o i n g t o s p e a k

p o s i t i v e l y a b o u t y o u , b u t m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y k n o w s y o u w e l l e n o u g h t o b e a b l e t o a n s w e r

q u e s t i o n s a b o u t y o u r a b i l i t y a n d m o t i v a t i o n s B e f o r e i n c l u d i n g s o m e o n e a s a r e f e r e e , a l w a y s a s k

i n a d v a n c e i f t h e y a r e h a p p y t o p r o v i d e a r e f e r e n c e f o r y o u I t i s a l s o a c c e p t a b l e t o d i s c u s s w h a t

t h e y m i g h t s a y a b o u t y o u b e f o r e y o u c o m m i t t o t h e m

Request an independent review before submitting

B y t h e t i m e y o u a r e r e a d y t o p r e s s t h e s u b m i t b u t t o n , i t ’ s l i k e l y y o u w i l l h a v e r e a d t h r o u g h y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n m u l t i p l e t i m e s , w h i c h c a n m a k e i t d i f f i c u l t t o p i c k u p e r r o r s A s k a t r u s t e d f r i e n d o r

f a m i l y m e m b e r t o r e a d e a c h c o m p l e t e d a p p l i c a t i o n f o r y o u i n d e t a i l w i t h a c r i t i c a l e y e I f y o u h a v e a c o n n e c t i o n w i t h i n t h e f i r m , t h e y m a y a l s o b e a b l e t o s u g g e s t s o m e f u r t h e r r e f i n e m e n t s

A d d i t i o n a l l y , D e a k i n T A L E N T o f f e r s a J o b A p p l i c a t i o n R e v i e w s e r v i c e w h e r e y o u c a n r e q u e s t d e t a i l e d f e e d b a c k o n y o u r c o m p l e t e d a p p l i c a t i o n ( s )

Don’t self-select out!

T o o o f t e n , l a w s t u d e n t s a s s u m e f a i l u r e b e f o r e t h e y h a v e e v e n a p p l i e d f o r c l e r k s h i p s . T h e

c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s i s c o m p e t i t i v e a n d c a n a p p e a r d a u n t i n g , b u t t o p a r a p h r a s e a w e l l - k n o w n

q u o t e : “ Y o u m i s s o u t o n 1 0 0 % o f t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s y o u d o n ’ t t a k e ” . I f T r u m p h a s t a u g h t u s

a n y t h i n g , i t ’ s t h a t s o m e t i m e s i t ’ s n o t a b o u t b e i n g t h e m o s t q u a l i f i e d , i t ’ s j u s t a b o u t b e i n g i n t h e r a c e .

A l l t h e b e s t f o r t h e u p c o m i n g c l e r k s h i p s e l e c t i o n p r o c e s s ! P l e a s e r e a c h o u t w i t h a n y q u e s t i o n s

John Adams T: 0400 000 000 E: John adams1776@gmail com

25 July 2024

Ms Betty Clarke

Human Resources Advisor

Frank & Irwin Lawyers

111 Evans Street

MELBOURNE VIC 3000

Dear Ms Clarke

RE: APPLICATION FOR SEASONAL CLERKSHIP 2024/2025 - SAMPLE COVER LETTER ONLY

I am writing to apply for the seasonal clerkship 2024/2025 program at Frank & Irwin Lawyers I am currently in the penultimate year of my Bachelor of Laws at Deakin University and like Frank & Irwin, I am committed to achieving results This is reflected by attainting a 75% average mark throughout my law degree.

My pathway to law has been different from most and I consider this a strength Prior to deciding on law, I completed a Bachelor of Design at Deakin University Coming from an area of study which promotes creativity has allowed me to apply innovative thinking to the way I approach the law. Following completion of this degree I worked full time at Quinn & Riley Lawyers as a law clerk It was here the seed was planted and my love of the law blossomed The following year I commenced a Bachelor of Laws My continued employment at Quinn & Riley Lawyers along with the various other legal work I have completed has proved invaluable in helping me build a solid foundation from where I hope to grow with Frank & Irwin Lawyers. I have learned the importance of clear communication, client relationships, understanding clients’ needs and team work

In July 2017 I met Lucy Jones at the Deakin Commercial Careers Fair This is when I first became interested in Frank & Irwin through learning about the workplace culture. I participate in a range of extra curricular and social activities outside of my studies and legal work as I think it is important to be a well rounded person This include mooting, volunteering, basketball and much more Therefore, hearing about the various activities Frank & Irwin Social run appealed to me Further, the international rotation opportunities available during the graduate program appeal to me as it signifies the firm’s commitment to being world class. I recently returned from studying at the University of London which demonstrated to me the value international experiences have on students and lawyers’ personal and professional growth

I am attracted to Frank & Irwin Lawyers due to the firm’s industry focus and international reach especially in the Asia Pacific region. The rapid growth of Asia means it is soon to become the most dominant economic region in the world. Having studied Chinese (Mandarin) language and extensively travelled in Asia I am attracted to the potential opportunities coming out of this area particularly in relation to growing trade connections and foreign investment Frank & Irwin Lawyer’s work on the acquisition of Cubbie Station demonstrates its involvement in significant cross border deals in this region which appeals to my interests. Further, I see industry focus as powerful advantage for Frank & Irwin Lawyers. The ability to demonstrate to clients a deep understanding of their needs which are directly shaped by the industry and geographies in which they operate ensures successful relations between the firm and its clients

Further giving back to the community is a core value of mine. My volunteer work at the Youth Law Centre and Justice Connect and my charity work at the Cancer Council Australia has been rewarding. For this reason, I am further drawn to Frank & Irwin Lawyers knowing it shares this value through the corporate responsibility strategy focused around charitable giving, volunteering and pro bono work

I wish to be a part of Frank & Irwin Lawyer’s future and am hopeful of being given the opportunity to complete a seasonal clerkship I am a conscientious and hard working individual with a sense of fun and inclusion of others I would bring a robust willingness to learn and enthusiasm to fulfil any role required of me I am excited by the opportunity to be challenged by Frank & Irwin Lawyer’s variety of clients and the complexity of work.

I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience

Yours sincerely

John Adams

S A M P L E C V

S

EDUCATION

Feb 2021 - Present

J o h n A d a m s

T: 0400 000 000

E: john adams1776@gmail com

Bachelor of Laws, Deakin University

WAM: 75

Awards: Tertiary Academic Award in Commercial Law

Study Abroad: University of London

Feb 2016 - Oct 2020

WORK EXPERIENCE

Jun 2022 - Present

Bachelor of Design, Deakin University

January 2022

November 2021

Mar 2021 - Sep 2021

Law Clerk, Quinn & Riley Lawyers (2 weekdays, full time in holidays)

Commercial litigation, family law, estates, injuries and wills

Research

Preparing affidavits, statements of claim and other documents

Collating and delivering briefs

Attending court, client and settlement conferences

Attending ADR conferences such as mediation

General office administrative duties - proficient in LEAP

Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Victoria (2 weeks)

Reading and summarising judgments

Preparing 'Summary Documents' for Judges on appeal cases

Paralegal, Trott White Lawyers (2 weeks)

Real Estate and Projects

Reviewing sale contracts for Whitehorse Tower ($1 million plus)

Preparing and inputing information into Excel spreadsheets

Law Clerk, John Thompson Barrister

Attending court and client conferences

Photocopying, taking notes

Oct 2017 - Jan 2021

Intern, JJ Designs (1 weekday)

Drafting architectural drawings - proficient in AutoCAD

Participating in client and design meetings and site inspections

Bar Tender, White Pub (1 weekday, 1 weekend day)

Pouring beverages and learning recipes

Customer service and meeting budgets

S

VOLUNTEERING/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

May 2022 - Present

Feb 2021 - Present

May 2018 - Present

Jun 2016 - Mar 2018

Apr 2023 - Present

Jan 2022 - Present

Mar 2021 - Present

Mar 2016 - Present

Volunteer, Justice Connect (1 night per month)

Attending conferences and taking notes for Solicitors

Preparing draft letters to clients

Student Mentor, Deakin University (6 hours per week)

Assisting mentees with transition into unviersity life

Facilitating discussions around study skills and assignment tips

Volunteer, Cancer Council Australia (1/2 day per week)

Organising activities for hospital and ordering supplies

Attending event meetings, organising volunteers and accounts

Volunteer, Youth Law Centre (1 day per week)

Legal research

Drafting various legal documents such as affidavits

Attending client conferences at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre

General office administrative duties

General Committee Member, Melbourne Basketball Club

Editorial Committee Member, LIV Young Lawyers

Member, Deakin Law Students' Society (DLSS)

Member, Deakin University Students' Association (DUSA)

ACHIEVEMENTS/INTERESTS

Apr 2021 - Present

Mooting

Finalist, First Year Moot (DLSS, Burwood Campus)

Participant, Junior Moot (DLSS, Burwood Campus)

Participant, Senior Moot (DLSS, Burwood Campus)

Jun 2018 - Present

Other

References

Available upon request

Basketball

Melbourne Basketball Club

Cello

Australian Music Examinations Board 4th Grade (Cello)

Languages English. proficient

Chinese (Mandarin), limited working proficiency

STRAIGHT FROM LAWYERS...

Shape the future with Allens

I joined Allens as a clerk in 2021 and went on to join as a graduate, where I completed rotations in Disputes & Investigations and Funds Super & Financial Services (FSF) before deciding to settle in FSF and specialise in financial services regulation, focusing on anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing and financial crime.

How would you describe the FSF practice group?

The FSF practice group is a specialty team made up of three streams: Super: this stream focuses on the regulation and investment strategies of superannuation funds, including advising on super fund mergers, regulatory investigations and investment-related matters; Funds: this stream primarily advises on structuring and raising capital for investment funds, as well as ongoing regulatory, investment and operational matters affecting funds; Financial Services Regulation: this stream advises financial services companies (think, banks, buy now pay later providers, wagering companies and financiers) in relation to legislative obligations, designing and launching products, regulatory investigations, legislative reform and remediations.

Our team works across the full spectrum of legal practice, working on both investment work, which is largely transactional and more litigious work, and supporting clients and the litigation team with regulatory enforcement matters What connects all areas of the practice is the fact that we all advise clients who are providing regulated financial services or who are regulated entities (such as banks, super funds and credit providers). Besides our broad financial services focus, the key difference between working in a team like FSF versus a purely transactional team or a purely litigation team is that in FSF, in addition to the work on the extreme ends of the litigation/transactional spectrum, also do all the bits in between For example, supporting in-house legal teams on statutory interpretation questions and law reform issues in relation to the day-to-day obligations of their company.

What does your role as an associate in the FSF practice group involve?

I'm an associate in the Financial Services Regulation stream of the FSF team, and I specialise in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing work. This means that most of my matters involve either writing advice regarding how companies can comply with anti-money laundering laws or supporting clients to manage and remediate non-compliance with anti-money laundering laws

As a smaller, specialised team, associates and lawyers in FSF often take on a lot of responsibility and have more direct client interaction than you would in a bigger team This might include giving verbal advice to a client, preparing the first cut of a written advice and providing advice or seeking instructions from a client via email.

Similarly, associates and lawyers are often the ones who are responsible for being across the detail of the matter and the timelines for deliverables – so as an associate, I am also involved in managing client expectations regarding timelines, contributing to pitches, preparing fee estimates and following up stakeholders who need to provide input to or settle advice

While this may sound daunting, it means you develop client and practical matter management skills early. The level of client exposure also helps you to develop your commerciality and understand what clients actually want from Allens. One of my favourite things about my role is that we get to engage with black letter law and statutory interpretation, which is very technical, but we get to do it in a way that is commercial, practical and useful for our clients

If you had to choose three words to describe your practice group, what would these be?

Fast-paced, technical and exciting

What do you enjoy most about your practice group?

I'm going to cheat and say two things. The first is the real-world application of the work we do and how much you learn about the day-to-day financial products with which you interact. For example, very early on in my career, I worked on negotiating an enforceable undertaking between the anti-money laundering regulator, AUSTRAC, and the bank that I banked with After the enforceable undertaking was agreed, I got to see the remediation work that we advised on happening in real-time, through the prompts I received as a customer to update my details

The second thing is that because we are a specialised team, we get to work with a lot of different teams from around the firm – I love that we get to work with new people and see how anti-money laundering and other financial regulation issues translate into different areas, you always learn something new!

There are many unknowns for law students starting to consider clerkship applications Which firm would I want to join? Which practice do I want to work in? Is legal practice even remotely similar to an episode of Suits? What does a lawyer actually do in their day-to-day?

Having just completed the graduate program in the Banking and Finance (B&F) team at Arnold Bloch Leibler (ABL), I hope that sharing some insight into my journey helps you find answers to at least some of the many questions you have

Why I chose ABL?

I chose ABL because it has a very good B&F team. While ABL is smaller in size compared to the national top-tier firms, it is consistently ranked as one of the best law firms in each of its practice areas This size advantage allows junior lawyers and graduates to take on substantial roles in complex, high-profile cases from the outset It also means that ABL’s law graduates often work one-on-one with partners, which provides a great opportunity to learn from some of the best legal professionals in their respective fields These unique aspects allow junior lawyers and law graduates to develop quicker, while being part of a firm that has a genuinely friendly and supportive environment

What does a Banking and Finance team do?

Most law students have no idea what B&F teams actually do, and even hearing the words ‘banking and finance’ makes some students yawn involuntarily

‘Banking & finance’ can be a little misleading At ABL, while we work on a variety of financing matters, we don’t do any regulatory banking work and, contrary to a popular misconception, we rarely ever need to rely on our mathematical skills

At ABL, we predominantly act for a wide range of lenders and borrowers in relation to property financings (to fund the acquisition, development and/or construction of property) and corporate financings (to fund the operations of large companies/corporate groups, including acquisitions) We also do a lot of restructuring and insolvency work on high-profile corporate insolvencies

There may be many unknowns when considering clerkship applications, but they are the best opportunity to learn more about the firms and the type of work you might be interested in The process might seem daunting at first, but hang in there, as finding somewhere you really want to be makes it all worth it.

A Day in the Life of a B&F Law Graduate

9:00AM Have breakfast with my team in the ABL Café

9:30AM Email Spanish counsel and draft a settlement checklist for a corporate acquisition/leveraged financing I’m working on with Gen (partner) and Danielle (lawyer)

11:00AM Draft loan and security contracts for a property acquisition financing I’m working on with Damien (partner)

1:00PM Go to Fitness First (ABL’s subsidised gym) during lunch

2:00PM Eat lunch at my desk while reading the firm’s daily AFR summary

2:00PM

Show Nathan (our new graduate) how to manage PPSR registrations so he can assist on a matter with our Commercial team

2:30PM Call opposing lawyer to check in on the status of due diligence documents we requested for a construction financing I’m working on with Damien (partner) and Andrew (lawyer).

2:45PM Review a US law-governed loan agreement to determine in which circumstances our client is permitted to transfer or dispose of its intellectual property for a corporate financing matter with Gen (partner).

4:15PM Continue drafting loan and security contracts for a property acquisition financing I’m working on with Damien (partner)

A MESSAGE FROM ABL LAWYERS AND ADVISERS

“It is a focus of ABL partners that law graduates like Conor are given the opportunity to play an important role in a wide range of matters from early on in their career We believe that working closely with our law graduates from day one accelerates their development into great lawyers”

Damien Cuddihy - Partner, Banking & Finance

7:00AM A

7:45AM I

8:30AM I arrive at the office and join the Dispute Resolution team, the practice area where I am clerking I log on, check my emails and begin to make a to-do list of relevant tasks. A few other clerks and I head down to grab a coffee from the firm's kitchen, where we chat about our plans for the day ahead

9:30AM I am called into a quick meeting with my supervising lawyer, where I am given instructions for a research task My supervisor provides details on the matter the task relates to, and sends through several client communications for me to look over Our discussion enhances my understanding of the issue I'm researching, and I'm excited to learn more about the kind of work currently occupying the Disputes team

10:30AM The other clerks and I head out of the office to grab our second coffee of the day with some other members of the team It's a great opportunity to chat about their experiences, and to explore the many wonderful coffee shops in the area!

11:30AM

Back at my desk, I continue to work on the research task I've been given, using the guides and resources provided by the firm as a starting point I use the firm templates to construct a memorandum with information relevant to our client’s claim

12:30PM

Lunch time! I meet a few of the clerks in the lobby before we go into the food court and get something delicious for lunch We then head back to the firm, where we meet up with most of the other clerks in the kitchen

1:30PM

3:00PM

After lunch I have the opportunity to attend a client meeting While listening, I take notes to be circulated to those involved It is incredibly interesting to gain more insight into a matter I'd been exposed to during my clerkship, and to observe firsthand the ways client concerns are discussed and addressed by senior members of the team

5:00PM

At 3pm, I head down to the conference room to attend an insight session run by the employment team Each practice group gives a presentation to the clerks about the structure of their team, the clients they're involved with and some interesting matters that team members have the opportunity to work on Clerks have the opportunity to ask questions, and are invited to grab coffee one-on-one with any lawyers they'd like to talk with further It's great to watch team members discuss the matters they've been most excited to work on, and it's a wonderful opportunity for the clerks to dispel prior misconceptions and gain insight into the kinds of practice areas we might want to rotate through as graduates

8:00PM

P h i l i p p a S u t h e r l a n d

A s s o c i a t e

C o r p o r a t e M & A

Your j our ney t o a wor l d- c l as s c ar eer begi ns her e

T h i n k i n g a n d a c t i n g g l o b a l l y i s n o t j u s t s o m e t h i n g B a k e r M c K e n z i e i s p r o u d o f – i t i s t h e e s s e n c e o f w h o w e a r e a n d s t e m s f r o m o u r o r i g i n s a s a n o r g a n i c , g l o b a l l a w f i r m

Cross-Border Transactions

I s t a r t e d a t B a k e r M c K e n z i e a s a g r a d u a t e i n 2 0 2 1 , i n t h e s e c o n d y e a r o f p a n d e m i c - r e l a t e d

l o c k d o w n s i n M e l b o u r n e I r o t a t e d t h r o u g h o u r C o r p o r a t e M & A , I P T e c h a n d E m p l o y m e n t t e a m s ,

b e f o r e s e t t l i n g i n C o r p o r a t e M & A W h i l e w e m a y h a v e b e e n f o r c e d t o w o r k f r o m h o m e a s

A u s t r a l i a f a c e d b o r d e r c l o s u r e s a n d M e l b o u r n e s n a p p e d i n a n d o u t o f l o c k d o w n s , t h e p a n d e m i c

d i d a n y t h i n g b u t s l o w d o w n t h e p a c e o f o u r c r o s s - b o r d e r w o r k . F r o m t h e g e t - g o , I w a s i n v o l v e d

i n m a t t e r s f o r g l o b a l c l i e n t s , w h e t h e r i t w a s a d v i s i n g a g l o b a l s t r e a m i n g s e r v i c e o n k e y

r e g u l a t o r y c o n s i d e r a t i o n s i n 1 4 A P A C m a r k e t s , o r a s s i s t i n g w i t h a l o n g - r u n n i n g e m p l o y m e n t

l i t i g a t i o n f o r a m u l t i n a t i o n a l G e r m a n t e c h n o l o g y c o n g l o m e r a t e ! I t w a s i m m e d i a t e l y a p p a r e n t t h a t

t h e n a t u r e o f t h e w o r k a t B a k e r M c K e n z i e w a s t r u l y g l o b a l .

M o r e r e c e n t l y , i n m y l a s t t w o y e a r s w i t h t h e F i r m , I h a v e h a d t h e p r i v i l e g e o f b e i n g p a r t o f t h e

c o r e d e a l t e a m a d v i s i n g o n a n d c o o r d i n a t i n g t w o t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l t r a n s a c t i o n s f o r o u r l o n g -

s t a n d i n g c l i e n t , O r o r a L i m i t e d ( A S X : O R A ) I n 2 0 2 3 , O r o r a a c q u i r e d S a v e r g l a s s , a F r e n c h -

h e a d q u a r t e r e d g l o b a l l e a d e r i n t h e m a n u f a c t u r e a n d d e s i g n o f h i g h - e n d g l a s s b o t t l e s f o r t h e p r e m i u m s p i r i t a n d w i n e m a r k e t s ( t h e i r c u s t o m e r s m a k e s o m e o f t h e w o r l d ’ s b e s t c h a m p a g n e ! ) , f o r a n e n t e r p r i s e v a l u e o f A $ 2 2 b i l l i o n A y e a r l a t e r , i n 2 0 2 4 , O r o r a d i v e s t e d i t s N o r t h A m e r i c a n p a c k a g i n g b u s i n e s s f o r a n e n t e r p r i s e v a l u e o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y A $ 1 . 8 b i l l i o n . W e l e d b o t h d e a l s f r o m o u r M e l b o u r n e o f f i c e , w o r k i n g v e r y c l o s e l y w i t h o u r F r e n c h a n d U S t e a m s r e s p e c t i v e l y , a s w e l l a s w i t h B a k e r M c K e n z i e l a w y e r s a c r o s s m o r e t h a n 1 2 j u r i s d i c t i o n s . O u r F i r m ’ s a b i l i t y t o a s s i s t O r o r a w i t h t w o s i g n i f i c a n t s t r a t e g i c t r a n s a c t i o n s i n a s m a n y y e a r s e x e m p l i f i e s o u r F i r m ’ s u n i q u e a b i l i t y t o p r o v i d e s e a m l e s s a n d i n t e g r a t e d s e r v i c e a c r o s s t h e g l o b e . T h e d e a l s h a v e a l s o b e e n p i v o t a l i n m y d e v e l o p m e n t a s a g l o b a l l a w y e r a n d l e d t o t w o s e c o n d m e n t s w i t h O r o r a –w h e r e I a l s o g a i n e d i n v a l u a b l e i n - h o u s e e x p e r i e n c e a n d a m u c h d e e p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f o u r c l i e n t ’ s b u s i n e s s a n d g l o b a l v i s i o n

F a s t - f o r w a r d t o 2 0 2 5 – I h a v e b e e n v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o h a v e h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o m o v e t o o u r

L o n d o n o f f i c e f o r a 1 2 - m o n t h s e c o n d m e n t i n t h e C o r p o r a t e M & A t e a m .

D e s p i t e a r r i v i n g a t t h e s t a r t o f t h e i n f a m o u s a n d g r e y U K w i n t e r , i t h a s a l r e a d y b e e n a n

i n c r e d i b l e t h r e e m o n t h s W i t h i n a w e e k o f s t a r t i n g i n t h e t e a m , I f o u n d m y s e l f i n a k i c k - o f f

m e e t i n g f o r a g l o b a l c a r v e - o u t t r a n s a c t i o n s p a n n i n g 4 0 j u r i s d i c t i o n s ! G l o b a l r e o r g a n i s a t i o n s o f

t h i s n a t u r e h a v e b e e n a s i g n i f i c a n t g r o w t h a r e a f o r t h e F i r m a s i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n g l o m e r a t e s

r e s t r u c t u r e t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s t o i m p r o v e e f f i c i e n c y a n d u n l o c k v a l u e T h e s e t r a n s a c t i o n s a l l o w

B a k e r M c K e n z i e t o a c t i v a t e o u r n e t w o r k o f i n t e g r a t e d o f f i c e s a n d s h o w c a s e w h a t w e d o b e s t I t h a s b e e n b r i l l i a n t m e e t i n g a n d w o r k i n g w i t h l a w y e r s f r o m a r a n g e o f m a r k e t s – e v e r y w h e r e f r o m

t h e U S t o I n d i a a n d Q a t a r . E v e r y d a y p r e s e n t s a u n i q u e a n d i n t e r e s t i n g c h a l l e n g e , a s w e

n a v i g a t e c o m p l e x l e g a l l a n d s c a p e s t o f i n d s o l u t i o n s f o r o u r c l i e n t s .

A Culture of Friendship

F r o m t h e m i n u t e I s t e p p e d f o o t i n t h e L o n d o n o f f i c e , i t w a s c l e a r t h i s s e c o n d m e n t w o u l d n o t o n l y b e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l f o r m y c a r e e r , b u t a l i f e - c h a n g i n g e x p e r i e n c e p e r s o n a l l y T h e c i t y t r u l y i s a m e l t i n g p o t o f s o m e o f t h e w o r l d ’ s g r e a t e s t m i n d s , c o m p a n i e s a n d i d e a s , a n d i t i s a p r i v i l e g e

t o b e a p a r t o f i t .

I i m m e d i a t e l y f e l t a s e n s e o f h o m e i n t h e L o n d o n C o r p o r a t e M & A t e a m b e c a u s e i t r e m i n d s m e o f t h e M e l b o u r n e t e a m – p e o p l e i n v e s t t i m e g e t t i n g t o k n o w e a c h o t h e r . J u s t l a s t n i g h t , I f o u n d

m y s e l f a t a n i m p r o m p t u d i n n e r a t o n e o f L o n d o n ’ s g r e a t I t a l i a n r e s t a u r a n t s a r o u n d t h e c o r n e r

f r o m o u r o f f i c e , w i t h c o l l e a g u e s f r o m o u r M i l a n a n d Z u r i c h o f f i c e s ( w h o a r e b o t h o n s e c o n d m e n t

t o L o n d o n ) , a s w e l l a s s e v e r a l o t h e r m e m b e r s o f o u r t e a m f r o m N e w Z e a l a n d , S o u t h A f r i c a a n d

t h e U K I a l s o h a v e p l a n s t o t r a v e l t o P a r i s n e x t m o n t h t o m e e t t h e l a w y e r s I w o r k e d a l o n g s i d e i n

2 0 2 3 f o r t h e b e s t p a r t o f 1 0 m o n t h s o n t h e O r o r a - S a v e r g l a s s d e a l – I a m v e r y e x c i t e d t o f i n a l l y m e e t t h e m i n p e r s o n !

Is This Something You Are Interested In?

F r o m d a y o n e a t B a k e r M c K e n z i e , i t h a s b e e n c l e a r t h a t t h e F i r m i s t r u l y i n v e s t e d i n o u r g r o w t h , b o t h p r o f e s s i o n a l l y a n d p e r s o n a l l y T h e g l o b a l n a t u r e o f o u r w o r k , c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e s u p p o r t i v e a n d f r i e n d l y c u l t u r e , m a k e s B a k e r M c K e n z i e t h e i d e a l e n v i r o n m e n t f o r t h o s e w i t h a g l o b a l m i n d s e t w h o a r e s e e k i n g d i v e r s e a n d e x c i t i n g e x p e r i e n c e s

First, a bit of background. The MPC Team is our Melbourne office's largest practice group, and there's a few reasons why our practice group name starts with 'major':

We act for a diverse breadth of clients, including private companies based in Australia and overseas, as well as the State and Federal Governments.

We're involved in some of the largest and most complex projects in Australia, from transport infrastructure including road and rail, to social and public infrastructure including educational facilities, social housing and hospitals, and energy projects including onshore and offshore wind and solar.

We are frequently involved in these projects at all stages, from tendering, to procurement, delivery, operations and maintenance, providing an unmatched environment for our lawyers to quickly develop expertise in this field.

The combination of those key factors means I'm fortunate enough to be involved on some of the largest construction projects being undertaken in Victoria, including the North East Link, West Gate Tunnel, Level Crossing Removals, Metro Tunnel and Suburban Rail Loop I'm also frequently involved in other projects around Australia, including for the Department of Defence. My team consists of 3 Partners, 1 Special Counsel, 3 Senior Associates and 4 junior lawyers, and we also typically have 1-2 rotating graduates

I w o r k i n t h e M P C t e a m ' s ' b a c k - e n d ' p r a c t i c e , w h i c h f o c u s e s o n c l a i m s m a n a g e m e n t a n d d i s p u t e s , s o I t y p i c a l l y g e t i n v o l v e d w h i l e a p r o j e c t i s b e i n g d e l i v e r e d ( i e c o n s t r u c t e d ) , w h e r e a n i s s u e h a s a r i s e n w h i c h m i g h t a f f e c t a n a s p e c t o f t h e p r o j e c t o r a c l i e n t ' s e n t i t l e m e n t s u n d e r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n c o n t r a c t

T h i s c o u l d i n v o l v e a n y t h i n g f r o m c r a f t i n g l e t t e r s a t t e m p t i n g t o n a r r o w i s s u e s i n d i s p u t e a n d n e g o t i a t i n g c o m m e r c i a l s e t t l e m e n t s , t o c o m m e n c i n g o r d e f e n d i n g c o u r t a n d a r b i t r a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g s I ' v e b e e n l u c k y t o g e t m y h a n d s o n s o m e r e a l l y t e c h n i c a l l y a n d l e g a l l y c h a l l e n g i n g m a t t e r s , i n c l u d i n g a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n w h e r e m y t e a m a c t e d f o r a n o v e r s e a s c o n s t r u c t i o n c o m p a n y

I c h o s e C l a y t o n U t z b e c a u s e I w a n t e d t o l e a r n a n d g r o w a t a n A u s t r a l i a n f i r m w h i c h h a s a n e x c e p t i o n a l r e p u t a t i o n f o r c l i e n t s e r v i c e , t h o u g h t l e a d e r s h i p a n d c o r p o r a t e c i t i z e n s h i p . N o t o n l y a m I f u l f i l l e d i n m y l e g a l w o r k , I ' m f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o b e f u l f i l l e d i n a l l o t h e r a s p e c t s o f m y w o r k

t o o I ' v e h a d t h e c h a n c e t o h e a d u p v a r i o u s i n i t i a t i v e s a r o u n d t h e o f f i c e , i n c l u d i n g o u r j u n i o r

l a w y e r b u s i n e s s d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m ' C u l t i v a t e ' , a n d t h e o f f i c e ' s L G B T I Q A + S t e e r i n g

C o m m i t t e e I ' v e b e e n e n c o u r a g e d t o j o i n i n d u s t r y g r o u p s s u c h a s t h e S o c i e t y o f C o n s t r u c t i o n

L a w A u s t r a l i a ( S o C L A ) , w h e r e I ' v e h a d t h e c h a n c e t o m e e t f e l l o w c o n s t r u c t i o n l a w y e r s a n d d e v e l o p m y o w n n e t w o r k s I a l s o g e t t o w o r k o n s o m e i n c r e d i b l e p r o - b o n o m a t t e r s a s w e l l , i n c l u d i n g s o m e i n v o l v i n g d e f e c t i v e o r i n c o m p l e t e b u i l d i n g w o r k s , w h e r e I g e t a c h a n c e t o l e n d m y s p e c i a l i s e d s k i l l s t o v u l n e r a b l e c l i e n t s w h o n e e d a s s i s t a n c e n a v i g a t i n g t e c h n i c a l l y c o m p l e x c l a i m s .

T o s u m u p , i t ' s n e a r l y i m p o s s i b l e t o d e s c r i b e a d a y i n m y l i f e b e c a u s e n o t w o d a y s a r e e v e r a l i k e f o r m e T h e r e ' s a n e v e r e n d i n g s t r e a m o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o l e a r n a n d g r o w f r o m , a n d I ' m s u r r o u n d e d b y p e o p l e w h o a r e c o n s t a n t l y e n c o u r a g i n g t h a t g r o w t h a n d s u p p o r t i n g i t i n a n y w a y t h e y c a n N o m a t t e r w h a t c h a l l e n g e s m i g h t b e t h r o w n m y w a y e a c h d a y , I l o g o f f e x c i t e d f o r t h e n e x t .

Cornwal l s i s one of Aust ral i a ’ s ol dest and most respect ed i ndependent l aw fi rms, wi t h a ri ch hi st ory dat i ng back t o 1 891 .

O u r f i r m ’ s f o u n d e r s , F r a n k C o r n w a l l a n d H a r r y S u g d e n , d e m o n s t r a t e d f o r e s i g h t a n d

p r o g r e s s i v e n e s s w h e n t h e y e m p l o y e d F l o s G r e i g , t h e f i r s t w o m a n t o g r a d u a t e w i t h a B a c h e l o r

o f L a w s d e g r e e i n V i c t o r i a

A t t h e t i m e f e m a l e s w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o b e l e g a l p r a c t i t i o n e r s , s o F l o s s u c c

t o a l l o w

About Flos Greig

G r a t a F l o s M a t i l d a G r e i g , k n o w n a s F l o s G r e i g ( 1 8 8 0 – 1 9 5 8 )

w a s a p i o n e e r f o r A u s t r a l i a n f e m a l e l a w y e r s .

T o b e t h e f i r s t , F l o s h a d t o o v e r c o m e e x t r e m e a d v e r s i t y . I n

1 8 9 7 , w h e n s h e e n t e r e d t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M e l b o u r n e t o

s t u d y L a w , s h e h a d t h e s t r o n g s u p p o r t o f h e r f a m i l y S h e

w a s j u s t s i x t e e n y e a r s o f a g e a n d t h e f i r s t f e m a l e t o e n r o l

i n l a w i n V i c t o r i a T h e r e w e r e t h i r t y - n i n e s t u d e n t s i n t h e

l a w f a c u l t y t h a t y e a r i n c l u d i n g t h i r t y - e i g h t m e n a n d o n e

w o m a n

D e s p i t e g r a d u a t i n g o n 2 8 M a r c h 1 9 0 3 w i t h h o n o u r s f r o m

t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f M e l b o u r n e w i t h a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s ( L L B ) ,

a n d c o m i n g s e c o n d i n h e r y e a r , a t t h e t i m e f e m a l e s w e r e

n o t a l l o w e d t o p r a c t i c e l a w . T h e y w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o v o t e

o r h o l d l e g i s l a t i v e o f f i c e . T h e r e w a s w i d e s p r e a d h o s t i l i t y

f r o m l a w y e r s a n d l a w s t u d e n t s t o l e t t i n g a w o m a n e n t e r

t h e a l l - m a l e p r o f e s s i o n

Flos had the support of her law lecturer, John Mackey MP, and Frank Cornwall who had made arrangements with her to enter into articles with him However, she could not enter in those articles unless the law was changed

In April 1903, the Parliament of Victoria passed the Women’s Disabilities Removal Act 1903 (Vic) which removed ‘some anomalies in the law relating to women’ and allowed women to practice law in Victoria Special legislation was passed in the Victorian Parliament and renamed the Legal Profession Practice Act 1903

The FLOS Program

I t s t a t e d , ‘ N o p e r s o n s h a l l b y r e a s o n o f s e x b e d e e m e d

t o b e u n d e r a n y d i s a b i l i t y f o r a d m i s s i o n t o p r a c t i c e a s a

b a r r i s t e r a n d s o l i c i t o r o f t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t , a n y L a w o r

u s a g e t o t h e c o n t r a r y n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g . ’ I t w a s o f t e n

f o n d l y r e f e r r e d t o a s t h e F l o s G r e i g E n a b l i n g A c t

At t h e t i m e, n o o t h e r s t a t e i n Au s t r a l i a a l l o w e d a w o m a n

t o p r a c t i c e l a w U p o n g r a d u a t i n g f r o m t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f

M e l b o u r n e, F l o s G r e i g s a i d , ‘ Wo m e n a r e m e n’s e q u a l s i n

e v e r y w a y a n d t h e y a r e q u i t e c o m p e t e n t t o h o l d t h e i r

o w n i n a l l s p h e r e s o f l i f e ’ . S h e w a s a h e a d o f h e r t i m e.

T o d a y C o r n w a l l s h o n o u r s F l o s G r e i g t h r o u g h t h e F L O S p r o g r a m . T h e p r o g r a m h o n o u r s

a n d c e l e b r a t e s t h e f i r m ’ s l o n g a n d p r o u d h i s t o r y o f s u p p o r t i n g w o m e n i n t h e i r q u e s t f o r

g e n d e r e q u a l i t y i n t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n , p a y i n g h i s t o r i c a l h o m a g e t o t h e h u m b l e

b e g i n n i n g s o f a l u m n a F l o s G r e i g

S h e l e f t a n i n d e l i b l e m a r k o n C o r n w a l l s f o r t h e g e n e r a t i o n s o f l a w y e r s w h o f o l l o w h e r

t h r o u g h t h e d o o r s o f o u r f i r m . F l o s l i v e s o n i n o u r c u l t u r e , w i t h t h e f i r m c o n t i n u i n g h e r

w o r k a s a l e a d i n g i n n o v a t o r i n t h e l e g a l s e c t o r

C o r n w a l l s i s c o m m i t t e d t o c r e a t i n g a n d m a i n t a i n i n g a n e q u i t a b l e , d i v e r s e a n d i n c l u s i v e

w o r k f o r c e t h a t r e f l e c t s o u r p e o p l e , o u r c l i e n t s , a n d o u r c o m m u n i t y . O u r f i r m p r o m o t e s

g e n d e r e q u i t y a n d i s a b o u t e m p o w e r i n g o u r p e o p l e b y a c t i v e l y a d d r e s s i n g b a r r i e r s t o

g e n d e r e q u a l i t y , t o c r e a t e a n i n c l u s i v e c u l t u r e f o r a l l p e r s o n s . W e r e c o g n i s e t h a t w e

h a v e a r o l e i n a d v o c a t i n g f o r g e n d e r e q u a l i t y w i t h i n t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a n d f o r w o m e n

a n d g e n d e r n o n - c o n f o r m i n g i n d i v i d u a l s i n t h e l a w .

O u r F L O S P r o g r a m c o m m i t t e e s u p p o r t s t h e f i r m ’ s s t a n d i n g a s a g e n d e r - d i v e r s e a n d i n c l u s i v e w o r k p l a c e . T h e g r o u p a i m s t o p r o v i d e a n e t w o r k i n g p l a t f o r m f o r a l l p e r s o n s . I t

e n c o u r a g e s c o l l a b o r a t i o n , i n t e g r a t i o n a n d e d u c a t i o n , t o f o s t e r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t a n d

r e t e n t i o n o f w o m e n i n l a w a n d t o b r i n g t o t h e f o r e f r o n t i s s u e s a f f e c t i n g w o m e n , n o n -

b i n a r y a n d g e n d e r n o n - c o n f o r m i n g p e r s o n s , a n d L G B T Q I + i d e n t i f y i n g p e r s o n s i n t h e

l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n .

O u r v i s i o n f o r t h e p r o g r a m i s t o c e l e b r a t e a n d e n g a g e p e o p l e f r o m a l l a v e n u e s o f l i f e t o

b e c o m e t r a i l b l a z e r s i n t h e i r i n d u s t r i e s , n o t j u s t i n t h e l e g a l s p a c e

So, all your hard work has paid off and you have received an offer to complete a seasonal clerkship. Now what?

Not knowing what to expect can be as nerve-racking as waiting to hear back on offer day But fear not! There are many ways you can go about preparing yourself You could read the rest of this article. You could also reach out to someone who has been through the clerkship process and ask to have a chat. You don’t even need to know them! Chances are, anyone who has recently been in your shoes will be all too happy to help

A typical day

As a seasonal clerk, you will generally start your day by checking your emails and making a to-do list If there is nothing that needs urgent attention, having a coffee with members of the team you are clerking in or other clerks is a great way to start the day and to build relationships

Often, team meetings will be held in the morning. They are a chance for the team to discuss what they have been working on, and an opportunity for you to ask questions and learn more about the practice

The rest of your day will likely be split between completing the tasks you have been assigned and attending training sessions and various social events, both with the other clerks and with the firm more broadly.

Before going home in the evening, check in with the people you have been working with to see if there is anything further you can do to help

The tasks

The tasks you will be assigned as a seasonal clerk will vary depending on the team you clerk in and the type of work that team has at the time. Some typical tasks include:

Research – You can expect to complete research on a broad range of topics It is important to clarify how the person giving you the research would like it to be presented. It may be in the form of a memo or a few bullet points in an email Some people may also prefer that you meet to discuss the findings of your research.

Reviewing/analysing documents – Depending upon the team you clerk in, this may be part of a due diligence or discovery process. You may be reviewing documents generally or looking for specific things, for example change of control provisions in supply agreements

Drafting documents – You may have the opportunity to do the first draft of any number of documents, including advice, letters, transaction documents or court documents

Attending client meetings/shadowing – While attending a client meeting, you will generally be required to take a file note or a list of action items, so always come prepared with a laptop or pen and paper Follow up with members of the team afterwards and see if you can assist with any of the work that comes out of the meeting. You may also be able to shadow a partner or lawyer in other meetings or as they go about their day generally.

Attending court – If you clerk in a team which has a back-end practice, you may be able to attend court You will also likely be expected to take notes, so don’t forget to bring a pen and a notebook

Drafting articles – You may also be asked to draft articles on subjects such as a recent change to the law Once finalised, these articles may be published on the firm website or circulated internally or externally.

The big picture

Completing a seasonal clerkship is a big milestone Remember that it isn’t all about your technical ability – equally important is your ability to fit into the team Be yourself, ask questions, and enjoy the experience!

A clerkship at DLA Piper K

We started as Law Graduates at DLA Piper in February 2023 after completing a Summer Clerkship in November 2021, and Winter Clerkship in June 2022.

D L A P i p e r w e r e d e d i c a t e d t o m a k i n g o u r c l e r k s h i p s a n i n v a l u a b l e e x p e r i e n c e . T h e y p l a c e d u s i n o n e p r a c t i c e g r o u p f o r t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e c l e r k s h i p ( f o u r w e e k s ) W e c l e r k e d i n t h e C o r p o r a t e

a n d E m p l o y m e n t t e a m s Y o u d o n ’ t n e e d t o h a v e e x p e r i e n c e o r k n o w l e d g e a b o u t t h e a r e a

b e f o r e t h e c l e r k s h i p A l t h o u g h d a u n t i n g a t f i r s t , e x p l o r i n g n e w a r e a s i s v e r y r e w a r d i n g - y o u j u s t

n e e d t o h a v e a p o s i t i v e a t t i t u d e a n d a w i l l i n g n e s s t o l e a r n T h e l a w y e r s , a t a l l l e v e l s , a r e h a p p y

t o t a k e t h e t i m e t o e x p l a i n c h a l l e n g i n g c o n c e p t s a n d d i r e c t u s t o u s e f u l r e s o u r c e s

D u r i n g o u r c l e r k s h i p s , w e c o m p l e t e d a r a n g e o f d i v e r s e a n d e x t r e m e l y i n t e r e s t i n g t a s k s i n c l u d i n g l e g a l d r a f t i n g , s u b s t a n t i v e r e s e a r c h a n d c o r r e s p o n d e n c e . H i g h l i g h t s i n c l u d e d s i t t i n g i n

o n c l i e n t m e e t i n g s , w o r k i n g d i r e c t l y w i t h t h e P a r t n e r s o n m a t t e r s , g e t t i n g t o k n o w o u r t e a m s

o v e r t h e c a t e r e d b r e a k f a s t s e a c h m o r n i n g a n d a t t e n d i n g t h e m u l t i t u d e o f h o s t e d e v e n t s

i n c l u d i n g t h e C h r i s t m a s P a r t y a n d T r i v i a N i g h t !

T h e b e s t p a r t o f o u r c l e r k s h i p a t D L A P i p e r w a s t h e f i r m ’ s i n v e s t m e n t i n l e a r n i n g a n d d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t h e f o c u s o n i t s p e o p l e Y o u a r e i n c l u d e d i n e v e r y t h i n g a n d a r e g i v e n a

s i g n i f i c a n t a m o u n t o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y e v e n a s a c l e r k D L A P i p e r h o l d s P r a c t i c e G r o u p p r e s e n t a t i o n s w h e r e a l e a d e r e x p l a i n s t h e t y p e s o f w o r k t h e y d o T h i s w a y , y o u c a n g e t a t a s t e

o f w h a t D L A P i p e r o f f e r s Y o u a r e e n c o u r a g e d t o s e p a r a t e l y c a t c h u p w i t h l a w y e r s f r o m o t h e r

p r a c t i c e a r e a s t h a t m a y b e o f i n t e r e s t t o y o u , e v e n

The grad experience at DLA Piper

Some key highlights so far include:

l a w y e r a s s i s t i n g w i t h h i g h p r o f i l e l i t i g a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g t h e p e n a l t y h e a r i n g a g a i n s t F i t b i t L L C f o r

m a k i n g f a l s e , m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s t o c o n s u m e r s ;

a d v i s i n g a n d a s s i s t i n g o n l a r g e c r o s s b o r d e r d e a l s , i n c l u d i n g f o r a w e l l - k n o w n A u s t r a l i a n

o w n e d s k i n c a r e c o m p a n y ;

a t t e n d i n g a r a n g e o f c l i e n t e v e n t s i n c l u d i n g a W o m e n i n D e a l s N e t w o r k i n g N i g h t ;

p a r t a k i n g i n p r o b o n o w o r k , i n c l u d i n g v o l u n t e e r i n g a t F i t z r o y L e g a l C e n t r e a n d t h e K n o w

Y o u r R i g h t s p r o g r a m w h e r e w e p r e s e n t e d t o g r o u p s o f r e f u g e e s a n d m i g r a n t s o n t h e i r l e g a l r i g h t s ; p a r t a k i n g i n t h e D L A P i p e r f u n d r a i s i n g t r e k i n T a s m a n i a t o r a

N a t i o n s H i g h C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r R e f u g e e s ; a n d

f c

c o n s i d e r a p p l y i n g t o D L A P i p e r

G o o d l u c k t h r o u g h o u t t h e c l e r k s h i p p e r i o d a n d w e h o p e t o s e e y o u a t D L A P i p e r .

7:30AM A

8:00AM

8:30AM I arrive at the Gadens office and end up in the same lift as another clerk, a senior associate from the corporate team and my supervising partner. Everyone at Gadens is so friendly and has made settling into the clerkship easy Once I get to my desk, I check my emails and construct my to do list for the day: complete a research memo for a new matter in the team, attend a court hearing at the Federal Court of Australia to observe, sit in on a client interview; amongst other tasks

8:40AM Research time! I have really enjoyed the research tasks I’ve completed so far as a clerk at Gadens One of my favourite things about the Disputes and Investigations team is the broad range of matters the team works on Each matter concerns a different subject matter; meaning I’ve completed research on everything from health law to tax law.

9:40AM Most mornings, the Disputes and Investigations team go for a coffee run together The Gadens Melbourne office is surrounded by good coffee shops, making braving the cold well worth it!

10:00AM

10:40AM

Double shot oat latte acquired along with a new task: draft a letter to client Whilst I had little experience in drafting letters to clients prior to starting my clerkship, the support provided by my team, and workshops held to help us develop these skills are fantastic.

Off to Court for a Directions Hearing! This essentially marks the beginning of the court process for this matter I have found observing court hearings during clerkship to be a great way to learn and get involved in matters

12:00PM

I arrive back to the office and go straight into a session with the Sustainability and Social Impact team I have really enjoyed all the breakout sessions held by the different groups at Gadens, as it has allowed us to learn more about Gadens and form new connections within the firm Today’s session was especially interesting One of the reasons I wanted to clerk at Gadens is because of the emphasis Gadens places on pro bono work, and the firms own work towards operating more sustainably.

12:45PM I

1:00PM E

2:00PM Back to my desk, and back to research! Fortunately, I found some relevant and interesting cases

3:15PM I’m sitting in on a client interview today It’s great to be able to observe a senior lawyer in the team conduct a client interview and hear the client’s perspective on the matter Once the client interview finishes, I finalise my file note and saved it to the matter

4:30PM I get stuck back into my research memo I managed to finalise it, and after a few edits, I sent it off I’m excited to see how this memo is used throughout the matter

5:30PM

Home time I’m just over halfway through my clerkship and am loving it so much I feel so supported by everyone at Gadens and have found the opportunities presented by the firm like volunteering at Ronaldo McDonald House, playing on the firm’s netball team and attending social events have made a really rounded experience

Late nights, last-minute cram sessions, and constant stress – every law student knows the feeling But I promise there is light at the end of the tunnel. Completing your law degree is a huge achievement and finding the ‘right’ firm for you at the end of your studies can feel like one of the most important steps in your early career.

To give you a better idea, let me share my experience so far transitioning from law school to fulltime work as a grad at G+T.

Enjoy your time

When most people contemplate corporate law, the prospect of “billable targets” often feels like an intimidating factor hanging over their future career. While I also shared these concerns, G+T deliberately prioritises learning and professional development throughout its grad program to help graduates navigate the transition from academic study to professional practice. As a grad, you’re provided with a three-tiered support structure usually with a junior and senior lawyer in your practice group, as well as a partner or special counsel. This network is designed to make your workload and transition as seamless as possible

I’m currently in my first rotation in the Banking team which has truly lived up to the dynamic world of transactional law The ebb and flow of workload quickly became apparent – some days the team is all in-office finalising matters, while others are a lot quieter. Coming from the structured nature of university, where assessments and readings created a constant sense of urgency, this fluctuating workflow has been a bit of an adjustment However, my team constantly encourages me to enjoy these quiet moments and take the time to catch up on PLT or grab a coffee with lawyers from other practice groups when I can

Collaborate

Know that you’re not alone. One thing I found particularly appealing about G+T is the firm’s flat hierarchy and the genuine willingness of everyone to collaborate in tackling legal challenges Law school and the clerkship process itself can feel competitive and isolating at times but at G+T, everyone is treated as a lawyer from day one. The work you’re exposed to isn’t defined by how long you’ve been at the firm and as a junior, you’ll be actively involved in client meetings and fully welcomed as a valued member of your team.

With a deliberately smaller grad cohort than other top-tier firms, G+T ensures you’re never without support From navigating complex legal matters to seeking professional guidance, someone will always be available to help you succeed

Be curious

G+T invests in their graduates and encourages them to explore their interests. During my first week in the Banking team, senior lawyers took the time to ask about my interests and whether there were any particular matters I wanted to be involved in While it might not feel like it at first, you’re in control of where you want your career to go. If you’ve read about something in the news or studied a case at university that piqued your interest, chances are, someone at the firm will be more than happy to discuss it with you.

I also want to emphasise that, unlike university where there’s often an expectation of assumed knowledge no one expects you to start your graduate year as an expert in your practice group. My biggest piece of advice? Be open to new experiences and areas of law you haven’t explored yet. Enthusiasm goes a long way, and you might just discover a practice area you truly enjoy.

Be yourself

Sorry if you’re tired of hearing it, but wherever you choose to start your career you should feel comfortable being yourself Throughout the clerkship process, I found that G+T really emphasised getting to know me as an individual beyond just my academic transcript and work experience. Now, as a graduate, I continue to see that same emphasis on individuality and authenticity reflected across the firm. Whether it’s a flare for trying new recipes, tackling newspaper quizzes or being a crazy Collingwood supporter like me – whatever makes you, you – we want to hear about it!

G+T is intentional about hiring individuals who will make a real impact in their careers, reinforcing the firm’s goal of being Australia’s leading law firm. If you’re looking to be part of a team that delivers the highest quality legal advice and works on truly impactful matters, make it known - a grad role at G+T could be for you

M a c y B r o w n

F i r s t Y e a r L a w y e r

H i ! I ’ m M a c y B r o w n , a f i r s t - y e a r l a w y e r i n t h e S t a t u t o r y I n s u r a n c e t e a m a t H a l l & W i l c o x i n

M e l b o u r n e I s t u d i e d a B a c h e l o r o f L a w s a n d C o m m e r c e a t D e a k i n U n i v e r s i t y a n d g r a d u a t e d i n

2 0 2 3 .

I n 2 0 2 2 , I w a s i n y o u r p o s i t i o n I s c o u r e d w e b s i t e s o f l a w f i r m s o f f e r i n g c l e r k s h i p s a n d t r i e d t o

n a v i g a t e w h i c h f i r m s I w o u l d b e i n t e r e s t e d i n w o r k i n g a t , w h i l e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y h a v i n g n o i d e a

a b o u t t h e a r e a o f l a w I w a n t e d t o w o r k i n I c a s t a w i d e n e t a n d a p p l i e d t o m a n y f i r m s , h o p i n g t o

s e c u r e a c l e r k s h i p a n d f i g u r i n g i t o u t f r o m t h e r e . I w a s l u c k y e n o u g h t o b e i n t e r v i e w e d b y H a l l &

W i l c o x , a n d I k n e w s t r a i g h t a w a y t h i s w a s t h e f i r m I w a n t e d t o w o r k a t T h e p a r t n e r a n d s e n i o r

a s s o c i a t e I i n t e r v i e w e d w i t h h a d r e a l l y i m p r e s s i v e s k i l l s a n d e x p e r i e n c e , y e t , w e r e a l s o

e x t r e m e l y a p p r o a c h a b l e a n d w e l c o m i n g p e o p l e

A f t e r s e c u r i n g a c l e r k s h i p a t H a l l & W i l c o x t h a t w o u l d b e i n t h e f o l l o w i n g w i n t e r , I w a s f o r t u n a t e

t o b e o f f e r e d a c a s u a l r o l e a s a l e g a l a s s i s t a n t w i t h i n t h e S t a t u t o r y I n s u r a n c e V i c t o r i a ( ‘ S I V ’ )

t e a m , b e f o r e t h e c l e r k s h i p b e g a n . H a l l & W i l c o x h a s p a r a l e g a l s a n d l e g a l a s s i s t a n t s w o r k i n g

a c r o s s e a c h t e a m , a n d t h e f i r m i s a l w a y s k e e n t o i n v e s t i n i t s p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g u n i v e r s i t y

s t u d e n t s w h o a r e c u r i o u s a n d a s p i r e t o w o r k i n t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n

I c o n t i n u e d t o w o r k i n t h e S I V t e a m u n t i l I b e g a n t h e g r a d u a t e p r o g r a m i n 2 0 2 4 T h i s p r o g r a m i s p e r f e c t f o r a n y o n e w h o i s u n s u r e a b o u t w h i c h a r e a o f l a w t h e y w a n t t o s p e c i a l i s e i n . I p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p r e c i a t e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o r o t a t e t h r o u g h b o t h c o m m e r c i a l a n d i n s u r a n c e t e a m s t o g e t a b r o a d r a n g e o f e x p e r i e n c e : I r o t a t e d t h r o u g h P r o p e r t y & P r o j e c t s a n d b o t h t h e G e n e r a l I n s u r a n c e a n d S t a t u t o r y I n s u r a n c e t e a m s .

T h e G e n e r a l I n s u r a n c e t e a m a c t s f o r v a r i o u s l a r g e p r i v a t e a n d p u b l i c i n s u r e r s o n a v a r i e t y o f

c l a i m s , i n c l u d i n g p e r s o n a l i n j u r y , p r o p e r t y d

T h e S t a t u t o r y I n s u r

s e l f - i n s u r e r s i n s t a t u t o r y b e n e f i t d i s p u t e s , c o m m o n l

A d m i t t e d l y , t h e t e r m ‘ i n s u r a n c e ’ d o e s n o t s o u n d v e r y t h r i l l i n g B u t w h a t I e n j o y e d m o s t a b o u t

b o t h i n s u r a n c e t e a m s w a s t h e u n i q u e n e s s o f e a c h c a s e a n d t h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o d e a l w i t h a

w i d e r a n g e o f p r o f e s s i o n s , i n d u s t r i e s a n d s c e n a r i o s W e w o r k w i t h a r a n g e o f e m p l o y e r s a n d

i n s u r e d p a r t i e s , f r o m h u g e c o n s t r u c t i o n s i t e s a n d n i g h t c l u b s , t o y o u r f a v o u r i t e r e s t a u r a n t s a n d

f o o t b a l l c l u b s . T h i s g i v e s u s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o b e c o m e e x p e r t s i n n i c h e f i e l d s , a n d I l o v e t h e

f a c t I a m a l w a y s l e a r n i n g

W h a t o r i g i n a l l y d r e w m e t o H a l l & W i l c o x w a s t h e a p p r o a c h a b l e a n d f r i e n d l y n a t u r e o f t h o s e

w h o w o r k t h e r e , p a i r e d w i t h t h e h i g h q u a l i t y o f w o r k t h e f i r m h a n d l e s E v e n a s a g r a d u a t e , I w a s

t r u s t e d w i t h a b r o a d r a n g e o f t a s k s , i n c l u d i n g s p e a k i n g w i t h e m p l o y e r c l i e n t s , d r a f t i n g l e t t e r s o f

a d v i c e t o c l i e n t s , a t t e n d i n g m e d i a t i o n s a n d t r i a l s a n d d r a f t i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n c o n t r a c t s W h i l e t h i s

m a y s o u n d d a u n t i n g a s a j u n i o r , m y c o l l e a g u e s w e r e a v a i l a b l e t o a s s i s t m e w h e r e n e c e s s a r y , i n c l u d i n g m y b u d d y , m e n t o r a n d s u p e r v i s i n g p a r t n e r T h e r e i s a r e a l f o c u s o n d e v e l o p i n g u s t o

b e c o m e g r e a t l a w y e r s

F o l l o w i n g m y g r a d u a t e y e a r , I s e t t l e d i n t h e S t a t u t o r y I n s u r a n c e t e a m I h a v e c a r r i a g e o f m y o w n m a t t e r s , w i t h t h e s u p e r v i s i o n a n d a s s i s t a n c e o f m y s u p e r v i s i n g p a r t n e r . M y d a y - t o - d a y t a s k s

i n v o l v e a n a l y s i n g a n d r e v i e w i n g t h e c l a i m s w e r e c e i v e , d r a f t i n g a d v i c e t o c l i e n t s w i t h o u r

r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o n w h a t t o d o w i t h t h e c l a i m , i n s t r u c t i n g d o c t o r s a n d a t t e n d i n g m e d i a t i o n s o r

c o u r t . A s I p r o g r e s s t h r o u g h m y c a r e e r a t H a l l & W i l c o x , t h e l e a r n i n g n e v e r s t o p s . T h e f i r m ’ s

‘ S m a r t e r L a w ’ a p p r o a c h t o d e l i v e r i n g l e g a l s e r v i c e s m e a n s w e a r e c o n s t a n t l y t h i n k i n g a b o u t

d i f f e r e n t w a y s o f d o i n g t h i n g s , s o w e c a n s a v e t i m e a n d m o n e y w i t h o u t c o m p r o m i s i n g o u r

e x c e l l e n c e , a c c u r a c y a n d f o r e s i g h t

S o , i f y o u a r e l i k e m e t h r e e y e a r s a g o a n d n o t s u r e w h e r e y o u w a n t t o t a k e y o u r c a r e e r b u t a r e

e a g e r t o e x p l o r e y o u r o p t i o n s , I w o u l d r e c o m m e n d a p p l y i n g f o r a f i r m l i k e H a l I & W i l c o x , w h i c h

h a s a r a n g e o f p r a c t i c e a r e a s t o e x p l o r e . W h o k n o w s , y o u m i g h t s u r p r i s e y o u r s e l f a n d f a l l i n l o v e

w i t h i n s u r a n c e l i t i g a t i o n l i k e I d i d !

R u e r g a n B r a g a n z a

L a w G r a d u a t e

C l a i m s f o r ' m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e c o n d u c t ' ( ‘ M D C ’ ) u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 8 o f t h e A u s t r a l i a n

C o n s u m e r L a w ( A C L ) h a v e b e c o m e a c l a i m d u j o u r i n m o s t c o m p l e x c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e s i n

A u s t r a l i a D e s p i t e o s t e n s i b l y b e i n g d i r e c t e d a t t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f " c o n s u m e r " r i g h t s ( i e t h e r i g h t s

o f i n d i v i d u a l c o n s u m e r s a g a i n s t p o w e r f u l c o r p o r a t i o n s ) , t h e A C L , a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r s e c t i o n s 1 8

a n d 2 3 6 , h a v e b e c o m e a p o w e r f u l t o o l s f o r c o m p a n i e s s e e k i n g t o r e c o v e r c o m m e r c i a l l o s s e s

f r o m o t h e r c o m p a n i e s – i n c l u d i n g l o s s e s w h i c h g o b e y o n d w h a t m i g h t o t h e r w i s e h a v e b e e n

r e c o v e r a b l e u n d e r t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o n t r a c t o r c o m m o n l a w , o r e q u i t a b l e c a u s e s o f a c t i o n .

O v e r t h e p a s t 2 y e a r s , I h a v e p r e d o m i n a n t l y w o r k e d o n a l a r g e c o m p l e x c o n s t r u c t i o n d i s p u t e i n

N S W S u p r e m e C o u r t p r o c e e d i n g s w h i c h i n v o l v e d : ( a ) a n M D C c l a i m o f n e a r l y o n e b i l l i o n

A u s t r a l i a n d o l l a r s a r i s i n g f r o m t h e e n t r y i n t o a n i n t e r i m s e t t l e m e n t a g r e e m e n t ; a n d ( b ) a d e f e n c e t o t h a t c l a i m b a s e d o n M D C o c c u r r i n g p r i o r t o t h e p a r t i e s ' e n t r y i n t o t h e r e l e v a n t c o n t r a c t i t s e l f

W h i l e l a w s c h o o l t a u g h t m e a b o u t t h e e l e m e n t s o f t h e p r o h i b i t i o n i n s e c t i o n 1 8 o f t h e A C L , i t d i d

n o t p r e p a r e m e t o e n g a g e w i t h t h e v a s t e v i d e n t i a r y a n d p r o c e d u r a l r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r e s t a b l i s h i n g o r d e f e n d i n g M D C c l a i m s i n p r a c t i c e T h e a i m o f t h i s a r t i c l e i s t o p r o v i d e a p r a c t i c a l i n s i g h t i n t o h o w M D C i s c l a i m e d i n p r a c t i c e t o b r i d g e t h e g a p b e t w e e n l a w s c h o o l a n d l a w f i r m s , c o m m o n l y k n o w n a s t h e " t h e o r y / p r a c t i c e d i v i d e " . A f t e r p r o v i d i n g a b r i e f o v e r v i e w o f t h e A C L p r o v i s i o n s m o s t r e l e v a n t t o M D C c l a i m s , t h e a r t i c l e w i l l f o c u s o n t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f d i s c o v e r y i n e s t a b l i s h i n g a m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n ( o r a d e f e n c e ) a n d t h e r o l e o f e x p e r t e v i d e n c e i n q u a n t i f y i n g t h e l o s s o r d a m a g e t h a t h a s b e e n s u f f e r e d b y a p a r t y .

Misleading or deceptive conduct

T h e p r o h i b i t i o n a g a i n s t M D C i s c o n t a i n e d i n s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 1 ) o f t h e A C L T h e p r o h i b i t i o n p r o v i d e s t h a t

" a p e r s o n m u s t n o t , i n t r a d e o r c o m m e r c e , e n g a g e i n c o n d u c t t h a t i s m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e o r i s l i k e l y t o m i s l e a d o r d e c e i v e . "

T h e m o s t c o m m o n f o r m o f r e l i e f c l a i m e d f o r a c l a i m f o r M D C u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 8 o f t h e A C L i s a n

a w a r d o f d a m a g e s . S e c t i o n 2 3 6 o f t h e A C L p r o v i d e s t h a t a p e r s o n m a y r e c o v e r t h e a m o u n t o f

a n y l o s s o r d a m a g e d s u f f e r e d b y r e a s o n o f t h e M D C o f a n o t h e r p e r s o n . S e c t i o n 2 3 6 c l a i m s a r e

s o s t r a t e g i c a l l y a d v a n t a g e o u s b e c a u s e t h e y p o t e n t i a l l y c i r c u m v e n t a n y a g r e e d l i a b i l i t y c a p s o r

e x c l u s i o n s o f l o s s u n d e r t h e r e l e v a n t c o n t r a c t

T h e r e f o r e , i n o r d e r t o s u c c e e d o n a s e c t i o n 1 8 c l a i m f o r m i s l e a d i n g a n d d e c e p t i v e c o n d u c t , t h e

c l a i m a n t p a r t y m u s t e s t a b l i s h t w o k e y e l e m e n t s : ( 1 ) t h e e x i s t e n c e o f a m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e

r e p r e s e n t a t i o n ; a n d ( 2 ) r e l i a n c e o n t h a t m i s l e a d i n g o r d e c e p t i v e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n t o i t s d e t r i m e n t

Establishing a misleading or deceptive representation

I n a l a r g e c o m p l e x c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e a s e c t i o n 1 8 c l a i m f o r M D C i s u s u a l l y a f a c t u a l l y i n t e n s i v e

e x e r c i s e . I t r e q u i r e s t h e c l a i m a n t t o p r o v e t h a t i t w a s m i s l e d o r d e c e i v e d b y a r e p r e s e n t a t i o n

m a d e b y a n o t h e r p a r t y . R e p r e s e n t a t i o n s c a n b e e x p r e s s o r i m p l i e d , c a n i n v o l v e b o t h p o s i t i v e

c o n d u c t o r n e g a t i v e a c t s o r o m i s s i o n s , a n d c a n b e i n r e f e r e n c e t o f u t u r e m a t t e r s . W h i l e a

u n i v e r s i t y e x a m q u e s t i o n d e a l i n g w i t h M D C m i g h t p r o v i d e a c o n c i s e s e t o f h y p o t h e t i c a l f a c t s

b a s e d o n a h a n d f u l o f w r i t t e n c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , i n p r a c t i c e , c o m p l e x c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e s

t y p i c a l l y h a v e h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s ( i f n o t m i l l i o n s ) o f d i s c o v e r e d d o c u m e n t s , m a n y o f w h i c h

a r e i r r e l e v a n t o r o f l i t t l e p r o b a t i v e v a l u e , b u t s o m e o f w h i c h m a y b e s e i z e d u p o n b y e i t h e r p a r t y

t o s u c c e s s f u l l y p r o s e c u t e o r d e f e n d a n M D C c l a i m A s a n e x a m p l e , t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n d i s p u t e I

w a s i n v o l v e d i n h a d o v e r 2 m i l l i o n d o c u m e n t s i n o u r e - d i s c o v e r y d a t a b a s e , i n c l u d i n g

a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 0 , 0 0 0 d o c u m e n t s p r o d u c e d b y t h i r d p a r t i e s o n s u b p o e n a

A s a j u n i o r l a w y e r w o r k i n g o n a l a r g e c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e , y o u w i l l m o s t l i k e l y b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r

u n d e r t a k i n g t h e " f i r s t l e v e l r e v i e w " o f d o c u m e n t s t o e s t a b l i s h w h i c h d o c u m e n t s a r e r e s p o n s i v e

t o t h e p a r t i e s ' d i s c o v e r y r e q u e s t s . W h e r e t h o s e r e q u e s t s a r e m a d e b y w a y o f ' R e d f e r n

S c h e d u l e ' , i t i s n o t u n c o m m o n f o r t h e p a r t i e s t o e x c h a n g e h u n d r e d s o f s e p a r a t e r e q u e s t s , w i t h

s o m e c o n t a i n i n g m u l t i p l e s u b - r e q u e s t s . T h i s m a k e s t h e d o c u m e n t r e v i e w e x e r c i s e v e r y c h a l l e n g i n g , t i m e c o n s u m i n g a n d e x p e n s i v e N e v e r t h e l e s s t h i s i s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y i m p o r t a n t

p a r t o f t h e c a s e p r e p a r a t i o n a n d y o u a r e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r n o t o n l y i d e n t i f y i n g r e l e v a n t

d o c u m e n t s , b u t a l s o f l a g g i n g p a r t i c u l a r l y h e l p f u l o r h a r m f u l " h o t d o c s " f o r a s u b s e q u e n t " s e c o n d

l e v e l r e v i e w " b y a m o r e s e n i o r l a w y e r T h e r e a r e a l s o i s s u e s o f l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n a l p r i v i l e g e a n d c o n f i d e n t i a l i t y o b l i g a t i o n s t o k e e p i n m i n d

A s p a r t o f m y i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e d i s c o v e r y p r o c e s s i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n d i s p u t e , w e w e r e t a s k e d w i t h d e f e n d i n g a n M D C c l a i m . T h e c l a i m p r e d o m i n a n t l y i n v o l v e d a l l e g a t i o n s o f i m p l i e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s t h a t w e r e s a i d t o h a v e b e e n m a d e b y o u r c l i e n t s t o t h e o t h e r p a r t y , p r i o r t o t h e

e n t r y i n t o a s e t t l e m e n t a g r e e m e n t . T o r e f u t e t h e a l l e g a t i o n s , w e r e q u i r e d c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s d o c u m e n t a r y e v i d e n c e t h a t c o n t r a d i c t e d t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e i m p l i e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s . A p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t i n g c o m p o n e n t o f t h a t e x e r c i s e i n v o l v e d t h e r e v i e w o f r e l e v a n t w i t n e s s e s ' h a n d w r i t t e n n o t e s , t h e s e a r c h i n g o f w h i c h c o u l d n o t b e u n d e r t a k e n b y c o n v e n t i o n a l " k e y w o r d " s e a r c h e s b u t r a t h e r p a g e b y p a g e " h u m a n " r e v i e w T h a t " h u m a n " r e v i e w e x p o s e d p o t e n t i a l d e f i c i e n c i e s i n d i s c o v e r y b e c a u s e t h e s c a n s s h o w e d t e x t a p p e a r i n g o n t h e o p p o s i t e ( u n d i s c l o s e d ) s i d e o f t h e p a g e

W h e n t h a t i m a g e w a s m i r r o r e d a n d e n h a n c e d , w e c o u l d i d e n t i f y c e r t a i n w o r d s a n d p h r a s e s o n

t h e r e v e r s e s i d e o f t h e p a g e w h i c h r e l a t e d t o t h e p r o j e c t a n d p o t e n t i a l l y w e r e r e l e v a n t t o t h e

M D C c l a i m . T h i s e x e r c i s e r e s u l t e d i n t h e d i s c l o s u r e o f f u r t h e r d i a r y e n t r i e s w h i c h c o u l d b e

d e p l o y e d i n o u r c l i e n t ' s d e f e n c e a n d a f f i r m e d i n m y m i n d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f a c a r e f u l a n d

t h o r o u g h r e v i e w p r o c e s s .

A c l a i m f o r M D C i s o n e t h a t c o n t i n u o u s l y e v o l v e s i n l i g h t o f n e w e v i d e n c e o b t a i n e d v i a

d i s c o v e r y , a s w e l l a s t h e r e l i a n c e o n e x t e n s i v e l a y a n d e x p e r t e v i d e n c e T h e g o o d n e w s i s t h a t ,

u n l i k e u n i v e r s i t y e x a m s , y o u g e n e r a l l y h a v e t h e r i g h t t o a m e n d a t v a r i o u s s t a g e s o f

p r o c e e d i n g s I t i s n o t u n c o m m o n f o r p l e a d i n g s t o r e a c h u p w a r d s o f f i v e i t e r a t i o n s , a n d i n t h e

c a s e o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n d i s p u t e I w o r k e d o n , b o t h p a r t i e s a m e n d e d t h e i r p l e a d i n g s o v e r 7 t i m e s

o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f a 5 - y e a r p e r i o d I t c a n t h e r e f o r e a l s o b e a d i f f i c u l t a n d c o s t l y c l a i m t o

a d v a n c e o r d e f e n d

Proving loss or damage were suffered

I n t h e o r y , t h e a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e l o s s o r d a m a g e s u f f e r e d b y r e a s o n o f M D C a n d t h e a m o u n t o f

d a m a g e s r e c o v e r a b l e u n d e r s e c t i o n 2 3 6 o f t h e A C L i s a r e l a t i v e l y s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d e x e r c i s e I t i n v o l v e s a n a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e " a c t u a l c a s e " ( i e w h a t a c t u a l l y o c c u r r e d a s a r e s u l t o f t h e

i m p u g n e d c o n d u c t ) , a g a i n s t t h e c o u n t e r f a c t u a l c a s e ( i e w h a t w o u l d h a v e o c c u r r e d i f t h e

i m p u g n e d c o n d u c t w a s n o t e n g a g e d i n a n d r e l i e d u p o n ) I n m o s t c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e s , t h e

c o u n t e r f a c t u a l c a s e i s o n e w h e r e t h e c l a i m a n t a l l e g e s t h a t h a d i t k n o w n o f t h e m i s l e a d i n g

r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , i t w o u l d n o t h a v e e n t e r e d i n t o t h e a g r e e m e n t , o r a l t e r n a t i v e l y , i t w o u l d h a v e

e n t e r e d a d i f f e r e n t a g r e e m e n t o n m o r e a d v a n t a g e o u s t e r m s . I n t h e c a s e o f t h e l a t t e r , a p a r t y

c a n n o t s i m p l y p l e a d t h a t , a b s e n t t h e i m p u g n e d c o n d u c t , i t w o u l d h a v e e n t e r e d i n t o a n

a l t e r n a t i v e a g r e e m e n t . T h e c l a i m a n t m u s t p r e c i s e l y i d e n t i f y w h a t t h e a l t e r n a t i v e a g r e e m e n t

w o u l d h a v e l o o k e d l i k e a n d a d d u c e e v i d e n c e w h i c h s u p p o r t s t h a t c o n t e n t i o n – s u c h a s t h e

a v a i l a b i l i t y o f a l t e r n a t i v e c o u n t e r p a r t i e s w h o w o u l d h a v e b e e n c a p a b l e o f e n t e r i n g i n t o a n

a l t e r n a t i v e a g r e e m e n t o n t h e p l e a d e d t e r m s I n c o m p l e x c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e s , t h e

c o u n t e r f a c t u a l i s o f t e n a d v a n c e d o n t h e b a s i s o f m y r i a d a n d i n t e r c o n n e c t e d e x p e r t e v i d e n c e A s

a j u n i o r l a w y e r w o r k i n g o n a l a r g e c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e , y o u w i l l b e i n v o l v e d i n t h e r e t e n t i o n a n d

b r i e f i n g o f e x p e r t s a n d t h e p r o c e s s o f r e v i e w i n g a n d s u m m a r i s i n g e x p e r t r e p o r t s

A s p a r t o f t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n d i s p u t e I w a s i n v o l v e d i n , t h e p a r t i e s e n g a g e d a t o t a l o f 1 8

i n d e p e n d e n t e x p e r t s , c o v e r i n g 9 e x p e r t d i s c i p l i n e s , w h o p r o d u c e d a t o t a l o f 5 0 e x p e r t r e p o r t s

T h e e x p e r t r e p o r t s b r o a d l y a d d r e s s e d a l a r g e n u m b e r o f a l t e r n a t i v e c o u n t e r f a c t u a l s a d v a n c e d

b y t h e o t h e r p a r t y . T h e e x p e r t d i s c i p l i n e s w e r e o f t e n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d , a n d t h e r e f o r e m a n y o f t h e e x p e r t s r e q u i r e d t h e a n a l y s i s o f o t h e r e x p e r t s i n o r d e r t o p r o v i d e t h e i r o w n r e p o r t . E x p e r t

r e p o r t s d e a l i n g w i t h t e c h n i c a l a s p e c t s o f a p r o j e c t a r e u s u a l l y o b t a i n e d f i r s t . T h a t e v i d e n c e i s t h e n b r i e f e d t o t h e e x p e r t d i s c i p l i n e s d e a l i n g w i t h m o r e o u t c o m e - b a s e d a s p e c t s o f t h e c l a i m s u c h a s m a r k e t p r i c i n g a n d f o r e n s i c a c c o u n t i n g ( i . e . t o e s t a b l i s h a " l o s s " b a s e d o n a t e c h n i c a l c o u n t e r f a c t u a l c a s e )

Expert reports should be, wherever possible, predicated on information from contemporaneous documents and the output is usually complex models and forecasts which establish a "loss" based on that expert's option. Expert reports can take months to prepare and might range from 100 pages to upwards of 1,000 pages.

Expert evidence can be extremely technical and often difficult to understand due to the complex issues being discussed. However, it is important to try and engage with the complexity and understand the opinions being put forward in the expert report Ultimately, if you cannot understand what your expert is trying to say, chances are a judge might not either While some experts are seasoned professionals in providing expert evidence in the context of commercial litigation, others require more support to ensure their report is court appropriate and able to be understood by a judge who is likely not an expert in the topics the subject of expert evidence

If you are interested in a career involving complex commercial disputes, you will inevitably have to engage with MDC claims under section 18 of the ACL. While you may already be aware of section 18 and its application to individual consumers, MDC is increasingly being utilised by companies seeking to recover losses arising out of loss-making agreements with other companies Therefore, in order to prepare yourself for practice, it is important to start considering how MDC claims are advanced in practice and what might be expected of you as a junior lawyer assisting with pleadings, discovery, lay and expert evidence

A r i a n n a A r a g o n a L a w G r a d u a t e

I w a s a V a c a t i o n C l e r k i n J u n e - J u l y 2 0 2 3 i n t h e R e

Prior to my clerkship and during my university years, I had various roles including working in compliance for a financial planning business, as a paralegal for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and as a Judge’s Associate at the Supreme Court.

I was very excited to embrace the opportunity to work in a practice area in which I had very little prior experience. From my first day, I was welcomed by a close-knit team which fostered a culture of learning and collaboration.

The work

T h e w o r k I

r e a l e s t a t e d o c u m e n t s i n c l u d i n g l e

r e s e a r c h a n d d r a f t i n g c l i e n t c o r r e s p o n d e n c e T h r o u g h t h e w o r k I u n d e r t o o k , I

w a s a b l e t o h o n e m y l e g a l d r a f t i n g s k i l l s a n d p u t i n t o p r a c t i c e s o m e o f t h e a b s t r a c t c o n c e p t s I

l e a r n t a t u n i v e r s i t y

D u r i n g m y c l e r k s h i p t h e t e a m w a s a d v i s i n g a c l i e n t o n a l a r g e u r b a n r e g e n e r a t i o n p r o j e c t i n

N e w S o u t h W a l e s a n d I w a s f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o b e e x p o s e d t o s o m e o f t h e c o m p l e x t r a n s a c t i o n a l w o r k i n v o l v e d i n t h e p r o j e c t .

T h e h i g h l i g h t o f m y e x p e r i e n c e w a s w o r k i n g o n a n e n t i r e d u e d i l i g e n c e r e p o r t f o r a p r o p e r t y a c q u i s i t i o n . I f o u n d t h e p r o c e s s o f g a t h e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n , u n d e r t a k i n g r e s e a r c h a n d i d e n t i f y i n g a n y p o t e n t i a l r i s k s f o r t h e c l i e n t r e a l l y i n t e r e s t i n g

The team culture

T h e t e a m w a s v e r y s u p p o r t i v e a n d , n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e f a s t - p a c e d w o r k , I f o u n d e v e r y o n e i n t h e t e a m d e v o t e d t i m e t o e x p l a i n t a s k s , a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s a n d p r o v i d e f e e d b a c k T h e p a r t n e r i n t h e R e a l E s t a t e t e a m h a s a w e a l t h o f k n o w l e d g e a n d m a d e h i m s e l f a v a i l a b l e t o p r o v i d e g u i d a n c e a n d i n v i t e d m e t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n c l i e n t m e e t i n g s I w a s a l s o i n v i t e d t o a t t e n d t h e w e e k l y t e a m m e e t i n g s w h i c h p r o v i d e d m e w i t h a d e e p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e t y p e o f w o r k t h e t e a m w a s i n v o l v e d w i t h .

D u r i n g t h e c l e r k s h i p e v e r y o n e i n t h e t e a m w e n t t o g r e a t l e n g t h s t o e n s u r e I w a s s u p p o r t e d a n d c r e a t e d a n e n v i r o n m e n t w h e r e I w a s a b l e t o l e a r n a n d i m p r o v e m y s k i l l s . F r o m d a y o n e I f e l t a s e n s e o f b e l o n g i n g . T h i s a l l o w e d m e t o c o n n e c t a n d b u i l d r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h m y c o l l e a g u e s , h a v e a m o r e m e a n i n g f u l p a r t i c i p a t i o n w i t h t h e t e a m a n d b e m y t r u e s e l f

K r i t s y P a n e r a s

L a w G r a d u a t e

5:15 AM 5:30AM 8:15 AM 8:35 AM 8:45 AM 9:30 AM 11:30 AM 1:00 PM

The alarm goes off at 5:15am and I jump out of bed! The morning is my favourite time of the day I gulp down an espresso, put on my active-wear and lace up my sneakers.

By 5:30am, I’m out the door, walking through the quiet inner- city streets to my reformer Pilates class - my preferred way to start the day

By 8 15AM, I’m out the door for the second time this morning Since 7 00AM I’ve got ready for work, had breakfast and, most importantly, fed two cats who are impatiently waiting for their breakfast by the time I get home from Pilates.

I’ve arrived at Wynyard station. The office (and more importantly, coffee) is a short walk away. I grab my usual order and head to Level 10

I make it to my desk, review my Inbox and Calendar and start planning my day As a new solicitor, I’m still learning, so sharing an office with a senior lawyer who is both willing to answer my questions and guide me through tasks is helpful The collaborative nature of litigation is what drew me to the Group.

The Litigation group has check-ins twice a week to discuss capacity. These meetings ensure that work is distributed evenly across the group They also provide an opportunity to assist on new matters and gain exposure to different types of litigation. I then settle in and begin the document review as this is the most pressing task on today’s list

Snack break! While I’m in the kitchen I bump into another junior Solicitor We have a quick chat about our day before grabbing a biscuit and heading back to our desks

I send an email to my supervising Partner, letting them know that I’ve completed the review and outlining my key findings. One of the things I value about working at HWLE Lawyers is the direct access juniors have to Partners This level of exposure has been invaluable in developing both my legal and communication skills.

Why did you choose JWS?

Can you tell us about your experience of the graduate program at JWS?

During my grad program, I gained practical experience across a wide range of work for large clients In collaborating with senior lawyers and attending client meetings, I was able to develop valuable skills including legal research, drafting, and building client rapport I was also able to work directly with partners, which was hugely beneficial for my learning.

What has been the highlight for you at JWS so far?

A highlight for me is becoming friends with the people I work with, whether they’re associates or partners I’ve had the privilege of working with a large client for a number of years and over that time, I’ve formed solid friendships with both the JWS team and the client as we worked through challenging issues, and celebrated wins

How would you describe the culture of working at JWS?

JWS has a warm and friendly culture The partners care not only about your professional development but also who you are as a person outside of work There are lots of opportunities to get to know people across the firm, such as over Monday morning coffee, competing in team sports, and other social activities.

What advice would you share with future clerks/graduates/lawyers?

It’s a little cheesy but don’t be afraid to bring your unique self to work. Before I started as a grad, I always had in my mind that lawyers were supposed to act and talk a certain way (I blame Suits) In reality, we are all different people with different interests and goals Mutual sharing and appreciation of these differences is what makes going to work enjoyable

H a r r i s o n

A s s o c i a t e , J o n e s D a y M e l b o u r n e

5 : 3 0 A M

D e p e n d i n g o n h o w b u s y I a m , i t ’ s g r e a t t o s t a r t t h e d a y w i t h s o m e e x e r c i s e I h e a d o u t s i d e

f o r m o r n i n g s t r e t c h e s b e f o r e d r i v i n g t o t h e g y m . A t t h e e n d o f m y s e s s i o n , I j u m p o n t h e

t r e a d m i l l a n d b r i e f l y s c a n m y e m a i l s f o r a n y t h i n g t h a t m a y h a v e c o m e i n o v e r n i g h t ,

p a r t i c u l a r l y f r o m c o l l e a g u e s i n t h e U S I ’ l l a l s o c a t c h u p o n t h e n e w s f r o m t h e F i n a n c i a l

R e v i e w , L a w y e r l y a n d o t h e r s o u r c e s I t ’ s i n t e r e s t i n g t o s e e h o w c u r r e n t a f f a i r s i m p a c t o u r

c l i e n t s , a n d i n t u r n t h e w o r k w e d o I o f t e n r e a d a b o u t m a t t e r s t h a t I ’ v e w o r k e d o n , w h i c h i s

a l w a y s e x c i t i n g .

7 : 1 5 A M

B a c k h o m e – I g e t r e a d y f o r t h e d a y a n d a t t e n d t o t h e p e t s , r u s h i n g o u t t h e d o o r a r o u n d

t e n t o e i g h t . T h e t r a i n i s a b o u t 4 0 m i n u t e s , a n d I m a k e t h e m o s t o f i t b y a l w a y s h a v i n g a

b o o k i n h a n d – t h i s m o r n i n g I ’ m r e - r e a d i n g H e r o d o t u s ’ H i s t o r i e s , o n e o f m y a l l - t i m e

f a v o u r i t e s . I ’ l l u s u a l l y s p e n d t h e l a s t 5 - 1 0 m i n u t e s o r g a n i s i n g m y i n - b o x o n m y p h o n e , w h i c h I a l s o u s e a s a t o - d o l i s t f o r t h e d a y – b u t y o u n e v e r r e a l l y k n o w h o w e a c h d a y w i l l

p a n o u t

9 : 0 0 A M

I w a l k b r i s k l y t h r o u g h t h e R i a l t o c o u r t y a r d , s h o o t u p t o l e v e l 4 8 a n d s e t m y s e l f u p a t m y

d e s k t o g e t s t a r t e d w i t h t h e d a y p r o p e r l y I ’ v e b e e n i n v o l v e d i n s o m e t r a d e m a r k

o p p o s i t i o n s , a n d w e g o t i n s t r u c t i o n s f r o m o u r c l i e n t a n d c o l l e a g u e s i n t h e U . S . o v e r n i g h t

t o e m a i l t h e o t h e r s i d e t h a t w e w i l l p r o c e e d w i t h t h e o p p o s i t i o n , s o I d r a f t a n e m a i l , c h e c k

i t w i t h t h e p a r t n e r , a n d t h e n s e n d i t o f f . I t h e n g e t s t a r t e d w i t h t h e m a i n t a s k I h o p e t o

p r o g r e s s t o d a y , a c h r o n o l o g y o f k e y e v e n t s f o r a d i s p u t e i n r e l a t i v e l y e a r l y s t a g e s

9 : 3 0 A M

1 0 : 0 0 A M

E v e r y w e e k w e h a v e a M e l b o u r n e O f f i c e m o r n i n g t e a – t o d a y w e ’ v e g o t b a g e l s ,

g r a n o l a a n d ‘ w e l l n e s s s h o t s ’ I h a v e a c h a t w i t h s o m e c o l l e a g u e s , a n d w e d i s c u s s w h a t

w e ’ v e b e e n w o r k i n g o n

I j u m p o n o u r w e e k l y i n t e r n a l c a l l a b o u t t h e d i s p u t e I m e n t i o n e d b e f o r e – t h i s m o r n i n g

t h e t e a m d i s c u s s e d s o m e p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t i n g s t r a t e g i c p o i n t s O n e o f t h e

a d v a n t a g e s i n w o r k i n g i n a s m a l l e r o f f i c e i n a g l o b a l f i r m i s t h a t I g e t a l o t o f e x p o s u r e

t o w o r k i n g d i r e c t l y w i t h p a r t n e r s , o f t e n o n l a r g e a n d e x c i t i n g c r o s s - b o r d e r m a t t e r s

1 1 : 0 0 A M

I ’ m w o r k i n g a w a y a t t h e c h r o n o l o g y w h e n a c o l l e a g u e a p p r o a c h e s m e a n d a s k s i f I c a n

c o n s i d e r s o m e s e a r c h t e r m s a n d w r i t e a d r a f t e m a i l t o t h e c l i e n t i n r e l a t i o n t o a

r e g u l a t o r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n m a t t e r I ’ v e b e e n w o r k i n g o n . T h e r e g u l a t o r h a s r e q u e s t e d t h e

p r o d u c t i o n o f c e r t a i n d o c u m e n t s f r o m o u r c l i e n t I o p e n o u r e l e c t r o n i c d i s c o v e r y

p r o g r a m a n d t i n k e r a r o u n d w i t h s o m e t e s t s e a r c h e s b e f o r e d r a f t i n g a n u p d a t e t o t h e

c l i e n t

1 2 : 3 0 P M

L u n c h t i m e – I m a k e t h e w a l k o v e r t o G u z m a n y G o m e z , w h e r e I c a n b e s e e n , e m b a r r a s s i n g l y ,

m o s t d a y s p i c k i n g u p a b u r r i t o b o w l I n s t e a d o f h e a d i n g b a c k t o t h e o f f i c e , t o d a y I ’ m

c a t c h i n g u p w i t h a U n i v e r s i t y f r i e n d

1 : 3 0 P M

I r e t u r n t o m y d e s k t o f i n d t h a t a n u r g e n t p a t e n t s r e s e a r c h t a s k h a s a p p e a r e d i n m y i n b o x I t

i s o n a f a i r l y d i s c r e t e p o i n t , s o I ’ m a b l e t o f i n i s h i t r e l a t i v e l y q u i c k l y

3 : 0 0 P M

I g e t a n e m a i l f r o m o n e o f o u r I P p a r t n e r s w h o h a s a s k e d i f I c a n a s s i s t w i t h a n e w m a t t e r t h a t h a s j u s t c o m e i n f r o m t h e L o n d o n O f f i c e . T h e y h a v e a s k e d u s t o a s s i s t w i t h t h e

A u s t r a l i a n I P c o m p o n e n t o f a v e n d o r ’ s d u e d i l i g e n c e r e p o r t T h i s s h o u l d b e i n t e r e s t i n g – I r e p l y t h a t I w i l l b e a b l e t o m a k e a s t a r t t o m o r r o w

4 : 0 0 P M

T h e c l i e n t f o r t h e r e g u l a t o r y i n v e s t i g a t i o n m a t t e r r e q u e s t e d a q u i c k c a l l t o d i s c u s s m y e m a i l ,

s o w e s e t u p a c a l l f o r l a t e r i n t h e a f t e r n o o n M y c o l l e a g u e s e x p l a i n o u r p r o p o s e d a p p r o a c h ,

a n d I p u l l u p m y s c r e e n a n d s h o w t h e c l i e n t t h e s e a r c h r e s u l t s .

4 : 3 0 P M

I r e c e i v e a n e m a i l f r o m a c o l l e a g u e i n o u r B u s i n e s s R e s t r u c t u r i n g & R e o r g a n i z a t i o n P r a c t i c e

t h a n k i n g m e f o r a s s i s t i n g w i t h a d i s c r e t e r e s e a r c h t a s k l a s t w e e k , a n d l e t t i n g m e k n o w t h a t

m y r e s e a r c h f e d i n t o a m e m o r a n d u m t h a t h a s b e e n c i r c u l a t e d f o r f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n ,

i n c l u d i n g w i t h o u r t e a m i n t h e U . S . T h i s i s t h e a d v a n t a g e o f o u r ‘ n o n - r o t a t i o n a l ’ g r a d u a t e

p r o g r a m – i n a s l i t t l e a s o n e y e a r , I ’ v e w o r k e d o n m a t t e r s i n v a r i o u s p r a c t i c e s , i n c l u d i n g I P ,

G l o b a l D i s p u t e s , P r i v a c y & D a t a P r o t e c t i o n , B u s i n e s s R e s t r u c t u r i n g & R e o r g a n i z a t i o n , T a x

a n d E n e r g y , p r o v i d i n g m e w i t h a w e l l - r o u n d e d f o u n d a t i o n t o b u i l d m y c a r e e r u p o n .

5 : 3 0 P M

W i t h t h e d a y w e l l p r o g r e s s e d , I s t a r t c l o s i n g t h i n g s o u t s o I h a v e a c l e a r r u n w a y t o f i n i s h t h e

m o r e s u b s t a n t i v e t h i n g s f o r t o d a y . I d o m y t i m e s h e e t s a n d c i r c u l a t e a q u i c k e m a i l t o t h e I P

t e a m a b o u t a n i n t e r e s t i n g F e d e r a l C o u r t d e c i s i o n p u b l i s h e d t o d a y O n e o f o u r I P p a r t n e r s i s

t h e C h a i r o f t h e I P s u b c o m m i t t e e o f t h e L a w C o u n c i l o f A u s t r a l i a , a n d I a m t h e m i n u t e s

s e c r e t a r y T h e m i n u t e s f r o m t h e p r e v i o u s m e e t i n g w i l l n e e d t o b e c i r c u l a t e d t o c o m m i t t e e

m e m b e r s s o o n , s o I d e c i d e t o e n d m y d a y b y s p e n d i n g s o m e t i m e p r e p a r i n g t h e f i n a l

m i n u t e s

6 : 3 0 P M

T i m e t o l o g - o f f – I w a l k a c r o s s t o S o u t h e r n C r o s s S t a t i o n a n d s e t m y s e l f u p o n t h e t r a i n I

c a t c h u p o n m e s s a g e s a n d p e r s o n a l a d m i n b e f o r e g e t t i n g b a c k i n t o H e r o d o t u s .

7 : 3 0 P M

H o m e – t i m e t o c o o k d i n n e r . C u t - u p s t e a k , f e t a c h e e s e , b l a c k b e a n s , e g g s a n d a v o c a d o .

A f t e r c l e a n i n g u p a n d o r g a n i s i n g m y s e l f f o r t h e n e x t d a y , I p u t m y h e a d p h o n e s o n a n d g o f o r

a b r i e f e v e n i n g r u n , a n d c a l l m y g i r l f r i e n d a s I w a l k h o m e .

1 0 : 0 0 P M

B e d t i m e – I s e t m y a l a r m f o r t h e n e x t d a y a n d p u t m y p h o n e a w a y , p u t u p m y o v e r h e a d

w a r m l a m p a n d r e a d f o r t w e n t y o r s o m i n u t e s , b e f o r e d r i f t i n g t o s l e e p , r e a d y f o r a n o t h e r d a y

The night before, prepare for your interview - prepare your outfit, review your application, research the firm, rehearse your responses and get a good night's sleep

Arrive 10 - 15 minutes before the interview. Ensure you allow extra time for any unexpected delays

Try to relax It is perfectly normal to feel nervous prior to your interview Take a moment while waiting for your interview, and practise breathing techniques or collect your thoughts

Prepare questions to ask your interviewers. The interview process is a two way street, and will help you determine if K&L Gates is the right firm for you.

Be yourself We are keen to get to know you, your career aspirations, hobbies and interests

Be open and honest with your responses Relax and enjoy the experience

G o o d l u c k !

Tania Brierley, Recruitment Consultant

If you're looking to launch your legal career in a respected firm with top-tier capability, clients and expertise, then KHQ Lawyers is the place to start!

A little about us

KHQ Lawyers is a full-service commercial law firm, combining top-tier expertise with the agility and flexibility of a boutique practice. We are proud to be the firm of choice for ASX-listed companies, large corporates, family businesses, and niche consultancies Our teams are led by highly respected practitioners, many of whom are recognised as among the best in their fields

Why employment law?

Australia has one of the most complex and rapidly evolving industrial relations systems in the world, making this area of law dynamic, high-stakes, and intellectually challenging

Our Workplace Relations & Safety team is a market leader, ranked in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 Asia Pacific. We provide full-service expertise across employment law, industrial relations, and occupational health and safety. Our team’s expertise stems from longstanding experience in top-tier firms and in-house corporate roles

Our core strengths are: project industrial relations and workforce strategy; enterprise bargaining and industrial litigation (including good faith bargaining, protected action and pickets); corporate performance (including change management, probity, policy and productivity); executive remuneration, restraints and confidential information; major safety incidents and prosecution defence litigation; managing workplace diversity and appropriate workplace behaviour, including investigating and advising on bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and discrimination matters; specialist regulatory experience in labour hire licensing, state and commonwealth building codes and corporate probity; and all executive and employment-related litigation (including unfair dismissal, EEO and adverse action claims).

We support businesses across the full spectrum of employment and industrial relations matters, from day-to-day compliance to complex workforce strategies. Our team advises major constructors on some of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects, helping them manage large-scale workforces and navigate industrial relations challenges. We also assist new market entrants in setting up legally compliant workplaces, providing clear guidance to ensure a smooth transition into Australia’s regulatory landscape Whether advising on large-scale workforce strategies or day-to-day employment issues, we deliver practical, outcomes focused solutions tailored to each client’s needs.

Real World Experience, from Day 1

At KHQ, you won’t be stuck on the sidelines Our clerks and graduates work closely with senior lawyers, contribute to real matters, and gain first hand insight into the legal and strategic considerations that shape workplace relations in Australia.

Our experience covers a diverse range of industries, including resources, construction, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, maintenance engineering, banking and financial services, health, education, telecommunications, transport, logistics, primary industry and food processing, IT, media, property services and real estate, professional services, and retail - giving you exposure to complex legal issues across a variety of sectors.

Recognised Expertise

Our team's reputation speaks for itself:

Chambers & Partners Asia Pacific – ranked for employment law (2023-2025)

Legal 500 Asia Pacific – Leading Firm, employment law (2017-2025) Doyles Guide – Leading Employment Law Firm (Employer Representation), Victoria (2018-2025).

Head of our team, Chris Gianatti, is ranked a Leading Partner in Legal 500 Asia Pacific, and is also ranked in Chambers, and Doyles Guide. Other key team members are also ranked in various directories

A Collaborative & Supportive Culture

Our team thrives on collaboration, practical problem-solving, and mentoring the next generation of lawyers You’ll gain invaluable experience in a supportive environment where your contributions will make a real impact

Want to join us?

If you're curious, proactive, and eager to learn, we'd love to hear from you Keep an eye on our seasonal clerkship and graduate recruitment opportunities or reach out to learn more about the KHQ difference.

WHAT SKI LLS I S KWM

M a r c u s W e t t e n h a l

S e n i o r A s s o c i a t e

B a n k i n g & F i n a n c e

Communicates effectively

LOOKI NG FOR I N A SUCCESSFUL CLERK?

T h e k e y t o b a l a n c e i s c o m m u n i c a t i o n . B e i n g p r o a c t i v e i n c o m m u n i c a t i n g w i t h y o u r t e a m a s t o

w h a t y o u ’ v e g o t o n i s i m m e n s e l y h e l p f u l . “ I ’ v e g o t [ x ] o n a s w e l l d u e b y [ y ] , i s i t o k i f I g e t t h i s t o y o u b y [ z ] ? ” .

C o m m u n i c a t i n g t h a t t o u s h e l p s u s u n d e r s t a n d w h e t h e r y o u ’ r e t o o b u s y o r n o t b u s y e n o u g h a n d w e c a n h e l p y o u p r i o r i t i s e y o u r t a s k s b y t a l k i n g t o e a c h o t h e r S o m e t i m e s t h i n g s a r e n ’ t a s u r g e n t a s t h e y a p p e a r a n d s o m e t i m e s , t h e y a r e m o r e u r g e n t t h a n t h e y a p p e a r – b u t y o u ’ l l n e v e r

k n o w f o r s u r e u n l e s s y o u a s k ( w h i c h i s b e t t e r t h a n g u e s s i n g )

T h e m o r e y o u c o m m u n i c a t e a n d t h e e a r l i e r y o u c o m m u n i c a t e , t h e m o r e t i m e e v e r y o n e h a s t o

a d j u s t w o r k l o a d s , c h a n g e p r i o r i t i e s o r c o n t i n u e o n t o m a k e s u r e e v e r y t h i n g g e t s d o n e o n t i m e

a n d t o t h e r e q u i s i t e s t a n d a r d .

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Shows genuine interest in corporate or commercial law

l e r k s c a n d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t t h e y h a v e a g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t i n c o r p o r a t e o r c o m m e r c i a l l a w b y

t h e i r p r e v i o u s e x p e r i e n c e , t h e e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s t h a t t h e y u n d e r t a k e / h a v e u n d e r t a k e n , t h e i r i n t e r a c t i o n s w i t h l a w y e r s o v e r t h e c l e r k s h i p a n d t h e i r a p p r o a c h t o t h e i r w o r k . C l e r k s s h o u l d t a k e t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x p l a i n w h a t i t i s t h a t i n t e r e s t s t h e m a b o u t w h a t w e d o a n d h o w w e d o

i t . A s k i n g r e l e v a n t q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t a s k s a n d f o c u s s i n g o n t h e r e q u e s t e d o b j e c t i v e s a n d o u t c o m e s , a s w e l l a s u n d e r s t a n d i n g h o w t h e i r w o r k f i t s i n t o t h e b i g g e r c o m m e r c i a l p i c t u r e , i s a g o o d s t a r t i n g p o i n t ( j u s t b e c a u s e a l e g a l o p t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e d o e s n o t m e a n i t i s c o m m e r c i a l l y v i a b l e ) I t w o u l d a l s o b e h e l p f u l t o s h o w t h a t t h e y u n d e r s t a n d o u r c l i e n t s a n d t h e i r c o m m e r c i a l d r i v e r s a n d h o w w e c a n a s s i s t t h o s e c l i e n t s i n a c h i e v i n g t h e i r g o a l s o n a d a y - t o - d a y b a s i s

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Communicates effectively

T h i n k a b o u t h o w y o u r w o r k f i t s i n t o t h e b i g g e r p i c t u r e o u t c o m e w e a r e s e e k i n g t o d e l i v e r f o r t h e

c l i e n t a n d l o o k f o r o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o s t a y i n v o l v e d o n t h e m a t t e r d u r i n g t h e c l e r k s h i p .

A s k q u e s t i o n s a b o u t t h e c o m m e r c i a l d r i v e r s b e h i n d t h e m a t t e r ( e . g . , w h y a r e w e a m e n d i n g t h i s

d o c u m e n t ? W h a t a r e t h e p a r t i e s t r y i n g t o a c h i e v e ? )

H a v e a l o o k a t t h e f i n a l p i e c e o f a d v i c e / c l i e n t - f a c i n g o u t p u t t h a t y o u r w o r k t r a n s l a t e s i n t o a n d

c o m p a r e t h i s a g a i n s t t h e d r a f t o r i n p u t s y o u p r o v i d e d W h a t a s p e c t s o f y o u r w o r k w e r e u s e d i n

t h e c l i e n t - f a c i n g w o r k ? H o w w a s y o u r o r i g i n a l w o r k p r o d u c t a d a p t e d o r c h a n g e d ? T h i s i s a g r e a t

w a y t o p i c k u p f e e d b a c k “ o n t h e j o b ” a n d i m p r o v e y o u r s k i l l s f o r t h e n e x t t a s k y o u c o m p l e t e

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Takes Initative and is committed to delivering quality work

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p e r i o d o f t i m e , s o w e e n c o u r a g e y o u t o m a k e t h e m o s t o f i t I f y o u h e a r a b o u t a m a t t e r w h i c h

e x c i t e s y o u – r e a c h o u t t o s o m e o n e w h o i s w o r k i n g o n i t T h e y w i l l b e t h r i l l e d b y y o u r i n t e r e s t a n d w i l l g e t y o u i n v o l v e d i n a n y w a y t h a t t h e y c a n

S u g g e s t w a y s t o b e c r e a t i v e a n d i n n o v a t i v e : w e ’ r e a l w a y s f a s c i n a t e d t o h e a r a b o u t A I a n d n e w w a y s i n w h i c h t e c h n o l o g y c a n d o t h i n g s m o r e e f f i c i e n t l y . I f y o u h a v e a n y i d e a s a b o u t h o w

s o m e t h i n g c a n b e p r e s e n t e d m o r e c l e a r l y o r h o w a t a s k c a n b e c o m p l e t e d m o r e e f f i c i e n t l y – w e w o u l d l o v e t o l e a r n f r o m y o u .

G e t t h e d e t a i l s r i g h t : d e l i v e r i n g a h i g h - q u a l i t y p r o d u c t i s k e y i n e n s u r i n g e x c e p t i o n a l c l i e n t

s e r v i c e A l w a y s t a k e a n e x t r a 5 m i n u t e s t o e n s u r e t h e r e a r e n o t y p o s , m i s s i n g f u l l s t o p s o r s t r a y f o r m a t t i n g i n a n y p i e c e o f w o r k y o u c o m p l e t e T r u s t i n y o u r w o r k p r o d u c t i s k e y t o b u i l d i n g y o u r r e l a t i o n s h i p s i n t e r n a l l y , a n d l a t e r , e x t e r n a l l y

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r e c e i v e a p p r o p r i a t e s u p p o r t w h e t h e r t h a t ’ s m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t , i n c o m e r e p l a c e m e n t , o r l u m p

s u m p a y m e n t s w h i l e a l s o h e l p i n g m a i n t a i n t h e s u s t a i n a b i l i t y a n d f a i r n e s s o f c o m p e n s a t i o n

s c h e m e s

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W o r k S a f e V i c t o r i a a d m i n i s t e r s t h e “ W o r k C o v e r ” s c h e m e , w h i c h p r o v i d e s v a r i o u s e n t i t l e m e n t s

a n d c o m p e n s a t i o n t o i n j u r e d w o r k e r s a n d i n s u r e s e m p l o y e r s i n r e s p e c t o f c l a i m s m a d e a g a i n s t

t h e m

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a n d s u s t a i n a b l e T h e C o m p e n s a t i o n L a w t e a m a t L a n d e r & R o g e r s a d v i s e s W o r k S a f e o n t h e

d e l i v e r y o f b e n e f i t s a n d c o n d u c t s l i t i g a t i o n f o l l o w i n g w o r k p l a c e i n j u r i e s W e a l s o a c t f o r e m p l o y e r s , i n s u r e r s a n d s e l f - i n s u r e r s , a n d a d v i s e o n b o t h t h e V i c t o r i a n a n d n a t i o n a l w o r k e r s

c o m p e n s a t i o n s c h e m e s . W e a c t f o r e m p l o y e r s a c r o s s a l l i n d u s t r i e s i n c l u d i n g e m e r g e n c y

s e r v i c e s a n d V i c t o r i a P o l i c e , h o s p i t a l s , p r i s o n s , c o n s t r u c t i o n , a g r i c u l t u r e , a i r l i n e s , s m a l l f a m i l y

o w n e d b u s i n e s s e s a n d s o m e o f t h e b i g g e s t o r g a n i s a t i o n s i n A u s t r a l i a

I n a d d i t i o n t o a d v i s i n g o n W o r k C o v e r m a t t e r s , o u r t e a m a l s o a c t s o n b e h a l f o f t h e T r a n s p o r t

A c c i d e n t C o m m i s s i o n ( T A C ) i n l i t i g a t e d s e r i o u s i n j u r y a p p l i c a t i o n s .

The WorkCover scheme

T h e W o r k C o v e r s c h e m e i s p r e d o m i n a t e l y g o v e r n e d b y t w o A c t s , t h e A c c i d e n t C o m p e n s a t i o n

A c t 1 9 8 5 a n d t h e r e f o r m e d W o r k p l a c e I n j u r y R e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d C o m p e n s a t i o n A c t 2 0 1 3 .

E n t i t l e m e n t s a n d c o m p e n s a t i o n a r e d i v i d e d i n t o t w o c a t e g o r i e s , " s t a t u t o r y b e n e f i t s " a n d

" c o m m o n l a w "

S t a t u t o r y b e n e f i t s f o r m p a r t o f a “ n o f a u l t s c h e m e ” T h i s m e a n s w o r k e r s c a n a c c e s s t h e s e

b e n e f i t s w i t h o u t h a v i n g t o e s t a b l i s h n e g l i g e n c e o n t h e p a r t o f t h e i r e m p l o y e r .

T h e s e b e n e f i t s i n c l u d e :

M e d i c a l e x p e n s e s s u c h a s G P a t t e n d a n c e s , s u r g e r y a n d p h y s i o t h e r a p y ;

W e e k l y p a y m e n t s i f a w o r k e r i s u n a b l e t o w o r k d u e t o i n j u r y ;

L u m p s u m c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r w o r k e r s w h o h a v e s u s t a i n e d a p e r m a n e n t i n j u r y o r i m p a i r m e n t ; a n d

D e a t h b e n e f i t s

C o m m o n l a w d a m a g e s o n t h e o t h e r h a n d a r e o n l y a c c e s s i b l e t o w o r k e r s w h o h a v e s u s t a i n e d a

“ s e r i o u s i n j u r y ” c a u s e d b y t h e n e g l i g e n c e o f t h e i r e m p l o y e r o r a t h i r d p a r t y . C o m m o n l a w

d a m a g e s c a n b e s o u g h t f o r e c o n o m i c l o s s a n d p a i n a n d s u f f e r i n g

C o m p e n s a t i o n L a w a t L a n d e r & R o g e r s

O u r t e a m m a n a g e s a p o r t f o l i o o f l i t i g a t e d a n d p r e - l i t i g a t e d m a t t e r s t h a t i n v o l v e a b r o a d r a n g e o f

i n j u r i e s s u c h a s h e a r t a t t a c k s , i n f e c t i o u s d i s e a s e s , a m p u t a t i o n s , t r a u m a t i c h e a d i n j u r i e s , b a c k

a n d m u s c u l a r - s k e l e t a l i n j u r i e s , h e a r i n g l o s s c l a i m s a n d p s y c h i a t r i c i n j u r i e s . O u r f i r m a l s o a c t s i n e x p e d i t e d t r i a l s f o r t e r m i n a l l y i l l w o r k e r s w h o s u f f e r f r o m d u s t d i s e a s e s s u c h a s m e s o t h e l i o m a ,

s i l i c o s i s a n d l u n g c a n c e r T h e s e c l a i m s a r e a d m i n i s t e r e d b y t h e V M I A

W o r k S a f e a n d t h e V M I A a r e t w o o f t h e b u s i e s t a n d b i g g e s t l i t i g a t o r s i n V i c t o r i a P r a c t i s i n g i n t h e

w o r k e r s c o m p e n s a t i o n j u r i s d i c t i o n i s f a s t p a c e d , i n t e r e s t i n g a n d c h a l l e n g i n g . O n a d a y t o d a y

b a s i s , o u r l a w y e r s a r e e n g a g e d i n w o r k t h a t i n c l u d e s :

A p p e a r i n g a n d i n s t r u c t i n g i n c o u r t s r a n g i n g f r o m t h e M a g i s t r a t e s ' C o u r t t o t h e H i g h C o u r t ;

C o n d u c t i n g c o n f e r e n c e s , m e d i a t i o n s a n d n e g o t i a t i n g s e t t l e m e n t o u t c o m e s ;

P r o v i d i n g e x p e r t l e g a l a d v i c e t o W o r k S a f e V i c t o r i a , V M I A a n d o t h e r s t a k e h o l d e r s ;

I d e n t i f y i n g j o i n t t o r t f e a s o r s , n e g o t i a t i n g c o n t r i b u t i o n a n d p u r s u i n g t h i r d p a r t y p r o c e e d i n g s ;

D r a f t i n g a d v i c e s , c o u r t d o c u m e n t s a n d l e t t e r s t o e x p e r t w i t n e s s e s ; a n d

P r e p a r i n g c a s e s f o r c o u r t w h i c h c a n i n c l u d e w o r k p l a c e i n s p e c t i o n s , g a t h e r i n g a n d a s s e s s i n g

e v i d e n c e , s p e a k i n g t o w i t n e s s e s a n d d e v e l o p i n g s t r a t e g y

A s a j u n i o r l a w y e r i n o u r t e a m , y o u c a n e x p e c t t o r u n y o u r o w n f i l e s f r o m d a y o n e , w i t h t h e s u p p o r t o f a p a r t n e r . Y o u w i l l c o n d u c t y o u r o w n c o n f e r e n c e s , n e g o t i a t i o n s , a p p e a r i n c o u r t a n d w o r k d i r e c t l y w i t h c l i e n t s W e o f f e r a h i g h d e g r e e o f a u t o n o m y a n d r o o m t o d e v e l o p y o u r o w n p r a c t i c e a n d s k i l l s a s a l i t i g a t o r C o m p e n s a t i o n l a w i s a g r e a t f i t f o r l a w y e r s w h o h a v e c r i t i c a l a n a l y t i c a l s k i l l s a n d a g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t i n p e r s o n a l i n j u r y l i t i g a t i o n

O u r t e a m a t L a n d e r & R o g e r s i s o n e o f A u s t r a l i a ' s m o s t e x p e r i e n c e d a n d w e l l r e g a r d e d c o m p e n s a t i o n l a w t e a m s , w h i c h f a c i l i t a t e s a n e x c e l l e n t l e a r n i n g e n v i r o n m e n t

G a b r i e l l a A l f a r o & B e n P e r t i c h

L a w G r a d u a t e s 2 0 2 5

D e a k i n A l u m n i

If you are looking to work as a Graduate at a law firm via the Clerkship/Graduate program route, performing well in your Clerkship is as important as getting through the application process for a clerkship role With that in mind, our 10 tips for applicants are broken up into getting an offer and performing well

THE APPLICCATION PROCESS

1. Insight: Think of Yourself Holistically

d e s a l o n e a n d e n d o f f e r d a y e m p t y h a n d e d f a i l i n g t o r e a l i s e t h a t ( f o r b e t t e r o r f o r w o r s e ) i t i s a b o u t h o w y o u m a r k e t y o u r s e l f

Y o u r f o c u s s h o u l d b e o n i m p r o v i n g y o u r h o l i s t i c p r o f i l e i n t h e f a c e o f a l a w f i r m R e a d w h a t y o u r

t a r g e t f i r m w a n t s i n a C l e r k a n d m a k e a n e f f o r t t o p r e s e n t y o u r s e l f i n a l i g n m e n t T a k e o u t a L I V

Y o u n g L a w y e r m e m b e r s h i p ( i t ’ s f r e e ) , j o i n t h e l a w c l u b s a n d s o c i e t i e s t h a t i n t e r e s t y o u a n d

m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y , a p p l y f o r a s u p p o r t r o l e i n a f i r m . W o r k i n g a s a p a r a l e g a l y o u w i l l b e a b l e t o

g a i n i n s i g h t i n t o t h e t e a m s y o u m a y w a n t t o w o r k i n a n d t h e m a r k e t t r e n d s a f f e c t i n g p r a c t i c e

a r e a s y o u a r e k e e n o n . W i t h e n o u g h e x p e r i e n c e u n d e r y o u r b e l t , i n s t e a d o f b e i n g a u n i v e r s i t y

s t u d e n t t h a t i s n o w l o o k i n g f o r a C l e r k s h i p , y o u b e c o m e a y o u n g p r o f e s s i o n a l w i t h a d e v e l o p e d

i n t e r e s t i n a f e w p r a c t i c e a r e a s t h a t s o h a p p e n s t o b e n e a r i n g t h e e n d o f y o u r u n i v e r s i t y s t u d i e s .

T h e i n t e n t i o n i s t o h a v e e n o u g h m a t e r i a l t o g i v e i n f o r m e d , g e n u i n e a n s w e r s t o s h o r t a n s w e r

q u e s t i o n s i n b o t h a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d i n i n t e r v i e w s

2 . P r o f e s s i o n a l I n t e r e s t s

F i r m s w a n t e n g a g e d , i n t e r e s t e d a n d c u r i o u s C l e r k s N o t k n o w i n g w h a t a r e a o f l a w y o u a r e m o s t s e t o n a t t h i s s t a g e i s c o m m o n p l a c e P l e n t y o f l a w y e r s s t a r t i n o n e a r e a , t h e n d e v e l o p a n i c h e o r e q u a l l y u n d e r t a k e a n L L M a n d s w i t c h . C e r t a i n t y i s n o t a p r e r e q u i s i t e o f i n t e r e s t . W h e t h e r y o u

k n o w e x a c t l y w h a t a r e a o f l a w y o u w a n t t o w o r k i n o r n o t , d e m o n s t r a t e c u r i o s i t y a n d i n t e r e s t i n t h e p r a c t i c e a r e a s o f t h e f i r m t h a t y o u f i n d i n t r i g u i n g a n d a s k q u e s t i o n s .

Subscribe to the relevant lawyer news outlets, sign up for mailing lists like Capital Brief’s Letter of Intent, and take the time to explore different areas of law that might be a good fit for you When asking lawyers about their work or their experience, don’t be afraid to show your genuine interest

Ultimately, your capacity to work hard is important but your genuine interest should come across such that it doesn’t appear like hard work for you

3 . R e l

a r t n e r o r s e n i o r l a w y e r a b o u t t h e i r p a s t w o r k , u s e w h a t y o u k n o w a b o u t i t t o

a s k s p e c i f i c , d i r e c t e d q u e s t i o n s I f y o u a r e g o i n g t o a s k a b o u t a s p e c i f i c d e a l , m a k e s u r e y o u

u n d e r s t a n d i t i n d e t a i l r a t h e r t h a n j u s t “ n a m e d r o p p i n g ” w i t h o u t k n o w i n g t h e d e t a i l s A s k

g e n u i n e q u e s t i o n s t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h e w o r k t h e y d o - t h i s w i l l h e l p y o u d i s c o v e r w h a t y o u

a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n

4 . T a k e a B r e a t h

A f t e r a t t e n d i n g m y f i r s t C l e r k s h i p i n f o r m a t i o n e v e n t , I f e l t o u t o f p l a c e s u r r o u n d e d b y o t h e r

a p p l i c a n t s w h o a p p e a r e d t o b e m o r e c o n f i d e n t a n d a c c o m p l i s h e d t h a n m e . I n t a l k i n g t o o t h e r l a w y e r s f r o m y o u r t a r g e t f i r m s , y o u w i l l r e a l i s e t h a t j u s t l i k e a n y m i c r o c o s m o f s o c i e t y , t h e r e a r e

i n t r o v e r t s , e x t r o v e r t s , p e o p l e w h o l o v e A F L a n d t h o s e w h o d o n o t a n d a n e n t i r e r a n g e o f p e o p l e

w h o h a d v a r y i n g b a c k g r o u n d s a n d u p b r i n g i n g s D o n o t f e e d i n t o t h e w h i t e n o i s e a n d f e e l

i n a d e q u a t e c o m p a r e d t o t h o s e a r o u n d y o u , b e c a u s e t h e f a c t o f t h e m a t t e r i s n o t e v e r y

e m p l o y e e i s a R h o d e s S c h o l a r n o r a N o b e l P r i z e r e c i p i e n t S o l o n g a s y o u r e l y o n t h e s e t i p s , y o u

w i l l b e b e s t p l a c e d t o s u c c e e d i n y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n !

5 . U t i l i s e R e s o u r c e s : D e a k i n T a l e n t i s y o u r B e s t F r i e n d

U s e t h e r e s o u r c e s y o u h a v e a v a i l a b l e t o y o u . I t d o e s n ’ t c o s t a n y t h i n g o r t a k e m u c h t i m e t o h a v e

a l o o k a t w h a t s e r v i c e s y o u h a v e a s a D e a k i n s t u d e n t . T h i s m a y s e e m l i k e a g i v e n t o s o m e , b u t d o n ’ t u s e a c o l o u r f u l r e s u m e . I h a d a g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r f r i e n d p u t t o g e t h e r a b e a u t i f u l r e s u m e f o r m e b u t t h e p r o g r a m s u s e d b y f i r m s t o s c r a p e d a t a d o n o t d o a g o o d j o b o f t h i s , a n d a n e c d o t a l l y , y o u c a n u s e t h e t e m p l a t e h e r e D e a k i n T a l e n t - h t t p s : / / b l o g s . d e a k i n . e d u . a u / d e a k i n t a l e n tr e s o u r c e s / r e s u m e - e x a m p l e s - t e m p l a t e s /

THE CLERKSHIP ITSELF

6 . C o f f e e , C o f f e e , C o f f e e

W h e t h e r y o u a c t u a l l y d r i n k c o f f e e o r n o t , i t g o e s a l o n g w a y t o a s k y o u r b u d d y , c o o r d i n a t o r o r a

P a r t n e r o u t f o r a c o f f e e / t e a . T h i s i s a g r e a t t i m e t o s h o w y o u r p e r s o n a l i t y a n d g e t t o k n o w

m e m b e r s o f t h e t e a m i n a m o r e m e a n i n g f u l w a y a w a y f

w h o e v e r y o u a s k w i l l s a y y e s ( e v e n i f i t i s j u s t t o g e t a w a y f r o m t h e i r d e s k ) a n d w i l l l i k e l y p a y

( y a y t o f r e e c o f f e e ) I t i s a l s o a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r y o u t o m e e t p e o p l e a c r o s s t h e f i r m , l e a r n m o r e

a n d b u i l d y o u r n e t w o r k s

7 . E m b r a c e O p p o r t u n i t i e s

I t i s i m p o r t a n t t o t r y t o e m b r a c e a l l o p p o r t u n i t i e s y o u a r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h a s a c l e r k I t ' s e a s y t o

a v o i d w o r k t h a t y o u t h i n k i s h a r d o r t h i n k y o u m i g h t n o t e x c e l i n , b u t y o u r C l e r k s h i p s h o u l d b e

t h e t i m e w h e r e y o u t a k e o n a c h a l l e n g e a n d g i v e i t a g o . T h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g t o l e a r n f r o m e v e r y

c l i e n t m e e t i n g , c o u r t a p p e a r a n c e , d r a f t i n g t a s k o r c o n t r a c t r e v i e w s o t r y t o e m b r a c e a l l t h e

d i f f e r e n t w o r k o p p o r t u n i t i e s y o u h a v e a v a i l a b l e t o y o u . . T h e r e w i l l l i k e l y b e a f e w s o c i a l e v e n t s

p l a n n e d d u r i n g y o u r C l e r k s h i p w h i c h a r e a l s o a g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y t o g e t t o k n o w p e o p l e a c r o s s t h e f i r m

8 . S m a l l T a l k i s a L i f e S a v e r

S m a l l t a l k c a n g o a l o n g w a y i n b u i l d i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s T a k i n g t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o c h a t a b o u t t h e

l a t e s t e v e n t s i n M e l b o u r n e c a n b e a g o o d s t a r t t o b u i l d i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s a n d g e t t i n g t o k n o w

p e o p l e T h o s e c o n v e r s a t i o n s a t t h e p r i n t e r c a n h e l p e s t a b l i s h y o u a n d p o t e n t i a l l y g e t a c c e s s t o

s o m e g r e a t w o r k !

9 . T a s k H a c k – S o m e o n e ’ s D o n e i t B e f o r e

I f y o u g e t a t a s k t h a t f e e l s p a r t i c u l a r l y d a u n t i n g o r o u t o f y o u r w h e e l h o u s e , h a v e a l o o k t h r o u g h

t h e f i r m s f i l e m a n a g e m e n t s y s t e m I t ’ s o f t e n t h e c a s e t h a t a n o t h e r C l e r k , G r a d u a t e o r j u n i o r l a w y e r h a s b e e n a s k e d t o d o t h e e x a c t s a m e t a s k s o h a v e a l o o k a t w h a t ’ s b e e n d o n e i n t h e p a s t a n d u s e i t a s a b a s e

1 0 . H u m a n f i r s t , C l e r k s e c o n d

W h i l e b e i n g a h i g h a c h i e v e r a n d k n o w i n g a b o u t t h e f i r m y o u ’ r e a p p l y i n g t o o f t e n w h a t g e t s y o u

t h r o u g h t h e d o o r , b r i n g i n g y o u r w h o l e s e l f t o w o r k a n d b u i l d i n g g e n u i n e r e l a t i o n s h i p s i s a l s o i m p o r t a n t . Y o u ’ l l b e s u r p r i s e d h o w o f t e n s o m e o n e e l s e w i l l h a v e t h e s a m e b r e e d o f d o g / c a t , a t t e n d t h e s a m e m u s i c f e s t i v a l s o r b e b i n g e i n g t h e s a m e s h o w a s y o u , s o d o n ’ t b u r y y o u r p e r s o n a l i t y u n d e r w h a t y o u t h i n k a f i r m w a n t s t o s e e .

WHAT NOT TO DO

I n s o m e c a s e s , i t c a n b e e a s i e r t o r e m e m b e r w h a t n o t t o d o a s o p p o s e d t o s t a y i n g o n t o p o f

e v e r y t h i n g t o d o K e e p i n g i n m i n d t h a t t h i s n o d t o t h e b l o c k b u s t e r c l a s s i c i s e n t i r e l y s a t i r i c a l ,

h e r e i s “ H o w t o L o s e a C l e r k s h i p i n 1 0 W a y s ” :

L o c k i n o n y o u r W A M a t t h e e x p e n s e o f e v e r y t h i n g e l s e .

S a y y o u l o v e c o m m e r c i a l l a w j u s t b e c a u s e y o u l i k e d S u i t s Y e s , y o u c a n w i n i n d u e

d i l i g e n c e

N a m e d r o p t h e f i r m ’ s m o s t r e c e n t c a s e / d e a l w i t h o u t a s k i n g a s i n g l e q u e s t i o n a b o u t i t .

M e r e l y s h o w i n g y o u w e n t t o t h e f i r m ’ s l a n d i n g p a g e o n t h e i r w e b s i t e i s m i l e s b e y o n d

e v e r y o n e e l s e

D r u m u p y o u r l o v e o f f o o t b a l l a n d t a k e o n a n e w p e r s o n a l i t y a t C l e r k s h i p e v e n t s b a s e d o n

w h a t y o u t h i n k t h e y w a n t , b e c a u s e t h e y d o n ’ t w a n t t h e r e a l y o u !

G o D I Y m o d e o n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n s ! Y o u h a v e n ’ t d o n e t h i s b e f o r e , b u t y o u ’ v e p r o b a b l y g o t i t

r i g h t . R i g h t ?

G o a l l i n o n o n e p r a c t i c e a r e a – i f y o u d o n ' t l i k e i t n o w , y o u n e v e r w i l l !

D o n ’ t u s e L i n k e d I n b e c a u s e b u i l d i n g y o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l n e t w o r k i s s c a r y

O n l y a p p l y t o a c o u p l e o f f i r m s b e c a u s e y o u ’ l l d e f i n i t e l y g e t t h e m a l l

A v o i d D e a k i n L S S e v e n t s a s t h e y a r e a w a s t e o f t i m e , a n d y o u k n o w e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t t h e

C l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s s o w h a t ’ s t h e p o i n t !

W a i t t o s t a r t y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n s u n t i l t h e d a y b e f o r e s u b m i s s i o n s a r e d u e . Y o u ’ l l b e a b l e t o s m a s h t h e m o u t i n a c o u p l e o f h o u r s

J o a n n a G u

L a w y e r , M e l b o u r n e

Tell us a bit about yourself and your time so far at Minter Ellison

I w a s r a i s e d i n A u c k l a n d , N e w Z e a l a n d , a n d m o v e d t o M e l b o u r n e t o p u r s u e m y J u r i s D o c t o r a t e .

I c o m m e n c e d i n t h e w i n t e r o f 2 0 2 2 a s a c l e r k . I n i t i a l l y , m y p l a n s w e r e t o h e a d o v e r s e a s a f t e r

c o m p l e t i n g m y J D

H o w e v e r , t h e s t i m u l a t i n g w o r k a n d t h e i n c r e d i b l e p e o p l e I m e t d u r i n g m y c l e r k s h i p a t M i n t e r s

s w a y

You’ve recently done a clerkship with us, how was that process and any advice for future clerks?

Firstly, recognise that everyone in the firm is invested in your success, and that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process You’ll find a supportive network of mentors ready to guide you, and it’s comforting to remember that even the most senior lawyers began their journeys much like you. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, no matter how trivial they may seem, and seize every opportunity for casual interaction, such as coffee catch-ups. These moments provide a valuable platform for informal learning and networking. Stay open- minded about the diversity of work you’ll be exposed to and the wide range of backgrounds of the people you’ll meet. Remember that your clerkship is not just an opportunity to grow and network, but also a platform to contribute and effect change Embrace it, and enjoy the journey!

What was it that attracted you to Minter Ellison?

I first rotated through the Finance Solutions team I found it to be an exceptional starting point It offered me a deep dive into various financial sectors, such as property finance, corporate finance, and structured finance It was especially beneficial for us as junior lawyers, as it provided an opportunity to learn through osmosis. I was actively involved in meetings, client-facing work, and fundamental skills training sessions led by experienced senior team members. I am currently in my second rotation in the firm’s innovative Competition, Climate and Technology (CCT) team. This multifaceted team at Minters collaborates with both private and public sector clients across a range of industries. Working within this team has broadened my exposure to diverse types of work.

This includes providing strategic advice, drafting and negotiating agreements, and contributing to pro bono projects The variety keeps me engaged and ensures that every day is different, presenting new challenges and learning opportunities

Have you had the opportunity to participate in any of the firms internal networks or committees?

I ’ v e h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o b e i n v o l v e d i n s e v e r a l o f t h e f i r m ’ s i n t e r n a l n e t w o r k s a n d

c o m m i t t e e s , w h i c h h a v e g r e a t l y e n r i c h e d m y e x p e r i e n c e a s a g r a d u a t e a t t h e f i r m .

E M B R A C E , l e d b y a n a t i o n a l c o m m i t t e e o f e m p l o y e e s f r o m a l l f i r m a r e a s , a s s i s t s i n p r o g r e s s i n g o u r c u l t u r a l d i v e r s i t y s t r a t e g y . I t s k e y o b j e c t i v e s a r e t o c e l e b r a t e c u l t u r a l d i v e r s i t y , p r o v i d e

e d u c a t i o n a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r i n c r e a s e d c u l t u r a l a w a r e n e s s , f o s t e r a s u p p o r t i v e n e t w o r k f o r c u l t u r a l l y d i v e r s e e m p l o y e e s , a n d c r e a t e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r c l i e n t c o n n e c t i o n s A s t a n d o u t

m o m e n t w a s o r g a n i s i n g t h e n a t i o n a l E m b r a c e p a n e l , w h e r e w e i n v i t e d W e s t e r n B u l l d o g s ’

p l a y e r , J a m a r r a U g l e - H a g a n , t o d i s c u s s f o s t e r i n g c u l t u r a l d i v e r s i t y i n t h e w o r k p l a c e

I ’ m a l s o p a r t o f t h e f i r m ’ s W I S E n e t w o r k ( W o m e n , S u p p o r t , I n c l u s i o n , E q u a l i t y ) , w h i c h f o c u s e s o n

f a c i l i t a t i n g e d u c a t i o n a n d e n g a g e m e n t o n g e n d e r i s s u e s w i t h i n t h e f i r m a n d t h e w i d

What surprised you the most about the firm?

What took me by surprise about Minters was its prioritisation of individuality over conformity, a standout characteristic in the typically high-pressure legal sector This unique approach was a breath of fresh air amid the intense competition prevalent in the field of law This celebration of individuality has instilled in me the confidence to find and utilise my distinct voice I’ve been heartened by the encouragement to openly discuss my interests and aspirations with my supervisors, partners and colleagues Such open dialogue has been instrumental in enabling me to express my interest in specific areas of law Instead of trying to fit into us into a cookie-cutter mould, Minters have urged me to embrace and bring my authentic self to work This has empowered me to find my voice and contribute my unique perspectives to the firm.

J a s m i n e S h e p a r d

L a w y e r

Insight into an international secondment Norton Rose Fullbright

D u r i n g m y f i r s t y e a r a s a g r a d u a t e i n t h e M e l b o u r n e o f f i c e , I w a s g r a n t e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o

w o r k w i t h t h e P e r t h d i s p u t e s t e a m o n W e s t e r n A u s t r a l i a n - b a s e d m a t t e r s , w i t h t h e S i n g a p o r e

o f f i c e o n p r o b o n o a d v i c e a n d a s s i s t e d c l i e n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e p r o c e s s o f e x p a n d i n g t h e i r

A u s t r a l i a n b r a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y .

M y t h i r d r o t a t i o n c e m e n t e d m y v i e w o f N o r t o n R o s e F u l b r i g h t a s a t r u l y g l o b a l f i r m , a s I s p e n t a n

i n c r e d i b l e s i x - m o n t h s i n t h e L o n d o n o f f i c e i n t h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d e n e r g y d i s p u t e s t e a m . A s m y

f i r s t e x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g o v e r s e a s , I c o u l d n ’ t h a v e a s k e d f o r a b e t t e r l e a r n i n g a n d n e t w o r k i n g

e n v i r o n m e n t .

I w a s f o r t u n a t e t o w o r k b r o a d l y a c r o s s a r a n g e o f m a t t e r s w i t h m y d i r e c t t e a m a n d t h e g e n e r a l

d i s p u t e s t e a m , w i t n e s s t w o i n p e r s o n t r i a l s a n d c o m m u t e o v e r t h e i c o n i c T o w e r B r i d g e e a c h

m o r n i n g t o t h e o f f i c e ! M y t e a m w e r e e x c e p t i o n a l l y w e l c o m i n g a n d i n v o l v e d m e i n b o t h

c o m m e r c i a l d i s p u t e s a n d t r a n s a c t i o n a l c o n s t r u c t i o n w o r k , i n c l u d i n g p r o c e e d i n g s b e f o r e t h e

C h a n c e r y D i v i s i o n o f t h e H i g h C o u r t o f J u s t i c e , I C C , L C I A a n d U N C I T R A L a r b i t r a t i o n s , d i s p u t e a d j u d i c a t i o n b o a r d ( D A B ) p r o c e e d i n g s a n d v a r i o u s a d h o c d i s p u t e s .

T h e g l o b a l n a t u r e o f N o r t o n R o s e F u l b r i g h t ’ s w o r k w a s c o n f i r m e d t o m e t h r o u g h m y i n v o l v e m e n t i n a L o n d o n s e a t e d a r b i t r a t i o n t o s e t t l e a c o n t r a c t u a l d i s p u t e . H a v i n g b e e n b r o u g h t o n t o t h i s m a t t e r d u r i n g m y f i r s t w e e k , I w a s i n v o l v e d i n a r a f t o f p r e - h e a r i n g w o r k , i n c l u d i n g c h r o n o l o g y a n d b u n d l e p r e p a r a t i o n , w e e k l y c a l l s w i t h t h e c l i e n t a n d w i t n e s s f a m i l i a r i s a t i o n s e s s i o n s w i t h t h e e x p e r t a n d f a c t w i t n e s s e s F o l l o w i n g t h e t w o - d a y h e a r i n g , w h i c h r e q u i r e d w i t n e s s e s t o b e f l o w n i n f r o m N i g e r i a , I a s s i s t e d i n t h e p r e p a r a t i o n a n d c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e w r i t t e n c l o s i n g a n d c o s t s u b m i s s i o n s .

T h e c o n n e c t i v i t y o f t h e f i r m ’ s o f f i c e s w a s v e r y a p p a r e n t t o m e i n e v e r y m a t t e r I w o r k e d o n . I n

a n o t h e r a r b i t r a t i o n r e l a t i n g t o a j o i n t v e n t u r e i n C e n t r a l A s i a , w e w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h t h e H o n g

K o n g a n d H o u s t o n d i s p u t e s t e a m s

T o p r e p a r e t h e s t a t e m e n t o f d e f e n c e i n a n a r b i t r a t i o n a n d D A B p r o c e e d i n g r e l a t i n g t o t h e

c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a n i r o n o r e p r o c e s s i n g p l a n t i n t h e F a r E a s t , t h e D u b a i o f f i c e w o r k e d a l o n g s i d e

o u r L o n d o n t e a m t o p r e p a r e v a r i o u s t r a n s l a t i o n s o f w i t n e s s s t a t e m e n t s a n d f i l e t h e d e f e n c e

D u e t o t h e n u m b e r o f m a t t e r s I w o r k e d o n d u r i n g m y r o t a t i o n , I f o r g e d s t r o n g w o r k i n g

r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h a l l f i v e o f t h e P a r t n e r s i n t h e i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d e n e r g y d i s p u t e s t e a m a s w e l l

a s a P a r t n e r i n t h e g e n e r a l d i s p u t e s t e a m . A r t i c l e s I c o - a u t h o r e d w i t h m y t e a m w e r e p u b l i s h e d

o n t h e f i r m ’ s w e b s i t e a n d t h e C o n s t r u c t i o n L a w J o u r n a l a n d I m e t a r a n g e o f L o n d o n - b a s e d

b a r r i s t e r s a n d d i s p u t e s s o l i c i t o r s b a s e d i n o t h e r f i r m s w h i l e v o l u n t e e r i n g i n N o r t o n R o s e

F u l b r i g h t ’ s ‘ D i s p u t e s W e e k ’ e v e n t s T h e L o n d o n t r a i n e e s w e l c o m e d S y d n e y - b a s e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l

s e c o n d e e J a c k B r o w n a n d I w i t h o p e n a r m s , t h r o u g h m i x e r e v e n t s , t h e t o u c h r u g b y t e a m a n d

s o c i a l b a d m i n t o n n i g h t s .

O f c o u r s e , I d i d n ’ t m i s s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o e x p e r i e n c e a l l o f L o n d o n ’ s b e s t S u n d a y r o a s t s ,

b e a u t i f u l p a r k s a n d m u s i c s c e n e I a l s o e n j o y e d w e e k e n d t r a v e l w i t h f r i e n d s a n d o t h e r t r a i n e e s , w i t h t h e h i g h l i g h t s b e i n g M o r o c c o , G r e e c e , t h e P a r i s O l y m p i c s a n d N e w Y o r k

H a v i n g r e t u r n e d t o t h e M e l b o u r n e o f f i c e , w e r e c e i v e d t h e e x c i t i n g n e w s t h a t t h e t r i b u n a l

d i s m i s s e d t h e c o n t r a c t u a l , b a d f a i t h a n d c o n s p i r a c y c l a i m s a g a i n s t o u r c l i e n t i n r e l a t i o n t o a n

i n v e s t m e n t a g r e e m e n t d i s p u t e I w a s f o r t u n a t e t o a t t e n d t w o d a y s o f t h e f o u r - d a y h e a r i n g d u r i n g m y s e c o n d m e n t , t o g e t h e r w i t h t e a m s f r o m t h e L o n d o n , S y d n e y a n d B r i s b a n e o f f i c e s , c o u n s e l

f r o m T h a i l a n d a n d e x p e r t s f r o m N o r w a y . I t w a s i n c r e d i b l e t o b e a p a r t o f a n d w i t n e s s t h e t e a m s

w o r k i n g s e a m l e s s l y t o g e t h e r a c r o s s t i m e z o n e s t o d e l i v e r a n o u t s t a n d i n g r e s u l t f o r t h e c l i e n t

A l l a s p i r i n g l a w y e r s s h o u l d c o n s i d e r t h e w e a l t h o f o p p o r t u n i t i e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m a t N o r t o n

R o s e F u l b r i g h t . F r o m t h e g r a d u a t e p r o g r a m t o P a r t n e r l e v e l , t h e r e a r e s o m a n y c h a n c e s t o w o r k

o n i n t e r n a t i o n a l , c r o s s - j u r i s d i c t i o n a l m a t t e r s a n d f o r g e p r o f e s s i o n a l ( a n d p e r s o n a l ) r e l a t i o n s h i p s

w i t h o u r i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o l l e a g u e s

G e m m a G e t s o n

C o r p o r a t e & C o m m e r i c a l L a w y e r

F o r m e r L a w G r a d u a t e

I n m y s e c o n d y e a r o f u n i v e r s i t y , I f i n a l l y r e c e i v e d a d i a g n o s i s f o r t h e h e a l t h i s s u e s t h a t h a d b e e n

i m p a c t i n g m e f o r y e a r s . A l o n g s i d e t r y i n g t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e f u n d a m e n t a l s o f c o n t r a c t l a w a n d

b a l a n c i n g a j o b t h a t b a r e l y c o v e r e d t h e c o s t o f d r i v i n g t o u n i ( i y k y k ) , I f o u n d m y s e l f a t t e n d i n g

o n e o r t w o m e d i c a l a p p o i n t m e n t s p e r w e e k . M y f o c u s s h i f t e d t o w a r d s p r i o r i t i s i n g f o o d , e x e r c i s e ,

a n d s l e e p , i n t h e w a y t h a t o n l y p r o f e s s i o n a l a t h l e t e s a n d d i s a b l e d p e o p l e a r e f o r c e d t o

B y t h e t i m e c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s r o l l e d a r o u n d t h r e e y e a r s l a t e r , I h a d m a n a g e d t o s t a b i l i s e

v a r i o u s a s p e c t s o f m y l i f e I m a i n t a i n e d g o o d g r a d e s , h e l d a j o b , s e c u r e d a l o n g s t a n d i n g

v o l u n t e e r l e g a l p o s i t i o n , e n j o y e d s o m e s e m b l a n c e o f a s o c i a l l i f e , a n d a c h i e v e d r e l a t i v e l y s t a b l e

h e a l t h H o w e v e r , I I a c k e d c o m m e r c i a l l e g a l e x p e r i e n c e , s p o r t s o r L S S i n v o l v e m e n t , o r t h e

r e m a r k a b l e g r a d e s t y p i c a l l y u s e d t o o v e r s h a d o w s u c h s h o r t c o m i n g s

D e s p i t e r e c o g n i s i n g m y a c h i e v e m e n t s g i v e n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a r t i c u l a t i n g t h e m i n a p p l i c a t i o n s

p r o v e d c h a l l e n g i n g . Wr i t i n g a n i n d i v i d u a l c o v e r l e t t e r t h a t c o n v e y e d m y u n i q u e a n d c o m p e l l i n g

i n t e r e s t i n a s p e c i f i c f i r m i s d i f f i c u l t e n o u g h , l e t a l o n e ex p l a i n i n g t h e a b s e n c e o f ex t r a c u r r i c u l a r

a c t i v i t i e s i n a w a y t h a t p o s i t i o n e d m e a s a n a s s e t r a t h e r t h a n a l i a b i l i t y.

B e c a u s e o f t h i s , I w a s o v e r t h e m o o n w h e n I d i s c o v e r e d t h e R u s s e l l Ke n n e d y La w y e r s ( R K )

‘A c c e s s R K ’ S e a s o n a l C l e r ks h i p Pa t h w a y, o f f e r i n g a s e a s o n a l c l e r ks h i p p o s i t i o n t o a s t u d e n t w i t h

a d i s a b i l i t y T h e ex i s t e n c e o f t h e p a t h w a y s h o w e d m e t h a t R K u n d e r s t o o d t h e c h a l l e n g e s I h a d

f a c e d w i t h m y h e a l t h , r e c o g n i s i n g t h e m a s s o u r c e s o f u n i q u e a n d v a l u a b l e s k i l l s t h a t w o u l d

e n h a n c e m y c a p a b i l i t i e s a s a l a w y e r

T h e R K a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s f e a t u r e d s h o r t a n s w e r q u e s t i o n s f o c u s i n g o n b o t h l e g a l a n d v a l u e s -

b a s e d q u e s t i o n s , i n d i c a t i n g t h e f i r m’s i n t e r e s t i n c a n d i d a t e s a s c o m p l e t e i n d i v i d u a l s a n d n o t j u s t

l e g a l m i n d s . Af t e r a p p l i c a t i o n s c l o s e d , I u n d e r w e n t a b r i e f p h o n e i n t e r v i e w w i t h H R , f o l l o w e d b y

a n o t h e r i n t e r v i e w w i t h H R a n d a S p e c i a l C o u n s e l w h o, l i ke m e, h a s a d i s a b i l i t y a n d b e g a n t h e i r

j o u r n e y a t R K a s a s e a s o n a l c l e r k n e a r l y 1 4 y e a r s p r i o r

T h i s o p p o r t u n i t y a l l o w e d m e t o w i t n e s s f i r s t h a n d t h a t t h e A c c e s s R K Pa t h w a y w a s n' t m e r e l y a

' t i c k b ox ' d i v e r s i t y i n i t i a t i v e b u t r e f l e c t e d t h e f i r m's g e n u i n e c o m m i t m e n t t o i n c l u s i o n

A d d i t i o n a l l y, I g a i n e d i n s i g h t i n t o h o w t h e f i r m w o u l d s u p p o r t a d i s a b l e d i n d i v i d u a l n a v i g a t i n g a

l e g a l c a r e e r

A l l t h e s e e x p e r i e n c e s r e i n f o r c e d m y c o n f i d e n c e t h a t t h e f i r m h a d s e l e c t e d m e f o r w h o I a m A s a

r e s u l t , I w a s m o r e c o n f i d e n t i n a s k i n g f o r a d j u s t m e n t s a n d a d v o c a t i n g f o r m y s e l f , k n o w i n g t h a t I

h a d b e e n t r a n s p a r e n t a b o u t m y s i t u a t i o n t h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e p r o c e s s .

D u r i n g t h e c l e r k s h i p , I w o r k e d f r o m h o m e o n e d a y a w e e k , a l l o w i n g m e t o f o c u s o n w o r k i t s e l f

r a t h e r t h a n t h e l i t a n y o f s y m p t o m s t h a t p o p u p w h e n I p u s h m y s e l f t o o h a r d H o w e v e r , t h e

t r a n s i t i o n t o t h e g r a d u a t e p r o g r a m r e v e a l e d t h a t I r e q u i r e d t h r e e d a y s o f r e m o t e w o r k p e r w e e k

t o e f f e c t i v e l y b a l a n c e m y h e a l t h w h i l e p a r t i c i p a t i n g f u l l y i n t h e p r o g r a m .

W h i l e t h e A c c e s s R K P a t h w a y o p e n e d t h e d o o r t o t h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n , R K ’ s c u l t u r e p r o v i d e d

t h e e n v i r o n m e n t w h e r e I c o u l d b e c o m f o r t a b l e a n d c o n f i d e n t i n b e i n g m y s e l f a n d s p e a k i n g u p

w h e n n e c e s s a r y , w h i c h h a s a l l o w e d m e t o e x c e l . T h e f i r m ’ s f o c u s o n w e l l b e i n g e n s u r e s t h a t m y n e e d f o r w o r k / l i f e b a l a n c e i s a n e x p e c t a t i o n f o r e v e r y o n e , n o t j u s t a n a c c o m m o d a t i o n d u e t o m y

h e a l t h

A l t h o u g h I s t i l l h a v e a p p o i n t m e n t s m o s t w e e k s , I c a n f l e x i b l y m a n a g e m y t i m e , j u s t l i k e p a r e n t s , c a r e g i v e r s , o r a n y o n e e l s e t e n d i n g t o p e r s o n a l m a t t e r s a c r o s s t h e f i r m . T h e s u p p o r t i v e a n d

i n c l u s i v e a t m o s p h e r e a t R K e n s u r e s I a l w a y s h a v e s o m e o n e t o t u r n t o f o r g u i d a n c e o r a c h a t

a b o u t w o r k o r p e r s o n a l m a t t e r s , m a k i n g a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e i n m y e x p e r i e n c e

G r a c e E m e r y

L a w y e r

I n J u n e o f 2 0 2 2 , I h a d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o u n d e r t a k e a c l e r k s h i p i n t h e P e r t n e p r e i s

P a g a n i n I h a d a w o n d e r f u l t i m e g a i n i n g p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e i n c o r p o r a t e a n d c o m m e r c i a l l a w

b u t w h a t s t o o d o u t t o m e w a s t h e s u p p o r t i v e , f r i e n d l y a n d c o l l a b o r a t i v e e n v i r o n m e n t c r e a t e d b y

t h e t e a m w h o a r e n o w m y c o l l e a g u e s .

E m b a r k i n g o n t h e c l e r k s h i p j o u r n e y a s a l a w s t u d e n t i s o f t e n a n o v e r w h e l m i n g e x p e r i e n c e a n d

b r i n g s w i t h i t a r o l l e r c o a s t e r o f e m o t i o n s I t c a n f e e l d a u n t i n g , a n d i t i s s o e a s y t o g e t c a u g h t u p

i n t h e c o m p a r i s o n t r a p o r w o r r y t h a t y o u d o n ’ t h a v e e n o u g h p r i o r e x p e r i e n c e

Looking back, if I could offer my past self some tips, they would have been this

A p p l y i n g f o r c l e r k s h i p s

T r y n e w t h i n g s . T h e v e r y p u r p o s e o f a c l e r k s h i p i s t o p r o v i d e u n i v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s w i t h a t a s t e o f

w h a t i t ’ s l i k e t o w o r k i n a l a w f i r m D o n ’ t b e a f r a i d t o s t e p o u t o f y o u r c o m f o r t z o n e C l e r k s h i p s

a r e a c h a n c e t o g e t a f e e l f o r t h e a r e a s o f l a w y o u m i g h t l i k e t o p r a c t i c e i n b u t a l s o t o f i g u r e o u t

t h o s e a r e a s y o u m i g h t n o t I h a v e f o u n d w o r k i n g i n l a w t o b e q u i t e d i f f e r e n t t o s t u d y i n g i t a n d

t h i s i s a g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y t o s e e h o w y o u r s t u d i e s c a n b e a p p l i e d i n p r a c t i c e f o r r e a l c l i e n t s .

T r a n s f e r a b l e s k i l l s . P r i o r l e g a l e x p e r i e n c e i s n o t c r u c i a l T h e l e g a l p r o f e s s i o n i s a s e r v i c e s

i n d u s t r y a n d m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n h a v i n g p r i o r l e g a l e x p e r i e n c e , i s p o s s e s s i n g s o f t s k i l l s s u c h a s

t e a m w o r k , g o o d c o m m u n i c a t i o n , e m o t i o n a l i n t e l l i g e n c e , c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g a n d a h i g h l e v e l o f o r g a n i s a t i o n . T h i n k a b o u t h o w a n y p r e v i o u s j o b s , v o l u n t e e r w o r k o r e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s

h a v e d e v e l o p e d t h e s e s k i l l s a n d p r o v i d e e x a m p l e s o f h o w y o u h a v e a p p l i e d t h e s e i n y o u r c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s a s w e l l a s h o w y o u r s k i l l s w o u l d m a k e y o u a v a l u a b l e c l e r k

B e i n t e r e s t e d a n d i n t e r e s t i n g . A t t h e e n d o f t h e d a y , a n i n t e r v i e w i s j u s t a c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h a n o t h e r p e r s o n . D o n ’ t f e e l c o m p e l l e d t o p r e s e n t y o u r s e l f a s s o m e o n e y o u t h i n k y o u s h o u l d b e .

B e y o u r s e l f

L e t t h e i n t e r v i e w e r g e t t o k n o w y o u r p e r s o n a l i t y a n d w h a t m a k e s y o u u n i q u e . T h a t b e i n g s a i d , i t

g o e s a l o n g w a y i f y o u ’ v e d o n e s o m e r e s e a r c h o n t h e f i r m , i t s p r a c t i c e a r e a s a n d a n y s i g n i f i c a n t

t r a n s a c t i o n s t h e y ’ v e b e e n a p a r t o f T h i s s h o w s a g e n u i n e i n t e r e s t i n t h e f i r m a n d d e m o n s t r a t e s

t h a t y o u w o u l d v a l u e t h e c h a n c e t o c l e r k f o r t h e m .

D u r i n g y o u r c l e r k s h i p

I t ’ s a b o u t y o u t o o . R e m e m b e r t h a t w h i l s t c l e r k s h i p s a r e a b o u t a f i r m g e t t i n g t o k n o w y o u , t h e y

a r e j u s t a s m u c h a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r y o u t o g e t t o k n o w w h a t a p a r t i c u l a r f i r m i s l i k e a n d i f y o u

c a n s e e a c a r e e r t h e r e m o v i n g f o r w a r d B e f o r e y o u w a l k t h r o u g h t h e d o o r , h a v e a t h i n k a b o u t

w h a t i t i s y o u a r e l o o k i n g t o g e t o u t o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e a n d h o w y o u w a n t t o f e e l a t t h e e n d o f y o u r c l e r k s h i p B e f o r e w a l k i n g o u t t h e d o o r , t a k e t h e t i m e t o r e f l e c t o n w h e t h e r y o u r e x p e r i e n c e

a l i g n s w i t h y o u r c a r e e r g o a l s a n d v a l u e s T r u s t y o u r i n s t i n c t s a n d p r i o r i t i s e y o u r o w n g r o w t h a n d

d e v e l o p m e n t .

B e c u r i o u s . A s a c l e r k , y o u a r e n o t e x p e c t e d t o h a v e e x t e n s i v e k n o w l e d g e o f t h e l a w o r

c o m p l e t e t a s k s t o p e r f e c t i o n W h a t y o u c a n d o i s d e m o n s t r a t e y o u r e a g e r n e s s a n d e x c i t e m e n t

t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e f i r m , h o w i t t i c k s a n d t h e t y p e o f w o r k t h e y e n g a g e i n T h e r e w i l l b e s o m a n y

d i f f e r e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s s o t a k e a s m a n y a s y o u c a n .

M a k e c o n n e c t i o n s . M e e t a n d g e t t o k n o w a s m a n y p e o p l e a t t h e f i r m a s y o u c a n . Y o u ’ r e o n l y

t h e r e f o r a s h o r t p e r i o d o f t i m e s o m a k e t h e m o s t o f e v e r y c h a n c e t o c o n n e c t w i t h l a w y e r s a t a l l

l e v e l s o f t h e f i r m . T h e y w a n t t o g e t t o k n o w y o u ! G o f o r c o f f e e s w i t h g r a d u a t e s t o h e a r a b o u t

t h e i r e a r l y e x p e r i e n c e w o r k i n g a f t e r l a w s c h o o l a n d a s k s e n i o r l a w y e r s a b o u t t h e i r c a r e e r s ,

p r a c t i c e a r e a s a n d a n y i n t e r e s t i n g m a t t e r s t h e y ’ v e w o r k e d o n

L a s t l y , r e m e m b e r t h a t c l e r k s h i p s a r e o n l y t h e b e g i n n i n g o f y o u r c a r e e r , a n d t h e y a r e n o t t h e b e -

a l l a n d e n d - a l l w h e n i t c o m e s t o h a v i n g a s u c c e s s f u l o n e . A d v o c a t e f o r y o u r s e l f a n d h a v e

c o n f i d e n c e i n w h a t y o u b r i n g t o t h e t a b l e , I ’ m s u r e i t i s s o m u c h G o o d l u c k !

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P a r t n e r

A s a d i s p u t e s P a r t n e r a t T h o m s o n G e e r , I h a v e a u n i q u e p r a c t i c e . O n t h e o n e h a n d , I r u n

c o m m e r c i a l l i t i g a t i o n i n a l l o f t h e s u p e r i o r a n d f e d e r a l c o u r t s a c r o s s a f u l l r a n g e o f i n d u s t r i e s a n d

s u b j e c t m a t t e r s ; o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , I a c t a s c o u n s e l a n d a s a r b i t r a t o r i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m e r c i a l

a r b i t r a t i o n .

T h e g e n e s i s o f m y p r a c t i c e w a s i n c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d p r o j e c t d i s p u t e s a n d i t w a s i n f o r m e d b y a

s h o r t s e c o n d m e n t w i t h C l i f f o r d C h a n c e i n L o n d o n , a t a t i m e w h e n L o n d o n w a s a l r e a d y a m a j o r

s e a t f o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n , w h i l s t A u s t r a l i a w a s o n l y a t t h e s t a r t o f t h e a r b i t r a t i o n j o u r n e y

M a n y o f m y f r i e n d s a t C l i f f o r d C h a n c e w o r k e d i n t h e a r b i t r a t i o n g r o u p , a l r e a d y a s t a n d a l o n e

p r a c t i c e w h e r e t h e l a w y e r s f o c u s s e d s o l e l y o n a r b i t r a t i o n . L i t i g a t i o n m a t t e r s w e r e r u n o u t o f t h e

l i t i g a t i o n g r o u p W h i l s t I w a s p l a c e d i n t h e l i t i g a t i o n g r o u p , I b e c a m e i n t r i g u e d b y t h e w o r k o f m y

a r b i t r a t i o n c o l l e a g u e s

W h e n I r e t u r n e d t o M e l b o u r n e , i t w a s a t a t i m e w h e n m y c l i e n t s w e r e i n v e s t i n g o f f s h o r e W i t h i n

1 2 m o n t h s o f m y r e t u r n , I w a s c o n d u c t i n g a n I C C a r b i t r a t i o n t o r e s o l v e s i g n i f i c a n t d i s p u t e s f o r

A u s t r a l i a n e n t i t i e s w h o h a d s u p p l i e d c o m p o n e n t s f o r a 9 0 0 k m p i p e l i n e i n n o r t h e r n I n d i a T h e

t r i b u n a l i n c l u d e d a p r e s i d i n g a r b i t r a t o r i n P a r i s ( w h e r e w e w o u l d g o f o r o u r c a s e m a n a g e m e n t

c o n f e r e n c e s ) T h e c o n t r a c t s w e r e g o v e r n e d b y S w i s s l a w a n d t h e s e a t o f t h e a r b i t r a t i o n w a s

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a t i m e t r a v e l l i n g , i n c l u d i n g v i s i t i n g t h e c l i e n t s ' o f f s h o r e o f f i c e s i n D e l h i , i n t e r v i e w i n g w i t n e s s e s i n

S i n g a p o r e , R o m e a n d L o n d o n , a t t e n d i n g c a s e m a n a g e m e n t c o n f e r e n c e s i n P a r i s a n d w o r k i n g

a l o n g s i d e l o c a l c o u n s e l i n G e n e v a I w a s a l s o r e s p o n s i b l e f o r a d v i s i n g o n s t r a t e g y f o r p a r a l l e l

l i t i g a t i o n i n I n d i a , t h e C z e c h R e p u b l i c a n d I t a l y a n d p r o j e c t m a n a g i n g t h e t e a m s o f e x p e r t s a n d

f o r e i g n c o u n s e l w o r k i n g i n m u l t i p l e j u r i s d i c t i o n s T h e r o l e c u l m i n a t e d i n t w o s e p a r a t e t e n d a y

h e a r i n g s i n a h o t e l o n t h e s h o r e s o f L a k e L a u s a n n e .

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a n d c o n c i l i a t i o n I t i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t A r b i t r a t i o n i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f d i s p u t e s

t h r o u g h a p r i v a t e ' a d j u d i c a t o r ' . I t h a s s o m e s i m i l a r i t y t o l i t i g a t i o n , i n t h a t t h e t r i b u n a l d e c i d e s t h e

i s s u e s b a s e d o n a f o r m o f p l e a d i n g s ( w h i c h o f t e n t a k e a l e s s f o r m a l f o r m t h a n s t a t e m e n t s o f

c l a i m a n d d e f e n c e ) , e v i d e n c e ( f a c t , e x p e r t a n d d o c u m e n t a r y ) a n d l e g a l s u b m i s s i o n s . B u t t h e r e

a r e a l s o u n i q u e f e a t u r e s :

F i r s t , t h e p a r t i e s c a n c h o o s e t h e i r t r i b u n a l – t h i s i s p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t i n c r o s s b o r d e r

d i s p u t e s b e c a u s e c o n t r a c t s m i g h t b e g o v e r n e d b y d i f f e r e n t l a w s , d o c u m e n t s m i g h t b e i n

d i f f e r e n t l a n g u a g e s a n d p a r t i e s a r e l i k e l y t o b e c u l t u r a l l y d i v e r s e

S e c o n d l y , a r b i t r a t i o n i s p r i v a t e a n d c o n f i d e n t i a l – t h i s m e a n s t h a t o n l y t h e p a r t i e s a n d t h e

t r i b u n a l h a v e t h e r i g h t t o a t t e n d t h e a r b i t r a t i o n h e a r i n g s ( a l t h o u g h o t h e r p e r s o n s m i g h t b e

p e r m i t t e d i n p a r t i c u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s ) a n d t h e p a r t i e s a n d t h e t r i b u n a l m u s t k e e p

i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e a r b i t r a t i o n c o n f i d e n t i a l

T h i r d l y , t h e t r i b u n a l , i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e p a r t i e s , c a n c o n d u c t t h e a r b i t r a t i o n p r o c e e d i n g s

f l e x i b l y a n d i n a m a n n e r w h i c h b e s t s u i t s t h e d i s p u t e , i n c l u d i n g d e c i d i n g i s s u e s o n t h e

p a p e r s , r e q u i r i n g c o n c u r r e n t e v i d e n c e ( f r o m b o t h e x p e r t s a n d f a c t w i t n e s s e s ) a n d

c o n d u c t i n g h e a r i n g s a t d i f f e r e n t l o c a t i o n s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d ( o r v i r t u a l l y a s w e h a v e d o n e

o v e r t h e p a s t f e w y e a r s )

F o u r t h l y , i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n p r a c t i c e s t e n d t o d r a w o n e l e m e n t s o f b o t h c o m m o n l a w

a n d c i v i l l a w l e g a l s y s t e m s T h i s m e a n s , f o r e x a m p l e , t h a t d i s c o v e r y o f d o c u m e n t s ( w h i c h i s

k n o w n a s d i s c l o s u r e i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n ) i s n o t a g i v e n – t r i b u n a l s n e e d p e r s u a s i o n

t h a t p a r t i c u l a r d o c u m e n t s s o u g h t f r o m a n o t h e r p a r t y a r e i n d e e d r e l e v a n t a n d s h o u l d b e

p r o d u c e d .

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b e r e c o g n i s e d a n d e n f o r c e d i n o v e r 1 8 0 c o u n t r i e s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d w h o h a v e s i g n e d u p t o

t h e N e w Y o r k C o n v e n t i o n w i t h o u t t h e l o c a l c o u r t r e v i e w i n g t h e m e r i t s ( p r o v i d e d , i n s h o r t ,

t h a t t h e a r b i t r a t i o n h a s b e e n c o n d u c t e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h p r i n c i p l e s o f p r o c e d u r a l f a i r n e s s

a n d t h a t t h e a w a r d i s n o t c o n t r a r y t o p u b l i c p o l i c y ) .

T h e k e y t o i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n f o r p a r t i e s i s t h e a r b

a g r e e m e n t i s u s u a l l y r e c o r d e d i n a c l a u s e i n a t r a n s a c t i o n d o c u m e n t . P a r t i e s a r e n o t , h o w e v e r ,

p r e c l u d e d f r o m e n t e r i n g i n t o a s t a n d a l o n e a r b i t r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t a f t e r a d i s p u t e a r i s e s A n

a r b i t r a t i o n a g r e e m e n t c a n b e s h o r t a n d s w e e t : t h e e s s e n t i a l e l e m e n t s a r e a n a g r e e m e n t t o r e f e r

d i s p u t e s t o a r b i t r a t i o n , t h e l a n g u a g e o f t h e a r b i t r a t i o n a n d t h e s e a t o f t h e a r b i t r a t i o n T h e s e a t

( w h i c h i s u s u a l l y a c i t y ) d i c t a t e s t h e p r o c e d u r a l l a w w h i c h w i l l g o v e r n t h e a r b i t r a t i o n F o r

e x a m p l e , i f t h e s e a t i s S i n g a p o r e , t h e n t h e p r o c e d u r a l l a w w i l l b e S i n g a p o r e a n l a w . T h i s d o e s

n o t i m p a c t o n o r s u p p l a n t t h e g o v e r n i n g l a w o f t h e p a r t i e s ' c o n t r a c t ; t h e t r i b u n a l w i l l a p p l y t h e

l a w c h o s e n b y t h e p a r t i e s a n d e i t h e r e x p r e s s l y s e t o u t i n t h e c o n t r a c t o r a s a r e s u l t o f a c o n f l i c t s

o f l a w s a n a l y s i s

A r b i t r a t i o n c a n b e a d h o c o r i n s t i t u t i o n a l . I n s t i t u t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n i s a d m i n i s t e r e d b y a n a r b i t r a l

i n s t i t u t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e , t h e A u s t r a l i a n C e n t r e f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o m m e r c i a l A r b i t r a t i o n E a c h

i n s t i t u t i o n h a s i t s o w n a r b i t r a t i o n r u l e s w h i c h s e t o u t t h e p r o c e d u r e f o r t h e a r b i t r a t i o n ( i n c l u d i n g

t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f t h e t r i b u n a l ) I n a d h o c a r b i t r a t i o n , t h e p a r t i e s a n d t h e t r i b u n a l d e t e r m i n e t h e p r o c e d u r e

A c a r e e r i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m e r c i a l a r b i t r a t i o n , e i t h e r a s c o u n s e l o r a s a r b i t r a t o r ( o r b o t h , a s I h a v e ) r e q u i r e s d i s c i p l i n e . T h e r e i s t r u l y a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l a r b i t r a t i o n c o m m u n i t y a r o u n d t h e w o r l d ;

i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o b e r e c o g n i s e d b y y o u r p e e r s a s h a v i n g t h e r e q u i s i t e e x p e r t i s e a n d e x p e r i e n c e

C o n d u c t i n g a r b i t r a t i o n s f o r c l i e n t s i s n o t e n o u g h t o g a i n t h i s r e c o g n i t i o n ; y o u n e e d t o b e i n v o l v e d i n a r b i t r a l i n s t i t u t i o n s , t o p u b l i s h w i d e l y a n d t o b e s e e n a t c o n f e r e n c e s ( p r e f e r a b l y i n a s p e a k i n g c a p a c i t y )

A u s t r a l i a n c o u r t s h a v e l i m i t e d p o w e r t o i n t e r v e n e i n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m e r c i a l a r b i t r a t i o n T h e i r m a i n r o l e i s i n t h e e n f o r c e m e n t o f f o r e i g n a r b i t r a l a w a r d s . T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t s a n d F e d e r a l

C o u r t h a v e c o n c u r r e n t j u r i s d i c t i o n u n d e r t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A r b i t r a t i o n A c t 1 9 7 4 ( C t h )

T h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f l i t i g a t i o n , w h e r e I a s s i s t c l i e n t s i n c o m p l e x a n d h i g h v a l u e d i s p u t e s , a n d

i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m e r c i a l a r b i t r a t i o n , w h e r e I a m c o n s t a n t l y e x p o s e d t o f o r e i g n l a w s a n d p r a c t i c e s , i s a p e r f e c t b a l a n c e f o r m e .

Julian Grimm

2024 Graduate

I a m a M e l b o u r n e g r a d u a t e i n m y s e c o n d r o t a t i o n a t W h i t e & C a s e. I a m c u r r e n t l y b a s e d i n o u r

A b u D h a b i o f f i c e w i t h t h e P r o j e c t D e v e l o p m e n t t e a m M y f i r s t s i x - m o n t h r o t a t i o n w a s w i t h t h e

M e l b o u r n e D i s p u t e s t e a m , a n d m y f i n a l r o t a t i o n w i l l b e w i t h t h e M e l b o u r n e E n v i r o n m e n t &

P l a n n i n g t e a m I a i m e d f o r a v a r i e t y o f l i t i g i o u s a n d t r a n s a c t i o n a l w o r k t o r o u n d o u t m y s k i l l s a s

a j u n i o r. I n t h e D i s p u t e s t e a m , m y d a y - t o - d a y t a s ks i n v o l v e d l e g a l r e s e a r c h , d r a f t i n g c l i e n t

a d v i c e, c o n t r a c t u a l i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a n d a p p l y i n g l e g a l a n a l y s i s s k i l l s t o t a s ks l i ke w i t n e s s c r o s s -

ex a m i n a t i o n s t r a t e g i e s T h e c r i t i c a l t h i n k i n g a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l c h a l l e n g e o f t h i s w o r k w a s t h e

h i g h l i g h t M y w o r k i n t h e A b u D h a b i P r o j e c t D e v e l o p m e n t t e a m h a s r e v o l v e d a r o u n d d r a f t i n g ,

a m e n d i n g a n d p r o o f i n g d o c u m e n t s f o r m a j o r p r o j e c t s , a t t e n d i n g c o n t r a c t u a l n e g o t i a t i o n s a n d

c o m m u n i c a t i n g w i t h c l i e n t s .

W h i t e & C a s e g u a r a n t e e s g r a d u a t e s t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o d o a n o v e r s e a s r o t a t i o n a n d t h e

ex p e r i e n c e h a s b e e n i n c r e d i b l e I ’ v e b e e n a t t h e F i r m f o r o n e y e a r, a n d s o f a r, I h a v e w o r ke d

f r o m o u r M e l b o u r n e, Sy d n e y a n d A b u D h a b i o f f i c e s , a s w e l l a s d o i n g a p r o b o n o s e c o n d m e n t i n

G r e e c e. I ’ v e b e e n i n v o l v e d i n h i g h - s t a ke s n e g o t i a t i o n s , h a d f a c e - t o - f a c e c o n t a c t w i t h c l i e n t s

a n d w o r ke d o n m a j o r p r o j e c t s a c r o s s Af r i c a , A s i a - Pa c i f i c , E u r o p e a n d t h e M i d d l e E a s t .

Emily Theseira

2024 Graduate

I h a v e b e e n a g r a d u a t e a t W h i t e & C a s e f o r n e a r l y o n e y e a r I h a v e r o t a t e d t h r o u g h t h e

F i n a n c i a l Re s t r u c t u r i n g & I n s o l v e n c y p r a c t i c e i n Sy d n e y a n d t h e Ta x p r a c t i c e i n M e l b o u r n e, a n d

I w i l l s o o n b e h e a d i n g t o H o n g Ko n g ’s D e b t F i n a n c e p r a c t i c e f o r m y t h i r d a n d f i n a l s e a t

A s a g r a d u a t e, m y r o l e i s t o d e v e l o p m y o w n t e c h n i c a l a n d p r o f e s s i o n a l l e g a l s k i l l s a n d s u p p o r t

t h e o t h e r m e m b e r s o f t h e t e a m w i t h t h e i r m a t t e r s T h e w o r k I t y p i c a l l y d o i n c l u d e s d r a f t i n g ( e g

f i r s t d r a f t s o f t r a n s a c t i o n a l d o c u m e n t s , a d v i c e m e m o r a n d u m s a n d b r i e f s t o c o u n s e l ) , r e v i e w i n g

d o c u m e n t s ( e g c o m p a n y c o n s t i t u t i o n s a n d s e c u r i t y d o c u m e n t s ) , r e s e a r c h o n l e g i s l a t i o n o r

c a s e l a w a n d g e n e r a l m a t t e r m a n a g e m e n t ( e.g . p r e p a r i n g exe c u t i o n p a c ks , r u n n i n g c o m p a n y

s e a r c h e s a n d m a n a g i n g c o n d i t i o n s p r e c e d e n t c h e c k l i s t s ) . T h e r e a r e m a n y s k i l l s r e q u i r e d t o e f f e c t i v e l y m a n a g e a g r a d ’s d a i l y w o r k l o a d , t h e ke y o n e s b e i n g p r i o r i t i s a t i o n , t i m e m a n a g e m e n t a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n

T h e c o o l e s t t h i n g a b o u t m y j o b i s t h a t e v e r y d a y I c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f a d e s i r e d o u t c o m e. C l i e n t s c o m e t o l a w f i r m s t o a c h i e v e a l l s o r t s o f t h i n g s a n d w e a r e h e r e t o m a ke t h o s e d e s i r e d o u t c o m e s h a p p e n T h e s a t i s f a c t i o n y o u f e e l w h e n y o u c o n t r i b u t e t o s u c h a t h i n g i s t r u l y r e w a r d i n g

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Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Allens offer clerkship programs in each of our Australian offices In Melbourne, we offer two summer and one winter clerkship program each year, coinciding with university holidays

As a clerk at Allens, you will: work with some of the most experienced and highly regarded lawyers in Australia; gain first hand experience in the type of work you could do as a lawyer at Allens; work as part of a team on real matters for real clients; and be allocated a dedicated performance coach and buddy, who will be there every step of the way

Our clerkship program is a stepping stone to bigger things, and many clerks go on to become graduates with us.

Allens are proud that there isn't an 'Allens' type We know that diverse perspectives help solve complex problems, strengthen teams and enrich client relationships

Ultimately, we are looking for students who are driven and ambitious, not only about the law, but have interests outside their university life and career. Our people are our greatest asset, and it's having diversity and different personalities that we believe sets us apart If you can demonstrate your ability to balance priorities, and exhibit that you're a dedicated budding commercial lawyer, we would love to hear from you.

And finally, as clichéd as it sounds, be yourself. Don't try to be who you think we want you to be! Allens value authenticity and want to work with clerks and graduates who value this too We believe that you'll be able to build better relationships if you are true to yourself

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

30-35 (approximately)

2 x 12-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

As a Graduate at Allens, you’ll complete two 12 month rotations in different practice areas. We don’t work in silos, so you won’t be limited to working with only one partner or by your practice areas. There’s no substitute for the depth of insight that comes from working with different teams.

You’ll work on complex transactions with leading organisations And, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for a client secondment, or international secondment to London or Asia via our Linklaters alliance.

During our graduate program, you’ll learn from some of the sharpest legal minds in Australia We’ll work with you to build a strong foundation of skills and develop the agility needed to become an excellent lawyer and thrive in our ever changing world.

You'll benefit from a range of personalised tools and training to unlock your potential, including:

The Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice program.

Practical legal seminars during our Cornerstone program

Online learning portal.

Personalised one week induction program.

On the job training.

Ongoing supervision, coaching and mentoring.

You’ll have the flexibility to drive your career with support from your performance coach We encourage our graduates to pursue their interests so they can succeed with us and in their future endeavours.

If you have completed a clerkship with Allens, you will be required to submit an expression of interest to be considered for a priority offer and provide an updated CV. Previous clerks are not required to interview for a graduate position

ndhariwal@abl.com.au

https://www abl com au

Level 21, 333 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Monica Barrett

H u m a n R e s o u r c e s M a n a g e r

mbarrett@abl com au 03 9229 9616

Arnold Bloch Leibler (ABL) is a premium Australian commercial law firm renowned for advising clients on their most significant legal matters: high-stakes transactions, litigation and commercial issues. Our standing within the legal profession has been built over more than 60 years. Many of the values, characteristics and defining qualities from the firm’s beginnings continue to shape the firm as it stands today While our storied history is long, we are a modern firm We see the law as an instrument of change, as a way forward Our partners and lawyers are often at the centre of law reform and regularly advise on landmark matters. We offer legal advice and support to a diverse range of clients, however, we are best known for advising entrepreneurial businesses (ASX-listed, family-owned and international) and for our work with private clients. We also work with international corporations with interests in Australia and enjoy long-standing relationships with a select group of other professional advisors: including accountants, private equity firms, insolvency practitioners, private bankers and overseas-based specialist law firms.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods: 40-45 12-15

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

September 2025 No rotations Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer: 15-20 15-20

Single practice group

Priority and market offers Yes

www.ashurst.com

Level 16, 80 Collins Street, South Tower,

Melbourne VIC 3000

katelyn.linton@ashurst.com 03 9679 3804

As a leading global law firm, we have a lot to offer you. We strive for the highest standards of client service and performance. We value diversity and inclusion. We are respectful and supportive. We encourage innovation and embrace change, and welcome new ideas Join Ashurst and make a difference to your career, your clients and your community

Competition

Corporate Transactions

Digital Economy

Dispute Resolution

Employment

Global Loans and Restructuring and Special Situations

Finance

Intellectual property

Planning Access and Environment

Projects, Energy and Transition

Real Estate

Tax

Our vision is to be the most progressive law firm. Our values are that we are passionate about quality, we deliver through collaboration and we think differently

Our passion is to be the most progressive law firm and to achieve this we offer our clients legal-led consulting. Not only do we offer the best legal advice but our Risk Consulting team is able to operationalise that advice We then use Ashurst Advance (new law) to deliver efficient, cost-effective and technologically savvy solutions We have a unique, diverse culture that shapes the way we work with one another: we think differently, we are supportive and inclusive, and we are passionate about quality.

Melbourne Partner Kylie Lane: "We are delighted to have acted for the State of Tasmania on this significant and complicated transaction We have supported the State over a number of years and are thrilled to have secured a successful outcome with the sale of BPL and APA and in the realisation of the State's objectives for Basslink".

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

23 (approximately)

30 June 2025 - 10 August 2025

September

No rotations

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Our Melbourne clerkship is a great opportunity to work with a supervising partner, a lawyer and a buddy who'll get you involved in real work. You'll also attend team insights and workshops, as well as get a chance to take part in team social events The work undertaken by clerks is varied and depends on the team you are in. Tasks include case law research, drafting legal expertise updates, note-taking during meetings and contract review.

Our clerkship is a great opportunity to work with a supervising partner, a lawyer and a buddy who’ll get you involved in real work You will have the opportunity to rotate through two different teams and we will take into consideration your preferences

You’ll also attend team insights and workshops, as well as get a chance to take part in team social events. The work undertaken by clerks is varied and depends on the team you are in. Tasks include case law research, drafting legal expertise updates, note-taking during meetings and contract review There will also be opportunities to be involved in attending court, getting involved in pro bono work and participating in interform clerk sport.

You will have the opportunity to get involved with Pro bono work, networks and committees, social events and coffee catch ups with lawyers from different teams At the end of your clerkship, you will be considered for a place on our graduate program

We are looking for diverse candidates with a broad range of backgrounds, all united by a common set of strengths: a passion to develop a career in a leading global commercial law firm, outstanding communication skills, analytical ability, a willingness to learn quickly, determination and resilience, and a collaborative mindset with the ability to adapt to change.

Penultimate and final year students with full working rights can apply.

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

The 12-month program starts with a National induction.

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers Yes

This is followed by an introduction to the office where you're based and an in-house Practical Legal Training (PLT) course, customised with modules specifically chosen for you We cover the course fees and offer paid study leave days.

Together, we plan three rotations and review them regularly throughout your program. This gives you a solid foundation in legal expertise and problem-solving techniques. There will be opportunities for client secondments and an overseas secondment in your last rotation

Once you've completed your PLT, you're admitted as a lawyer. As the end of your program approaches, we work with you to decide which practice you join. The choice depends on our business needs, your preferences and your job performance.

As part of your graduate year, you will participate in the Activate Program The program is specifically designed for graduates and incorporates technical legal and business skills training. It provides the platform for you to create the extraordinary and build capacity across the key areas in which the firm practices, to ensure you have a holistic view of the legal markets in which we operate. Sessions are conducted by subject matter experts, including Partners

Natalie Mascarenhas@bakermckenzie com australiacareers.bakermckenzie.com/en/

Level 19, CBW, 181 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Think Global, Think Baker McKenzie!

Natalie Mascarenhas

Natalie.Mascarenhas@bakermckenzie.com (03) 9617 4349

Baker McKenzie invented the global law firm – so we're different in the way we think, work and behave Our story is one of imagination, determination and hard work We've followed clients into new markets, establishing offices driven by local lawyers and talent And our growth has been organic, giving us a strong, common culture throughout our network of 74 offices in 45 countries. Our unique culture, developed over 75 years, enables our 13,000+ people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions, working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instil confidence in our clients We also understand the challenges of the global economy because we've been a global law firm from the start

Our People Experience, a key component of our strategy, is about delivering the best employee experience to enable one high-performing, global team to serve our clients. We offer our people access to market-leading, cross-border, local and industry-focused matters for leading multinational/domestic clients We understand our clients' businesses, industries and strategic objectives and work with them to overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy We have an unrivalled ability to provide training and secondment opportunities across our global network, and are committed to engaging with our communities too. Inclusion, diversity and equity are foundational to our culture and strategic vision – and we have an inclusive culture of learning, coaching and opportunity, where you undertake work in small teams across multiple geographies with clients and colleagues

We are a place where everybody can succeed – whatever your background and wherever you are located.

g and collaboration

We are commercial pragmatists who make complex issues simple for our clients and are passionately committed to service excellence

We encourage and support engaging with our community, through our pro bono and community service programs

We want everyone to reach their potential so invest in global, regional and local world-class development and mobility programs for our people

Think Inclusive, Think Baker McKenzie! Our award winning diversity strategy/initiatives stem from our values and focus on five areas, in which all employees can participate:

BakerWomen – gender diversity, including the implementation of our gender diversity strategy to support the progression of women as a strategic priority for the Firm

BakerDNA – ethnic, indigenous and cultural diversity

BakerBalance&Wellbeing – mental health and wellbeing, workplace flexibility and supporting parents/carers

BakerPride & Allies – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer diversity

FirstNationsCircle – commitment to First Nations engagement and aligned with our broader commitment to reconciliation as outlined in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The FNC aims to increase understanding of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures, and to leverage opportunities for them in the legal profession.

Many of our seasonal clerks, graduates and lawyers say one of the reasons they join us is because of our people and culture. In Melbourne, the size of our office enables everyone to get to know each other – plus we have the benefit of a strong global connection to our other offices, offering something unique and special to our people. Our people are genuinely friendly and diverse, and enjoy coming to work every day Our social and sports committee contributes to the Firm's social glue – offering regular Firm drinks, events and sporting activities. We also offer a range of social, financial and wellbeing benefits (including travel insurance for you/your immediate family, massages, flu vaccinations, an Employee Assistance Program, discounted movie tickets, study assistance, corporate discounts, etc )

Seasonal clerkship periods:

Think Opportunity, Think Baker McKenzie!

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

At Baker McKenzie, our seasonal clerks experience life as a junior lawyer at our Firm

Right from the start, you are given the opportunity to undertake real work and have real responsibility – just like our graduates. You will be exposed to our Australian and international clients through client meetings, phone calls and events, and will have opportunities to deal with clients directly

Working with lawyers of all levels, you will be guided by a supervising partner and associate 'buddy'. With the Firm's strong focus on supporting its people to learn, grow and achieve better results, you can expect to be well-led, well-coached and well-mentored.

You are supported at every stage of the clerkship by Talent Management who facilitates a comprehensive program, starting with induction and skills development – including practical sessions on legal research, technology training, drafting, business communication, personal brand, client service, teamwork and other skills crucial to ensuring you impress and succeed during your clerkship You’ll also develop legal skills through our Cornerstone Legal Learning Program for graduates and Firm-wide PD sessions

There are many opportunities to network with colleagues around the Firm, through our 'speed networking' program, practice group briefings and social events – with your buddy, our graduates and our partners and lawyers

Post-clerkship, there are opportunities to undertake paralegal roles and attend various social events to stay connected with our Firm.

We generally accept students in their penultimate or final year Being a global law firm, we also accept (and welcome!) applications from international students provided they have the right to work in Australia during the relevant clerkship periods.

Think Excellence, Think Baker McKenzie!

We know our graduates want to work with clients on meaningful work from the start, so we support you to hone your skills and develop your experience as quickly as possible We pair each graduate with a supervising partner and associate "buddy" in each rotation to maximise on-the-job and formal learning, and provide support at all levels.

To foster our graduates' development, our Leadership & Learning team focuses on five areas – legal learning, managing your career, the business of law, business development & client service, and people & self-leadership. These feed into our comprehensive induction program, designed to support our graduates’ transition from university to work. The program includes practical development sessions such as drafting, legal research, commerciality, business development, personal branding, communicating effectively, building resilience, and further development sessions and panels to set our graduates up for success We offer targeted learning opportunities throughout the year too – seminars on core legal topics (through our Cornerstone Legal Learning Program), Firm-wide PD sessions, and a two-day Transactional and Litigation Intensive which brings our graduates together nationally in Sydney to learn and foster networks. Our graduates across APAC congregate for our ‘Asia Pacific Junior Associate Course’, which offers advanced skill development in drafting and commerciality, and opportunities to learn about Firm strategy, business development and clients We also cover the costs of your PLT In addition, we conduct regular roundtables and mid and end of rotation meetings to ensure you receive mentoring/coaching and feedback to develop as a lawyer.

Collectively, these ensure you receive the best foundation for your career

Lulu Schneiders

P e o p l e & C u l t u r e A d v i s e r

https://bnlaw com au/

Level 11, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne

VIC 3000

Lulu schneiders@bnlaw com au (03) 9910 3035

Our vacation clerkship program, held over the university break, provides you with a unique opportunity to experience our firm, our two practice areas Insurance & Heath and Family Law, Wills & Estates and, most importantly, our culture. Our clerkship program is also a great stepping stone to ongoing roles, including law clerk and graduate positions. enquiries.mailbox@bnlaw.com.au

Welcome to Barry Nilsson For 60 years, we’ve been shaping a better experience for our clients and our people At BN, you’re part of a national firm with over 400 professionals that value flexibility, growth and a modern approach to work. You’ll collaborate with a team of specialists in their field, participating in engaging and rewarding work. We’re committed to empowering your career progression through structured mentorship, continuous professional development, and a top-notch work environment, ensuring you thrive and excel in what you do

Insurance

Health Law

Family Law

Wills and Estates

Dedicated Professionalism

Client Focused Outcomes

Enduring Relationships

and Teamwork

underwriters, brokers and customers to achieve transparency, clear communication, efficient claims management and alignment on the claim defence and resolution process

We pride ourselves on our inclusive and down-to-earth culture You will be welcomed into an environment that values and celebrates your unique personality, perspective and experiences We foster a collaborative and supportive environment with an open-door policy where you will be empowered to do your best work, and be your authentic self while you do it. Our dedication to building a diverse and inclusive culture is reinforced through our D&I Network, ‘BN Included’, and our D&I Steering Group comprising senior leaders across the firm, who drive our tailored D&I strategy towards maintaining a diverse, inclusive and flexible workplace

Proudly recognised as an ‘Employer of Choice’ by the Australasian Lawyer from 2019 to 2024, we are committed to fostering an environment where each team member feels not only supported and valued, but also empowered to truly be themselves and excel

We partner with insurers, re-insurers, brokers, and customers, including AAI/Suncorp, AXA XL, QBE/QBE European Operations, IAG, DUAL, and Chubb Highlights include:

Representing a multi-national frozen products importer in a $45 million claim arising from Queensland’s White Spot Syndrome Virus outbreak.

Representing London market underwriters who insure builders of Opal Tower on coverage issues arising from underlying class action proceedings (valued at $80 million)

We also advise on high-profile claims in the health sector. Most recently, we’ve represented a global medical device company in class actions and individual actions regarding pelvic mesh implants –Australia’s largest ever medical product liability action

careers@claytonutz.com

https://www claytonutz com/

Wurundjeri Land, Level 18, 333 Colins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Gemma Feeney

G r a d u a t e C o n s u l t a n t

gfeeney@claytonutz com 03 9286 6681

Proudly Australian. Globally connected. As one of Australia's leading law firms, Clayton Utz gives confident, innovative and incisive legal advice.

If you're considering joining our team, we want to give you a glimpse into who we are The basic facts are simple: we are one of Australia's oldest and largest law firms, operating across six cities, with nearly 200 partners, and offering a comprehensive range of legal services catering to both large private sector companies and government entities.

We deliver advice created by lawyers with different experiences and different views, but united by an entrepreneurial spirit, a can-do attitude, confidence in each other, and pride in helping our clients achieve. Advice that isn't just a one-size-fits-all solution taken off a shelf, but reflects who our clients are and what they need.

Commercial Litigation

Corporate, M&A, Capital Markets

Environment & Sustainable Development

IP & Technology

Major Projects & Construction

Banking and Financial Services

Authenticity

Belonging

Collaboration

Public Sector

Real Estate

Restructuring & Insolvency

Tax

Workplace Relations

Employment & Safety

Diversity of thought

Entrepreneurial spirit

culture reflects the type of people we attract - smart, commercially savvy, authentic, and with a strong social conscience

We're proud to have recently worked on one of the biggest developments in regional Victoria, advising Development Victoria and the broader Victorian Government team on the successful financial close of the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre project

We advised Singapore-incorporated gas and exploration company Conrad Asia Energy Ltd (ASX: CRD) on its placement and security purchase plan to raise approximately $16 million, as well as PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE: PAR) (PAR) on its acquisition of TASK Group Holdings Limited (ASX:TSK) (TASK) by way of a scheme of arrangement - a transaction valued at approximately AUD $330 million.

Flexibility is a priority for us at Clayton Utz. It's important to us to have a work environment in which our people can balance their unique and changing needs during their different life and career stages. We have a market-leading principles -based Flexibility Polic y and we adopt a team-based approach to flexibility based on making flexibility work for the individual, the team and the firm. Since Covid we have seen a significant rise in people working in hybrid arrangements (working both at home and in the office) and also an increase in the number of people with informal flexible working arrangements

During the program, clerks have the opportunity to rotate through two different practice groups that are aligned with their interests. In addition, our clerks are involved in volunteering at one of our Community Connect program partners as well as networking at a range of different firm events

Typical activities that clerks become involved in include research tasks, writing and drafting memos/letters, attending court and client meetings, assisting with preparation of matters for hearings and supporting pro bono matters

Each day is varied and often different from the last! Clerks who are enthusiastic and prepared to give everything a go often stand out. Having a positive attitude and being curious about the work helps showcase your abilities, and ultimately help us (and our clerks!) determine if we are a good fit for each other.

The clerkship program is aimed at students who are in their penultimate year of university If you are in your final year of study, please outline in your application why you couldn't complete a clerkship in your penultimate year by answering the relevant question.

International students may apply if they are able to work full time during the program and if they are able to apply for the correct visa entitlements to work unrestricted in Australia once they have graduated Graduates need to independently attain the correct work visa

Clerks who take the time to be inquisitive by asking questions, explore options both autonomously and with their teams, and present practical solutions tend to perform to a high level Additionally, clerks who take the time to build genuine relationships with their team, clients and other colleagues outside of their immediate teams find they have a better experience and understanding of what a graduate program could look like for them.

Clayton Utz employs people with a wide range of backgrounds, skills, interests and competencies We look for people who can contribute new ideas, who take a creative approach to solving problems, are personable, practical, and commercially-savvy, as well as flexible.

Students are required to apply online via https://www claytonutz com/careers/early-careers

Students are encouraged to upload a resume to transfer general information into the application (meaning they only have to check it has transferred accurately and fill in any blanks), followed by attaching a copy of their academic transcript and answering three questions (in lieu of a cover letter)

Following submission, students will receive a separate email with a link to complete online psychometric as well as an email to participate in a voluntary RARE recruitment survey. Students must complete the psychometric testing in order for their application to be reviewed.

Our national Graduate Program gives you the perfect foundation for your legal career. Our 2.5 week orientation program is designed to ensure that you'll hit the ground running. It consists of PLT+, local training and a national orientation week in Sydney

Our rotation program means you'll discover different areas and find the right fit for you and stay true to your direction. From day one you'll be working on complex and sophisticated legal issues, and with our innovative approach to learning and development, you'll get the support you need to become the best you can be

Apply for a clerkship, as we hire most of our graduates through our clerkship programs Occasionally, additional opportunities may arise and these will be listed on our website.

The program goes for two years and consists of three six-month rotations through differing practice groups before settling in one of the practice groups you have rotated through.

careers@cornwalls com au

https://www.cornwalls.com.au/

Level 4, 380 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000

Sophie Filippone

Chief Operating Officer - Talent and Culture team

tc@cornwalls com au (03) 9608 2000

Cornwalls is one of Australia’s oldest and most respected independent law firms. We are multidisciplinar y, dynamic and innovative Clients have entrusted us with their business since 1891 We are commercially astute, innovative and trusted advisors We represent a broad array of corporations, family offices and ultra and high net worth individuals Our lawyers are thought leaders in legal issues critical to their areas of expertise Our firm believes that legal ser vices are much more than just the law –they are about great people, sustained excellence and exceptional client ser vice In ever y sense, we are defined by our people and practices Our commitment to innovation and digital transformation is the cornerstone of our success. At Cornwalls, we celebrate diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing a supportive environment where the unique backgrounds of our people are recognised and celebrated. We take our environmental responsibilities seriously, and are acting to preser ve our environment for the benefit of future generations by investing in sustainable business practices that reduce our environmental footprint . We have a reputation in the legal market as providers of premium legal ser vices. Our multidisciplinar y approach sets us apart from our competitors and makes us a firm of choice.

Banking & Finance

Building & Construction

Capital Markets

Corporate

Employment, Workplace Relations & Safety

Entertainment, Media, Sports & Technolog y Fintech, Privacy & Emerging Technologies

Intellectual Property

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Mergers & Acquisitions

Property & Real Estate

Restructuring, Turnaround & Insolvency

Tax

Technolog y Telecommunications

Wills & Estates

At Cornwalls, we celebrate the characteristics that make each person different and create a workplace environment where individuals and groups feel welcome, respected and valued.

Talent, culture and innovation are critical pillars of our business strateg y. Cornwalls was the first law firm in Australia to partner with Sonder, an online safety and wellbeing support program. We led the way for ward to highlight the value that we place on our people’s safety and wellbeing. Sonder ’s technolog y driven platform delivers a careful mix of human and tech support, for all Cornwalls staff, 24/7.

Yes, we offer flexible working arrangements, with all staff equipped to work both in-office and remotely. However, some roles require on-site presence ever y day, including trainee roles. We believe in providing our trainees with the best learning experience and being in the office allows for greater mentorship, hands -on training and collaboration.

A s a seasonal clerk , you will gain hands -on experience across various practice areas, working closely with lawyers on real matters Your tasks may include legal research, drafting documents, attending client meetings, and obser ving court proceedings You’ll also participate in training sessions and networking events to develop your skills and build connections

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

The typical process for our Graduate Program includes:

4 rotations with each placement lasting 3 months

Seasonal clerkships

Seasonal Clerkship – Gaining hands-on experience, networking with professionals, and showcasing your capabilities Performance Review – Clerks who excel in their work , show initiative, and fit well within the firm culture may be considered for a graduate offer.

Graduate Offer – Successful clerks are invited to join the firm as graduate lawyers, where they receive structured training and mentoring to kickstart their legal careers.

While the clerkship is the most direct route, we also consider outstanding candidates through direct applications based on merit, relevant experience, and a demonstrated interest in our firm. We look for graduates with: varied life experiences, including previous work experience (legal and/or non-legal) as well as outside interests a personable, engaging and driven approach a strong and consistent academics record, and an involvement in extra-curricular activities excellent communications skills, including language and interpersonal skills a creative mind and a passion for technolog y and innovative an understanding of the changing legal landscape

melbourne.clerkship@corrs.com.au

https://www.corrs.com.au

Level 25, 567 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

https://www linkedin com/company/4422 /admin/feed/posts/

Thea Allen

thea.allen@corrs.com.au 03 9672 3442

Sammy Haberfield

sammy.haberfield@corrs.com.au 03 9672 3760

Your journey from outstanding graduate to exceptional lawyer begins at Corrs. A s Australia’s leading independent law firm, we’re known for delivering legal excellence, exceptional client ser vice and outstanding results We advise on the most significant global matters and connect with the best lawyers internationally to provide our clients with the right team for ever y engagement . We are also at the forefront of some of the most high-profile and complex matters in our region. At Corrs, you’ll enjoy the benefits of working alongside a high performing team in a culture defined by excellence, collaboration, commitment and respect . Our lawyers work together across practice groups to deliver exceptional results and support you in building your future, wherever you want to take it Our success is based on the success of our people. We encourage individuals to play to their strengths and we bring our diverse and talented lawyers together to create top-performing teams. The combination of these factors creates a firm that celebrates its independence, is open to new ideas, has the courage to think and act differently from the rest of the market , and thrives on new challenges and opportunities.

Arbitration

Banking and Finance

Class Actions

Commercial Litigation

Competition

Corporate

Employment, Labour and Safety

Energy and Natural Resources

Environment and Planning

Intellectual Property

Investigations and Inquiries

Projects

Real Estate

Responsible Business and ESG

Restructuring, Insolvency and Special Situations (RISS)

Tax

Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT)

Rotations: Seasonal clerkship periods:

No rotations - one practice group Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Our clerkships give you the opportunity to connect with partners and lawyers across the firm, learn what a ‘day-in-the-life’ at Corrs is like, and experience the type of work we do and the clients we partner with. The Corrs seasonal clerkship program gives you the opportunity to work alongside some of Australia’s leading lawyers on high-profile work for major Australian and international clients

We look for people who can make a positive contribution to the firm and help us in delivering legal excellence and outstanding client ser vice In exchange for your energ y and commitment we’ll provide extraordinar y learning and work opportunities.

Our success is based on the success of our people We encourage individuals to play to their strengths and we bring our diverse and talented lawyers together to create top-performing teams.

You’ll be exposed to a broad range of interesting matters and have the chance to complete tasks such as conducting research, reviewing and presenting documents, attending court hearings, mediations and settlements, as well as shadowing partners and lawyers in client meetings and business development activities

We provide opportunities for professional and personal growth. We encourage clerks to be socially active and participate in social and sporting events, as well as learning and development activities Some of our activities include social team building activities with our graduates, practice group insight sessions, partner connection sessions, pro bono work , sport activities, Friday night drinks, trivia nights, End of Financial Year and Christmas parties

We want people who bring out the best in those around them, work well in a team and take pride in their work and achievements We assess against a broad criteria which considers business and commercial acumen, initiative, ethical behaviour, previous employment , legal excellence, a commitment to commercial law, energ y and drive, involvement in community life and strong interpersonal skills

Deferring a graduate offer:

The Lawyer Development Program:

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Our Lawyer Development Program is designed to support you in the formative stage of your career. It aims to build the capabilities and relationships that will drive career progression and underpin future successes, as rapidly as possible.

Unique features of the program include:

Mentor partner

You will be allocated a mentor partner (in most cases your super vising partner in your first rotation) who remains in this role throughout the program and potentially beyond This will build a personal and enduring relationship that transcends ever yday transactional work . You will also be supported in each rotation by a super vising partner and SA/SC who will source meaningful and challenging work .

12 x 6 x 6 rotation structure

The first practice group rotation is 12 months to ensure you have time to learn on the job and build strong capabilities and relationships in your first year. In the second year, when you have an increased level of experience and confidence, you will complete two six-month rotations in order to gain exposure and build relationships across different groups.

Formal learning

The program incorporates comprehensive formal learning opportunities including our national Graduate Academy, local Graduate Orientation, practical legal training with the College of Law, practice group induction sessions and the national Legal Excellence program

Legal Excellence Program

This three -year national training program begins the pathway to excellence for our lawyers by focusing on the core legal knowledge and skills relevant for lawyers in a leading commercial law firm. The partner led program strengthens the development of graduates and lawyers during their early years by providing regular high quality training across core areas.

graduaterecruitmentAUS@dlapiper com

https://www dlapiper com/en-au

80 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

https://www linkedin com/company/4422/admin/fe ed/posts/

Jenny Dawkins

Jenny Dawkins@dlapiper com

graduaterecruitmentAUS@dlapiper com

DLA Piper is a global business law firm based in the Americas, EMEA and the Asia Pacific We help clients succeed through innovative and pragmatic legal solutions Leading businesses across the world trust us with their most complex matters and rely on our seamless cross-border prowess and sector knowledge Wherever you are, and whatever your challenge, we speak your language Life moves fast at DLA Piper, and with good reason We help the world's top companies with their business-critical issues Many of the deals we work on are complex and challenging – transcending not just practice areas, but borders, languages and legal systems As a firm, we never stand still We think nimbly and seize opportunities We're ambitious and are never afraid to innovate. So, if you possess these qualities too, there could be a bright future for you at DLA Piper.

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by four values: Be Supportive, Be Bold, Be Collaborative and Be Exceptional Firm Culture and Key Values

We’re a global business that’s redefining the expectations of a law firm. We operate across more than 40 countries, but we’re still locally connected. That’s because trusting, collaborative relationships with our clients and each other are at the heart of our success. We’re creating exceptional experiences, outcomes and growth for our clients and people We make this happen with a culture where you bring your passion and individuality to work every day No two careers – or two people – are the same at DLA Piper We want you to reach your full potential as part of a diverse, global team that thrives on collaboration, seizing opportunities and commercial edge Here, personal growth goes hand in hand with professional development to shape your individual career journey Corporate Intellectual Property and Technology Litigation and Regulatory Finance, Projects, and Restructuring

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake: Application period: Interview period: Rotations:

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025 September 1 x 4-week rotation Summer and Winter

Pro Bono

Our clerkship programme starts with a 2-day induction This induction provides an in-depth introduction to the legal sector and the firms practice groups. It also builds your professional skills and workplace capability. Throughout the induction there will be opportunities to hear from and network with senior members of the firm. Once you are inducted, you’ll have the opportunity to complete work placements in our different practice groups There will be plenty of social activities and networking opportunities to get involved in throughout the 4 weeks You will have a large support network during your clerkship programme, including but not limited to, a supervising partner, development coach and buddy.

Graduate positions available in Melbourne:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Method of Application:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

7-10

25-30 nationally

3 x 6-month rotations

Hire from clerkship programme

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

earlycareers@gadens.com

https://www gadens com/

Level 13, Collins Arch, 447 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Amelia Lippiatt

amelia lippiatt@gadens com 03 9612 8381

Gadens is a leading Australian law firm with more than 100 partners and 880 staff across offices located in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. We regularly undertake highly complex transactional legal work for a wide range of clients across multiple industry sectors

Our clients include major Australian and multinational organisations – we are advisors to a significant number of the Top-200 companies listed on the ASX – as well as many small to mediumsized businesses, and high-net-worth families and individuals. Our aim is to help our clients achieve their objectives – providing an outstanding client experience for every client, every time. This is underpinned by our intense focus on understanding our clients, their needs and expectations and building meaningful, long-term relationships – a number of which span decades

Our mission is to help people achieve their purpose in a complex world. To do so, we aim to lead by example, inspire others, innovate, and build something we are all proud of.

Real Estate and Construction

Disputes and Investigations

Corporate (including Tax Advisory)

Workplace Advisory and Disputes

Intellectual Property and Technology

Banking and Finance

At Gadens, our values are the cornerstone of our culture and guide our actions every day. We believe in Collaboration, working together and leveraging diverse perspectives to achieve the best outcomes for our clients and the firm Authenticity is key, as we encourage everyone to bring their true selves to work, fostering an environment of honesty and openness. We uphold Responsibility by doing the right thing, holding ourselves accountable, and maintaining integrity in all our dealings. Lastly, we strive for Excellence, consistently aiming for the highest standards in everything we do.

Gadens' culture is defined by our core values:

Collaboration

Authenticity Responsibility (Integrity) Excellence.

We believe in teamwork, sharing knowledge, and leveraging different perspectives to achieve better outcomes The firm values honesty and integrity, encouraging everyone to be themselves and value individual and cultural differences Responsibility and integrity are central, with everyone accountable for their actions and outcomes, keeping commitments, and sharing collective responsibility.

Our people strive for excellence daily, aiming high, exceeding expectations, and continuously innovating These values create an environment where everyone is valued and empowered to achieve their best, ensuring high-quality services and a supportive work environment. At Gadens we are committed to creating a work environment that encourages diversity and equality, fostering a sense of pride and belonging among our people.

We are committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people. When you join Gadens, you will be working in a firm where success is determined by the character and spirit of our people

We are looking for talented people who approach their work with passion and who excel at establishing quality relationships with clients and colleagues. Your work will be interesting and challenging, and from day one, you will have plenty of responsibility.

We foster a culture that is inclusive, diverse and flexible so our people can bring their true selves to work.

We are proud of our progressive and market-leading parental leave support which includes 30 weeks’ Paid Parental Leave, Superannuation contributions while on Parental Leave for up to 52 weeks (based on 5 days/week, regardless of your working days), paid leave for Surrogacy and IVF treatment, and much more. We are actively reducing our environmental footprint and are proud that 100% of our energy consumption is generated from renewable sources. Gadens is carbon neutral certified with Climate Active.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods: 35-40 12-14

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

August - September 1 x 4-week rotation

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

A Clerkship with Gadens provides the opportunity to get to know our people, our clients, and our practice groups whilst participating in a range of work and activities designed to give you insights into commercial law.

A dedicated Mentor and Buddy will guide and support you during your Clerkship, whilst gaining practical experience by working directly with Partners and experienced Lawyers, who are leaders in their field. You will also learn more about our firm, culture and how we support the wider community.

Seasonal clerks will spend their four weeks in one practice team, providing them with an opportunity to participate in meaningful client work, alongside our people You will be supported by a dedicated Mentor and receive valuable feedback both during and at the conclusion of your Clerkship. We will recruit Graduates for 2027 from Clerks who have participated in our clerkship programs in 2025/2026.

Throughout the Clerks@Gadens program, we will help you grow your skills and provide comprehensive support to ensure your Clerkship is a success. Your dedicated Mentor will work with you to develop your technical skills, allocate work, and provide ongoing feedback. You will also be supported by a Buddy who will share tips and friendly advice. Some of the work you may be involved in includes:

Legal research; Attending client meetings, court or mediations; Drafting correspondence and advice; and Assisting in the preparation of affidavits or court documents.

At Gadens, we value different voices, fresh ideas, and independent thinkers We are looking for wellrounded students who have diversity in thought and experience, understand and support our values and are genuinely interested in working with our people, clients, and community. You can stand out by being engaged, enthusiastic and curious.

We welcome applications from students in their penultimate or final year of the LLB or JD. You can apply for Clerkships directly through the Gadens website and will be required to upload your CV, cover letter, academic transcript and provide responses to short answer questions You will not be required to complete any psychometric testing We do not accept applications from international students.

At Gadens, we provide a collaborative and welcoming team environment where you can achieve the best in your personal and professional development. You will have relaxed interactions with your colleagues and an opportunity to get involved in social activities and other wellbeing initiatives We have firm wide and practice group specific events such as informal drinks, monthly bake-offs and other activities which bring people together.

Pro Bono

We have an extensive Pro Bono program that includes partnerships with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Mental Health Legal Centre, Moonee Valley Legal Service, Arts Law, Youth Law, Fitzroy Legal Service, Immigration Rights and Advice Centre and many others. We encourage every Lawyer in the firm to participate, and our Graduates are no exception. Every year we have specific Pro Bono projects that are available for Graduates to participate in. We are signatories to the Australian Pro Bono Centre’s National Pro Bono Target, which encourages Lawyers to undertake at least 35 hours of Pro Bono work each year

Volunteering

We have regular volunteering opportunities throughout the year. We have a partnership with Ronald McDonald House in both Melbourne and Sydney - our staff love visiting the houses to cook for the families staying there We also volunteer at Oz Harvest and St Kilda Mums

Community Activities

We mark and celebrate days including International Women’s Day, National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. We also have various fun-runs and fundraisers throughout the year.

Sustainability

Gadens is a Climate Active certified Carbon Neutral law firm - we encourage our people to engage in initiatives that reduce our impact on the environment. Gadens is a member of the CitySwitch program and City Smart, highlighting our commitment to environmental, ethical, and socioeconomic sustainability Further, many of our clients comprise of organisations that boast strong environmental, ethical, and socio-economic philosophies

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer: 13 12-16

2 x 6-month rotations

Priority and market offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Grads@Gadens is the program through which we attract and retain talent within the firm. Once in our program, you will immediately receive challenging and varied work with a high level of responsibility The program is based on two, six-month rotations through different practice areas Practice areas in the rotations include:

Real Estate and Construction; Disputes and Investigations; Corporate (including Tax Advisory); Workplace Advisory and Disputes; Intellectual Property and Technology; and Banking and Finance.

Spending time in different practice areas means you have the opportunity to make an informed decision about your chosen specialisation On-the-job training and working directly with partners will ensure you develop a broad set of skills which you can carry with you throughout your career

Throughout the program we will invest in you and provide comprehensive support to ensure each rotation is a success. You will team-up with a dedicated Supervisor who will work closely with you to develop your technical skills, allocate work and provide ongoing feedback You will attend training and seminars each month, led by partners and senior people, to ensure you are continually learning and developing. These sessions focus on business skills and technical development, and ensure that you are given the support you need to excel in a commercially driven environment.

Participants in our Clerks@Gadens program will be required to express written interest and submit an updated academic transcript to be considered for a priority offer in our Grads@Gadens program. Our Early Careers Advisor will reach out to all seasonal clerks involved in the 2025/2026 program prior to offer day to obtain this information.

lchaloner@gtlaw com au

https://www gtlaw com au/

Level 25, 101 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

https://www linkedin com/company/gtlaw/

Lara Chaloner

lchaloner@gtlaw.com.au

+61 488 402 795

Gilbert + Tobin is a leading Australian law firm, advising clients on their most significant corporate transactions, regulatory matters, and disputes. We provide commercial and innovative legal solutions for ASX 100 leading companies, major infrastructure and services providers, as well as government and public authorities across Australia and around the world.

As an international leader in M&A, private equity, capital markets, competition and regulation, and technology and digital, we work on complex issues that define and direct the market. G+T offers a unique opportunity for you to make a name for yourself through the matters and transactions you work on, with personal accountability yet supported by those around you.

As a younger organisation that has built its success on legal excellence and entrepreneurial drive, G+T is energetic and passionate. We are non-bureaucratic and value diversity, individuality, innovation, and fun. We have a long heritage of giving back to the community through our Pro Bono practice and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Joining a firm with an open, entrepreneurial culture makes it easier for you to work closely with the firm’s highly talented partners and senior lawyers. This is reinforced by structured mentoring programs, open-plan workstations, and direct contact with clients. We’re always looking for ambitious individuals who want to help build the future of law with us.

Banking + Projects

Corporate Advisory

Competition, Consumer + Market Regulation

Disputes + Investigations

Technology + Intellectual Property

Gilbert + Tobin is built on enduring values of excellence, trust, respect, integrity, and good corporate citizenship These values have underscored our growth, enabling us to become a leading firm of over 500 lawyers, trusted by our clients to navigate today’s increasingly complex world.

Our vision is to build a truly outstanding law firm, renowned for our commitment to client service and distinctive in our superior team of talented, creative, and enthusiastic lawyers We aim to foster a vibrant and open culture that promotes personal and professional growth for all our people Additionally, we are dedicated to supporting our community and contributing to society.

Our culture is built on autonomy, inclusivity, and innovation. We share common values and celebrate the talents and goodwill of our people. With a challenger mindset, we’ve always been willing to push the status quo, constantly seeking new ideas, fresh energy, and different perspectives

Flat Hierarchy:

As a young and independent firm, we’re not constrained by tradition, so we are always open to change, new ideas and different perspectives. We work within a flat structure, which means our clerks and graduates have direct access to lawyers and partners who are experts in their fields and provide the chance to be deeply involved in interesting, challenging work much earlier in your career, accelerating your experience.

Corporate Social Responsibility:

Social justice and a sustainable future are core to who we are Through our pro bono legal practice we address issues that significantly impact the daily lives of our clients, and limit their full and equal participation in society. We focus on immediate injustices as well as structural change, working to create a fairer society through the law. Our Corporate Social Responsibility Program focuses on community, reconciliation and the environment, and consistently seeks ways to improve our contribution as a responsible corporate citizen We are committed to taking responsibility for the environmental impacts of our business, particularly in relation to climate and biodiversity G+T is a Climate Active certified carbon neutral service and carbon neutral organisation.

Innovation:

We are a recognised leader in legal innovation and technology, and passionate about new ‘ways of working’ in the ever-changing legal world Our multi-disciplinary ‘G+T Innovate’ team is comprised of renowned technologists, lawyers, knowledge and project managers, developers and data scientists who support both the firm’s and our clients’ legal teams.

“G+T is big enough to matter, and small enough that you matter,” says Sam Nickless, CEO and Partner. Our culture and approach are different. We bring energy, agility, and a builder's mindset to outperform and unlock the potential in everything we do. If you have the restless ambition to work at the heart of change and are prepared to take initiative, you’ll feel like you belong here We anticipate, create, and embrace change Our exceptional people and teams are always moving forward, creating competitive advantage for our clients’ most complex and critical work.

At G+T, we empower everyone to perform at their best by fostering a culture of autonomy, inclusivity, and innovation. Our open structures, development opportunities, and commitment to equality, sustainability, and a just society enable you to thrive and make a meaningful impact in your career Our open, merit-based culture attracts and inspires the best legal talent We’ll open the door to opportunities and experiences that will shape your career, wherever you want it to take you.

We have a range of flexible working arrangements and support structures available, including bestpractice leave entitlements policies, part-time and job share opportunities and flexible working hours All employees have access to a ‘work from home IT kit’ to enable greater flexibility in how people manage their personal commitments with the needs of clients. We also provide a range of discounted products and services to help our people balance their out-of-work responsibilities.

Sigma Healthcare Limited has completed its ground-breaking merger with Chemist Warehouse Group, creating a leading ASX-listed wholesaler, distributor and retail pharmacy franchisor with a market cap of more than $30 billion.

Guzman y Gomez, one of Australia's most well-known and fastest growing QSR businesses, on its IPO and ASX listing. The offer of GYG shares will raise $242.5 million and on completion of the IPO, GYG will have a market capitalisation of approximately $2 2 billion, based on the IPO offer price

Cargill in a record judgment against Glencore and Viterra in the longest running non-class action trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria and then successfully defending all appeals including to the High Court of Australia.

Microsoft on the Australian competition aspects, including ACCC approval, of Microsoft’s proposed AUD$96 billion (US$68.7 billion) acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Telstra on the full scope of its joint venture with Quantium (called “Quantium Telstra” or “QT”). The purpose of QT is to unlock the full potential of data and AI for Telstra and its customers

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

30 (approximately)

10 (approximately)

7 July (9 am) to 10 August (11:59 pm)

17 September – 8 October

One rotation

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

During your clerkship, you’ll be provided with a supervising partner, a mentor and a buddy who will help you develop your day to day legal and personal skills You’ll also grow with the help of structured training, covering drafting and technical skills, through to how to create your personal brand. From your first day, you’ll be given the opportunity to test your skills and interest – you can expect to be involved in some challenging matters, and your work will be presented to clients. Often, you’ll work directly with a partner on a matter, or as part of a bigger team on larger transactions. While every experience varies, you might be asked to draft documents and memos, carry out research, attend client meetings and court, and assist with preparing for hearings or negotiations You’ll also have the chance to work on innovation and pro bono matters. This is your opportunity to explore areas you’re interested in, push out of your comfort zone and bring your own ideas and perspective to the team. The leaner size of our cohorts mean you’ll really get to know us (and each other), all whilst building a valuable network that will support you throughout your career –wherever it takes you next If you have the restless ambition to work at the heart of change, and if you are prepared to take the initiative, you’ll feel like you belong here.

1. Apply via our website

2 Submit CV, academic transcript and answer application questions (no cover letter required)

3. Complete a video interview

4. Attend a pre-interview cocktail evening

5 One interview with a Partner and a representative from the People Team

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

10 (approximately)

3 x 6-Month Rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Our 18-month graduate program commences in February of each year and consists of three, 6month rotations across all our practice areas. You’ll engage in real work, build relationships with partners, lawyers, and clients, and become an integral part of each practice group You will also be actively involved in various activities, including business development, knowledge management, training, and pro bono work.

The Graduate Development Program is designed to complement the learning attained through Practical Legal Training (firm-funded PLT) During your rotations, you will undertake practice groupspecific training, providing invaluable practical and commercial skills to help you transition into practice as a junior lawyer.

Each year we also award several scholarships of up to $10,000 to support our people to study at any educational institution in the world in a subject area of their choice, which aligns with the work that they are doing, or a focus area for the firm Past scholarship winners have studied at prestigious institutions in the United Kingdom, United States and Hong Kong, including Oxford, Harvard and LSE, amongst others.

G+T also offers secondment opportunities across our offices, in-house with clients, as well as with leading firms overseas We support our people in seeking opportunities to work abroad, to expand their commercial skills in a global setting

We recognise everyone’s career aspirations are different. Working alongside the brightest legal minds in the country, on ground-breaking projects and matters whilst also having the chance to make a positive impact on the community, you’ll have the opportunity to go as far as you want

Gilda Carter

gilda.carter@hallandwilcox.com.au (02) 8267 3845

Hall & Wilcox is a leading independent Australian law firm We are a firm of more than 1100 people, including over 135 partners, delivering outstanding legal services to corporate, public sector and private clients, both Australian-based and those offshore doing business in Australia. Our purpose is to enable our clients, our people and our communities to thrive.

Banking & Financial Services

Corporate & Commercial

Dispute Resolution

Employment

Insurance (General and Statutory)

Private Clients

Pro Bono & Community

Property & Projects

Public Sector

Tax

We are renowned for our special and unique culture that is underpinned by our Hallmarks. Our leadership is transparent and authentic, and we strike a balance between the demands of a busy legal practice and delivering excellent client service with a focus on development, wellbeing and fun

We are a leading independent Australian law firm We act for large institutional and corporate clients, including financial services institutions, ASX Top 100 corporates, large private companies and multinational conglomerates.

We have a strong learning culture and support our people in their development.

We are a firm of the future. Our Smarter Law mantra means that we challenge the status quo to create real value for our clients, our people and our communities

We offer competitive remuneration based on the markets in which we work and recognise moments that matter in our peoples’ lives.

We offer extensive and generous benefits, policies and programs to support all of our people both in and outside the workplace.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period: Interview

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

September - October 2025 2 rotations

Summer and Winter

Our program includes:

Four-week placement in two of our practice areas, considering your preferences.

An induction program that provides an understanding of the firm’s structure, the work we do, our clients, training in IT systems and office procedures

Exposure to real work on real files – this may include drafting correspondence and documents, attending client meetings, conferences and mediations, and undertaking research tasks.

A support network including a buddy, mentor and supervising partner for guidance and support

Participation in practice group training sessions, workshops and development sessions.

The opportunity to attend informative sessions with Partners and hear more about the work they do and their experiences

The chance to get involved in the firm’s social and sporting activities

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position: Deferring a graduate offer:

During your graduate year you will experience:

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority and market offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

A combination of on-the-job training and support in completing Practical Legal Training.

A comprehensive induction with the national graduate cohort which lays the foundation for the year ahead.

The opportunity to gain experience in several of the firm’s practice areas.

The opportunity to work with great clients and do interesting and complex work

A support network including a buddy, a mentor and supervising partner to provide guidance and support throughout the year.

Regular learning opportunities through our Elevate program, designed to develop our graduates and provide them with the skills and expertise to excel.

Opportunities to participate in Pro Bono, Industry group and Smarter Law initiatives

Ongoing feedback, both formal and informal

The opportunity to immerse yourself in our great culture and have fun!

HFWRecruitmentAus@hfw.com

https://www.hfw.com/

Level 39/600 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC

Australia

Melissa Howard

H R A d v i s o r

Melissa.Howard@hfw.com

+61 03 8601 4549

HFW is an international law firm with a strong global presence and a reputation for providing an excellent ser vice to an impressive list of domestic and international clients With over 600 lawyers working across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East , A sia and Australia, we take a progressive approach to our role in commercial business – thinking creatively and pragmatically to support our clients. With our head office in London, HFW provides a global and seamless ser vice 24 hours a day. We are leaders in our specialist sectors, being Shipping, Construction, Commodities, Corporate & Commercial, Insurance & Reinsurance and Aerospace

Construction

Insurance

Shipping Commodities Corporate & Commercial Class Actions

HFW is defined by its entrepreneurial spirit , creative expertise, and collaborative partnerships, which form the foundation of its global success. The firm's entrepreneurial approach is evident in its ability to adapt to changing markets and seize opportunities for both clients and the business itself HFW is commercially driven, agile, and innovative, consistently seeking practical solutions that deliver results. This mindset enables the firm to navigate complex legal and commercial landscapes with confidence and foresight .

HFW's creative expertise is rooted in its deep industr y knowledge and commitment to pushing boundaries The firm prides itself on solving problems in innovative and effective ways, tailoring its ser vices to meet the unique needs of clients across its core sectors, including shipping, construction, commodities, insurance, and aerospace. By harnessing its expertise, HFW expands what is possible for its clients, offering for ward-thinking strategies that address both immediate challenges and long-term goals.

Collaboration is at the heart of HFW's approach. The firm works closely with clients to understand their strategic objectives, integrating seamlessly with their teams to achieve shared goals This partnershipdriven ethos extends across HFW's global network , ensuring that the firm's collective knowledge and capabilities are leveraged to deliver exceptional ser vice, no matter where clients are located

HFW fosters a collaborative and team-oriented culture that thrives on mutual respect and open communication Inclusivity is a cornerstone of our environment , with a diverse team bringing together varied perspectives, ideas, and approaches. This diversity ensures that innovation and creativity flourish in ever y aspect of our work . Our entrepreneurial spirit empowers team members to propose and implement ideas quickly, enabling us to remain agile and responsive to the evolving needs of our clients and the market At HFW, respect is not just expected it is integral to our daily interactions, making this a supportive and dynamic workplace for all

HFW stands out as a truly global law firm with a collaborative and team-oriented approach that prioritizes achieving the best outcomes for clients With over 600 lawyers across 20 offices worldwide, HFW operates seamlessly across borders, providing clients with access to deep industr y expertise and a global perspective. The firm’s sector-focused model is unique, concentrating on six core industries: Shipping, Construction, Commodities, Insurance & Reinsurance, Aerospace, and Corporate & Commercial. This specialization allows HFW to deliver tailored, pragmatic solutions that address the specific challenges faced by clients in these industries What truly sets HFW apart is its culture The firm fosters an environment free of egos, where collaboration and mutual respect are at the forefront . Lawyers and staff work together as a cohesive team, ensuring that clients benefit from the collective knowledge and experience of the firm. HFW ’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovative mindset further distinguish it , as the firm consistently seeks creative and practical solutions to complex legal and commercial issues.

HFW offers flexible working arrangements, with a policy requiring employees to spend at least 60% of their time in the office. This approach balances the benefits of remote work with the need for collaboration and team engagement in the workplace. For clerks, however, being present in the office daily is particularly advantageous, as it provides invaluable opportunities to learn, develop, and connect with colleagues. Regular in-office attendance allows clerks to build meaningful relationships, receive hands -on mentorship, and immerse themselves in the firm's culture, ensuring they gain the most from their experience at HFW

HFW Australia continues to represent prominent clients across its core sectors. In the construction sector, the firm has advised multinational companies such as AECOM and DRA Global. A noteworthy case involved acting for design consultants in proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW, initiated by construction contractors John Holland and Leighton Contractors. The matter concerned the design of HVAC, plumbing, and lighting ser vices for new stations, showcasing HFW's expertise in handling high-value, complex engineering disputes within the mobility sector These clients and cases highlight HFW's ongoing relevance and leadership in delivering tailored legal solutions across its specialised industries.

Our 2025–26 clerkship program in the Melbourne office provides an immersive introduction to our specialised sector groups, offering clerks valuable insights into diverse practice areas while connecting them with professionals across the firm Clerks will be assigned to one of the following practice groups Insurance/Reinsurance, Construction, Commodities, Energ y, Shipping, or Aerospace where they will engage in meaningful work , such as handling real matters and contributing to domestic and international class actions.

To ensure comprehensive support , each clerk is paired with a dedicated buddy, an A ssociate, and a Partner, who will guide and mentor them throughout the program Additionally, clerks will have key contacts from other practice groups to broaden their exposure and enhance their learning experience.

This well-rounded program offers a unique blend of hands -on work , professional development opportunities through wider firm training sessions, participation in office social events, and a chance to develop practical skills. It provides an authentic insight into life at HFW and prepares clerks for a future in law with confidence and expertise.

HFW attracts individuals with a global perspective and a keen interest in international matters, particularly those drawn to our specialised sectors and disputes -related work . We value candidates who are unafraid of challenges and eager to develop the skills necessar y to excel in their careers

Our ideal applicant embodies authenticity, is well-rounded, self-motivated, and demonstrates strong attention to detail, coupled with a collaborative and team-oriented mindset . We seek those who actively pursue opportunities, embrace learning, and possess the intellectual rigor required to tackle complex legal matters At HFW, we encourage ambitious and driven individuals who aspire to make a meaningful impact in their field

At HFW, seasonal clerks are entrusted with meaningful and challenging tasks that provide a genuine insight into the legal profession. During their time with us, clerks may work on significant and exciting cases, such as litigation matters approaching trial Responsibilities can include preparing memoranda of advice or conducting money provisions in subpoenas, conducting document discover y, reviewing cross -claim pleadings matrices, and preparing chronologies and indexes of meeting minutes.

A typical day as a clerk involves progressing ongoing tasks or liaising with super vising associates to take on new responsibilities Clerks are also encouraged to familiarise themselves with case materials, gaining a deeper understanding of the matters they are working on. Additionally, office events, such as morning teas, offer opportunities for clerks to connect with colleagues and immerse themselves in the firm's culture.

To excel during the program, clerks are encouraged to demonstrate proactivity, attention to detail, and a willingness to learn Building relationships within the team and engaging thoughtfully with the work ensures clerks make a strong and lasting impression.

Students who are in their penultimate year of study, as well as those in their final year, are encouraged to apply for the program. Additionally, applications are welcomed from international students, recognising the diverse perspectives and experiences they bring to the table This inclusivity ensures opportunities for a wide range of candidates aspiring to join the program

At HFW, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and engaging environment for our seasonal clerks. Clerks are invited to join all social activities during their time with us, fostering connections within the firm Those undertaking a Summer Clerkship will enjoy our lively Christmas party, while Winter clerks can look for ward to our Winter event In fact , last year ’s Winter event featured a festive "Christmas in July" celebration, offering a fun and memorable experience. Additionally, clerks are encouraged to participate in networking opportunities and immerse themselves in our vibrant firm culture. These experiences provide a well-rounded perspective of life at HFW, beyond just the legal work

HFW's graduate program is designed to provide a comprehensive and structured pathway for aspiring lawyers to develop their skills and thrive in their careers The program begins with a national induction, which ser ves as an introduction to the firm and its culture. This induction focuses on key legal skills and provides graduates with the opportunity to meet their peers, mentors, and other members of the HFW team, fostering a sense of community and collaboration from the outset . A s graduates progress through their rotations, they benefit from hands -on learning experiences, working on real client matters across HFW's specialised sectors Each rotation is supported by a robust framework of mentorship, clear task assignments, and constructive feedback , ensuring that graduates receive the guidance they need to grow professionally. This practical exposure is complemented by ongoing development opportunities tailored to enhance their expertise. Following the completion of their Practical Legal Training (PLT), graduates participate in focused business skills training This component is designed to equip them with the commercial acumen and professional capabilities required to succeed as lawyers in a competitive and dynamic legal environment . HFW's commitment to mentorship, skill-building, and professional growth ensures that graduates are well-prepared for a successful legal career.

The average day could include a range of tasks from shadowing Associates in Court, to helping to prepare briefs and research memos We greatly value people who can work as part of a team, are proactive, communicate well and ask questions when receiving instructions Approaching every task with enthusiasm and as a learning opportunity will help you stand out from the crowd.

HFW offers two distinct pathways for securing a 2025 graduate position: the Clerkship Program and the Paralegal Pathway Both pathways allow candidates to gain valuable insights into the firm and showcase their skills It is important to note that HFW accepts more clerks into the program than the available graduate roles. However, clerks are not required to submit a separate application for a graduate position. During the review process at the conclusion of the clerkship program, each clerk will have a discussion about their interest in a graduate role with the firm. Those who express interest will be considered alongside applicants from the Paralegal pathway, and graduate offers will ultimately be extended to three candidates Clerks can enhance their chances of securing a graduate position by demonstrating a strong work ethic, maintaining a positive attitude, and consistently delivering high-quality work . These qualities are highly valued by HFW and can set candidates apart during the selection process.

GraduatesMelbourne@hsf.com

https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/

Level 24, 80 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Hong Le

G r a d u a t e R e c r u i t m e n t C

hong.le@hsf.com 03 9288 1937

We're Herbert Smith Freehills, one of the world's leading international law firms. Join us and you'll be at the centre of high-profile cases, high impact deals and you'll grow from new experiences every day

With over 26 offices spanning Asia, Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East, careers at Herbert Smith Freehills offer our graduates the opportunity to experience being part of a truly global law firm Working with some of the most significant organisations in the world, opportunities to have social impact, and learning from our world-class team every day will enable you to create solid foundations on which to build your career in law. We’re proud to say that we put people first. Our firm is built on a diverse culture, reflective of the societies in which we live and work. That’s why inclusivity is key to our success.

At Herbert Smith Freehills, you’ll be valued for what makes you different and accepted for who you are. We recognise the power of diversity and inclusion to drive innovation, collaboration and business outcomes. So, whether it’s working on the latest advancements in digital law, taking part in some of the biggest mergers and acquisitions around, or helping people through our extensive pro bono work – you’ll develop the skills to solve the most complex challenges in thoughtful and innovative ways

Human. We are relationship builders We’re collaborative, generous, kind, respectful of others’ contributions and share credit for work well done. We look after our client’s best interests and the interests of one another.

Bold. We’re ambitious. We’re proud of our past, excited about the future and think tomorrow can be better than today We’re entrepreneurial and not afraid to do things differently to fulfil our goals We believe that anything is possible

Outstanding. We strive to be leaders in all we do. We understand individual and collective growth are a shared responsibility. We’re client-centred and commercial. We’re solutions-focused and known for our insight

In 2024, HSF was ranked as Australia’s Top Law Graduate Employer for the second year running in Prosple’s Top 100 Graduate Employers We offer our graduates the opportunity to apply for an international rotation as part of the graduate program. In 2019 we sent 14 Australian Graduates on international secondments.

With a network around the world, you’ll also have the opportunity to work with international clients, develop a global reputation and establish the career path that suits you You’ll gain experience on high-profile cases and deals involving some of the world’s biggest clients, explore multi-cultural matters and receive first-class training. All the while, you’ll be developing a global view of the law and building a resume with a legal firm that’s widely recognised around the world.

At HSF, you’ll be valued for what makes you different and accepted for who you are Inclusivity is key to our success and our people help shape our culture to be reflective of the societies in which we live and work through internal diversity networks such as our Ability, Gender Equality and Multiculturalism networks. We recognise the power of diversity and inclusion to drive innovation, collaboration and business outcomes.

So, whether it’s working on the latest advancements in digital law, taking part in some of the biggest mergers and acquisitions around, or helping people through our extensive pro bono work – you’ll develop the skills to solve the most complex challenges in thoughtful and innovative ways. We’re proud to say that we put our people first, supporting teams to do their best work, whether that’s through our agile-working policy or access to first-rate learning and development programmes. Together, our highly skilled, driven colleagues, work as a team to understand our clients’ needs, objectives and the environment they’re operating in

Our client base includes the majority of Australia’s top 100 listed companies along with government organisations, major multinationals and large local corporations, who have trusted us to deliver on some of their most ambitious and complex projects

Some of these clients include: ANZ, NAB, Coles, AGL Energy, Transurban, BAE Systems, Anglo American, BHP, Sanofi, Brookfield, Lendlease, Google, Uber.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

65 - 70

30-35

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

September

No rotations

Summer and Winter

We select many of our graduates through our vacation clerkships. During this immersive experience, you’ll receive hands-on practical experience, actively contributing, as you work on some of the diverse challenges facing the team you’re collaborating with. You will have the opportunity to sit within a specific team, delivering real work for key clients

You will attend our 2 day induction and training program, before you hit the practice group floor. Once you join the teams, you will have the opportunity to attend workshops and presentations covering all our practice areas, contribute to the pro-bono practice, experience our cutting edge technology through our innovation projects You will be allocated a partner, supervisor and a buddy who is junior solicitor in the team, so you will have many points of contact and support within the team.

Great lawyers are both curious and creative. We encourage you to challenge assumptions and open yourself up to new ideas. It’s this growth mindset that creates opportunities for you and your clients. So, what exactly are we looking for?

There’s no single path to becoming a commercial lawyer We look beyond your academic record and your technical aptitude. We’re focused on finding people who have the curiosity to explore all the angles and the empathy to place themselves in their client’s shoes. Building great relationships takes a certain understanding and as our global village gets ever smaller, we look for graduates who think of themselves as citizens of the world.

We recognise and value the differences that make us unique. By embracing diverse views, we can provide our clients with innovative solutions. We are not looking for the finished product and we know that gaining legal work experience is increasingly difficult. What we are looking for is your potential to become a Herbert Smith Freehills lawyer. Demonstrate the transferable skills you have gained through the experience you have, legal or non-legal

Penultimate and Final Year students are eligible to apply for our clerkship program.

You will gain a deeper understanding of life at the firm and what your future could look like if you join us. Some key features of our seasonal clerkship program include the opportunity to: attend client meetings, and be part of delivering real work to our key clients; research tasks, involvement in BD work, attend workshops and presentations with your team, contribute to the pro-bono team, take part in our Innovation team by volunteering to work on various digital law projects, attend networking events with clients and HSF staff

Our seasonal clerkship program offers an immersive 2 day induction where you'll have the opportunity to learn about the firm and be ready to hit the ground running when you join your teams You will have the opportunity to do pro-bono work, join the events held by our various HSF Diversity & Inclusion network and attend your team’s social events During the time that you are a vacation clerk, you will also be invited to attend the firm’s social events such as the trivia night, fun run, and End of Year celebrations.

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2024-25 clerkship pool:

Our graduate program gives you the chance to start shaping your future and hone your skills in a range of practice areas, providing you with a broad-based training and ensuring that you are ready to become a qualified solicitor. You’ll rotate through three distinct practice areas for six months each and will be assigned a Partner, Senior Associate and Buddy for support.

You will get the opportunity to submit practice area preferences before every rotation, including before your first rotation, enabling you to tailor your graduate program to your specific interests You can also discuss your preferences with our dedicated Graduate Recruitment team As part of our graduate program, you will have the opportunity to apply for an international secondment within your first two years in the job. This is a six-month secondment with all the support from the firm you might need to succeed (e.g. transport, accommodation, language lessons). Our graduates have previously been seconded to our London, Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong offices

Expressions of interest can be made following the clerkship program.

hrapplications@hwle.com.au

https://hwlebsworth com au

Level 8, 477 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Marissa Simai

At HWL Ebsworth, we invest in our people from the beginning of their careers. Our meritocratic structure supports career growth from graduate to partnership With over 1600 people, including 270+ partners, across offices in every Australian state and territory, we are a dynamic and forwardthinking firm. Our mix of clientele provides junior staff with unparalleled opportunities to take on responsibility and work on a variety of matters, from small businesses through to ASX listed companies.

Regardless of your rank, there is a large amount of trust placed on you to contribute to important work Due to our system of supervising partners and mentors, everyone receives meaningful feedback and professional development opportunities as well as a sense of comfort in knowing who to reach out to, should you need help. We encourage continuous learning and growth, which is enabled by having direct access to our approachable and down-to-earth partners..

HWLE is also a place where you can meet and make friends - whether in your team, over Friday drinks, in a sports team, at a Latte Link-Up, or other social club events.

Career Progression: with the lowest ratio of solicitors to partners of any Australian law firm, you'll have clear career progression pathways and the opportunity to take on more responsibility, sooner

Work-Life Balance: enjoy one of the lowest billable targets in the industry, as well as the expectation to only work local Australian hours as we are a national firm.

Real and Complex Work: from day one, you'll work on real, challenging, and high-profile matters, gaining exposure to great clients whilst collaborating with a high-performing team.

Pro Bono work: every graduate needs to complete a 30-day secondment with a pro bono secondment partner. Examples of organisations in Melbourne are The Red Cross, Youthlaw, University of Melbourne Student Union Legal Service.

HWL Ebsworth's Clerkship Program is structured to present you with hands-on experiences and training to develop your legal skills and knowledge whilst offering the chance to network with a range of practitioners throughout the firm You will be exposed to a broad range of work within your designated Practice Group, and we will have the opportunity to get to know you on both a personal and professional level. Upon the commencement of your clerkship, you will be paired with a Supervising Partner and a Mentor who will guide, support and develop you throughout your placement and deliver comprehensive feedback at the conclusion of your time with the firm

You will participate in a customised induction program that will assist in familiarising you with our systems, processes and values and you will be welcomed as a valued member of our national team. We believe that a healthy balance between work and personal life is crucial. During your clerkship, you will experience what it is like to be an employee of HWLE, and you will have the opportunity to attend a variety of social and networking events hosted by the firm

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

25 (approximately)

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Throughout our 12-month Graduate Program you will be provided with an opportunity to gain exposure to key practice areas across the firm, including a variety of transactional and litigious work, to assist you in determining your direction post admission.

You will immediately become an important member of our team, assisting in a range of areas including drafting, court attendances, client interaction and legal research You will have an opportunity to rotate in 3 different practice groups, undertake a pro-bono secondment, develop an understanding of the vital importance of client relationship management, and undergo internal and external professional development activities to assist you in enriching your legal knowledge. HWLE will also fund Supervised Legal Training program through the College of Law.

Wilma.Lewis@jws.com.au

https://jws.com.au/

Wilma

Lewis

Pe o p l e & D eve l o p m e n t M a n a g e r Wilma.Lewis@jws.com.au

Level 34, 55 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Johnson Winter Slattery (JWS) is a leading Australian law firm known for advising corporates and funds on their most complex transactions, disputes and regulatory matters. At JWS, we build authentic, long-term relationships and have a deep understanding of our clients and their industries. Our clients say we are pragmatic, strategic, commercial and easy to work with.

“They produce very high-calibre work and we are especially comfortable working with them on anything complex." (Client Quote, Chambers & Partners)

“JWS' real strength is their collaborative, commercially informed approach ” (Client Quote, Legal 500)

Our firm is comprised of more than 450 highly talented people, including 80+ partners, across Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane and Perth We are globally connected and have strong relationships with major independent law firms around the world JWS was recognised as Technology, Media and Telecom M&A Legal Adviser of the Year (Mergermarket M&A Awards Australia 2023), Energy Law Firm of the Year (Best Lawyers 2023) and Best Australian Law Firm (Beaton Client Choice Awards 2025) Our lawyers are highly ranked in Chambers & Partners, Legal 500 and Lexology Index (formerly Who's Who Legal)

We are strongly committed to social justice, responsible business and our diverse communities We are proud of our pro bono program which focuses on supporting low income, disadvantaged and marginalised people in the Australian community.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

16-20 4-5

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025 Summer 1, Summer 2, Autumn and Winter

Our clerkship program offers a comprehensive experience that combines mentoring, hands -on learning, and real-world exposure to various partners, practice groups, and clients. Clerks gain valuable skills across different legal disciplines, developing a well-rounded understanding of the profession The program also provides an opportunity to explore various practice areas, helping clerks identify their interests and make informed career decisions Through meaningful interactions with partners, senior associates, and peers, clerks build a strong professional network within the firm With structured training, mentorship, and ongoing feedback , we support their continuous professional growth and development

annabelfranklin@jonesday.com

https://jonesday.com/en

Level 48 Rialto Towers, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Annabel Franklin

annabelfranklin@jonesday.com 03 9101 6840

Accelerated Career Development. An emphasis on collaboration and the opportunity to work with clients in every major businesscenter in the world make Jones Day a compelling opportunity for Australia’s most talented legal professionals to grow their careers

A Commitment to Australia. A presence in Australia since establishing the Sydney Office in 1998, Jones Day is a premier global law firm with a sustained and demonstrated commitment to clients based in, or conducting business in, Australia, the Asia Pacific region, and beyond.

Cross-Border Opportunities. Jones Day lawyers at all stages of their careers serve on teams representing 40 offices and 24 practices on client matters relating to every type of legal matter potentially affecting the modern multinational corporation.

Pro Bono at Jones Day. Jones Day professionals at every career level, and from every practice and every office, contribute to the Firm’s culture and tradition of pro bono The long-term commitment to pro bono has never wavered, whether leveraging our global resources in the fight against human trafficking, combating hate crimes, or building out and participating in local legal aid efforts in the communities we call home.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

No specific target

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

September

No rotations

Summer 1

Summer clerkship programs at Jones Day offices in Australia offer positions to selected students enrolled in their penultimate year of university study. Real work opportunities for actual clients provide an opportunity to experience the practice of law at a large multinational firm The assignments allow the firm to evaluate a clerk’s potential to deliver first-rate legal services, and to ultimately flourish in Jones Day’s culture. Clerkship programs run in Melbourne for four weeks, and typically commence at the end of the year

Students should apply via our website. We select candidates to attend our Information Evening where they can learn more about Jones Day, see our offices and meet our partners and associates in Melbourne. There are then two rounds of interviews. Jones Day does not do psychometric testing.

We look for a record of academic excellence, superior written and analytical abilities, strong interpersonal skills, and interest in our Firm

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

No specific target

Non-rotational program

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Recognising that many law students leave school not certain about their career path, Jones Day introduced the New Lawyers Group, or NLG, allowing new lawyers exposure to numerous areas, lawyering styles, and client situations prior to committing to a specific practice The format introduces the new associates to established and traditional legal work like transactions, litigation, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property; and to emerging areas of law like cybersecurity, ESG, and financial technology.

In addition to providing ongoing professional development opportunities, the NLG brings together new associates from across the Firm globally at the “New Lawyers Academy” in Washington, D.C., where they participate in training sessions, interact with peers, meet Firm leaders and potential mentors, explore affinity group options, and learn about Jones Day’s history, culture, and operations.

tania.brierley@klgates.com

https://www.klgates.com

Level 25, South Tower, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Tania Brierley Recruitment Consultant

tania.brierley@klgates.com 03 9640 4214

K&L Gates is unlike many other global legal firms, we operate a fully integrated law firm with one central financial system, IT network and global practice groups and support teams. Locally, we have four established offices in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney and as one of the largest law firms in the world, we have approximately 2,000 lawyers across five continents

Our strong presence in key capital cities and world commercial and financial centres combines our practice strength, global platform and unsurpassed client ser vice – providing a truly different legal experience.

We represent a broad array of Global 500, Fortune 100, FTSE 100, ASX 100 corporations in nearly ever y major industr y. Our lawyers are leaders in legal issues relating to industries critical to the economies of the developed and developing worlds including fashion, retail, financial ser vices, technolog y, manufacturing, transportation, food and beverage, energ y, telecommunications, health care, life sciences, sustainable development , and infrastructure

In Australia we have an established Innovation Committee that brings together people from across all areas of our firm. We believe that good ideas come from ever ywhere, and we focus on fostering a culture that empowers creative confidence. We undertake reviews of best practice innovation globally, and oversee pilots and roll-outs of new technolog y, regular training and testing new ideas as they are launched

Our firm wide Opportunity and Inclusion Committee focuses on increasing the representation of women in leadership roles, increasing the representation of A sian Australian lawyers and raising LGBTQ+ awareness and inclusion in the workplace We are proud members of the Diversity Council of Australia, Pride in Diversity, A sian Australian Lawyers A ssociation and Victorian Women Lawyers

Practice areas

Asset Management & Investment Funds Corporate

Energy, Infrastructure and Resources Finance

K&L Gates aims to be the leading globally integrated law firm, we are dedicated to providing clients with a practical solution to their multi-faceted and ever evolving legal needs whether that be domestically or internationally.

Our client-first approach is manifested firm wide from matter management and pricing practices to the technolog y and innovations we use our clients’ best interests are at the forefront of the decisions and investments we make.

K&L Gates is also passionate about Innovation, Pro Bono and Community Outreach, and Opportunity & Inclusion We believe in providing and encouraging a collaborative environment in which employees can grow and develop

Our Australian welcomes new business and foreign investment by providing a strong economy, a stable political environment, and a skilled and talented workforce

We foster an inclusive and collaborative environment, combining the knowledge and experience of our lawyers and policy professionals to create teams that provide exceptional client solutions and value. At the heart of our ethos is an inclusive and collaborative environment that spans our fully integrated global platform This approach enables us to diligently merge the vast knowledge and expertise of our legal professionals, creating interdisciplinary teams that deliver truly exceptional client solutions.

The culture at K&L Gates is inclusive and collaborative. We are about more than practising law or making a living. We are about building something amazing, creating a legacy for employees, the firm, our clients and the communities we ser ve. We also want to empower employees to discover quality work and clients, develop through opportunities to learn more while growing their career and to thrive in a diverse and inclusive culture This is achieved through our Innovation and Opportunity & Inclusion committees, industr y focus groups, the pro bono and community outreach work we support , career and professional development programs as well as our Social and Sports Clubs.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods: 25-30 12-15

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

1 September 2025 - 12 September 2025

1 practice group Summer and Winter

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with lawyers located across five continents In Australia we have four offices in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney We have nine core practice areas across Australia. A s part of your clerkship you will complete a rotation in one of these. You will be embedded into the practice areas and be involved in real legal work right from the start , giving you an in-depth experience and providing a real insight into life as a commercial lawyer at K&L Gates. In conjunction with on-the -job experience, we provide formal training On day one, you will receive an in-depth induction to the firm as well as training on relevant IT systems, followed by sessions over the course of the clerkship program. Your super visor and buddy will help you settle into the office and you will work closely with the partners, special counsel, senior associates and lawyers in your team. You will be provided with opportunities to build strong relationships, both within your team and the wider firm network We provide and encourage a collaborative environment in which you can grow and develop We are also committed to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2023-24 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer: 10-12 10-12

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers Yes

Your graduate program runs for 12 months, in which time you will complete three practice group rotations You will be embedded into the practice areas and be involved in real legal work right from the start, giving you an indepth experience and providing a real insight into life as a commercial lawyer at K&L Gates You will be exposed to a variety of areas of commercial law in all your rotations while being supported by a buddy, super visor and mentor Your professional development program runs weekly, with sessions presented by partners, lawyers, external presenters and our professional development team. You will have many opportunities to be involved in an array of firm events and activities to match your interest, whether they be social, sporting, business or community-focused. We are more than about practising law or making a living, and we hope to build something amazing and create a legacy for you, the firm, our clients and the communities we ser ve.

recruitment@khq com au

https://khq.com.au/

Natalie Bourke

H R & O p e r a t i o n s M a n a g e r

nbourke@khq com au 03 9663 9877

Level 4, 600 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

KHQ Lawyers is an award-winning boutique top tier commercial law firm based in Melbourne We have more than 120 people across 16 practice areas, advising clients across Australia and internationally. Founded by two lawyers with a clear vision of what a law firm should be, we are committed to delivering commercially astute, cost-effective, and technically excellent legal services with the agility and responsiveness our clients expect.

For our people, we offer a genuine alternative to mid and top-tier firms combining high-caliber work with a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative culture. Our senior lawyers are among the best in their fields, giving you the opportunity to gain exposure to complex, strategic matters for a range of blue-chip clients.

With exceptional mentoring and career development at every stage, we provide the platform you need to grow and excel. We are proud to be trusted advisors to ASX-listed companies, major corporates, family businesses, and high-net-worth individuals, delivering exceptional legal services with a personal touch.

Commercial Property & Development

Competition Law & Regulatory Compliance

Construction & Infrastructure

Corporate & Commercial

Data Privacy, Cyber & Digital

Family & Relationship Law

Food & Beverage

Insolvency & Restructuring

Intellectual Property

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Private Wealth

Superannuation & Financial Services

Tax & Structuring

Technology

Wills & Estates

Workplace Relations & Safety

Data Privacy, Cyber & Digital

We punch above our weight regarding the quality of our clients and the work available for our lawyers, and the caliber of our senior lawyers means that you will learn from the best. Our billable hours targets are lower than most firms, providing genuine opportunities for our people to build their professional networks and business development capabilities - in particular, developing strong, long-term relationships with clients that go beyond legal advice

We look after our people with industry leading paid parental leave and flexible working arrangements. We recognise our people have lives and commitments outside KHQ, and while flexible working arrangements are talked about a lot by all law firms, we actually deliver. Part time arrangements are respected Flexibility is true flexibility, not lip service

Beyond work, we support our people in their studies and personal ambitions (we meant it when we said we’re flexible!). We also encourage participation in community and sporting events, helping our people make a meaningful impact beyond the firm.

Open, nurturing, collegiate and supportive. Our culture is a key point of difference from other firms, and we take particular care to foster a “people first” environment. Our office culture is relaxed and informal, with an “open door” policy. Questions are encouraged and we challenge our people to think innovatively when it comes to solving legal problems

On the fun side, we offer plenty of opportunities to unwind, with our beautiful central kitchen the perfect spot for informal catch ups, lunches, or playing a round of table tennis! We have netball and futsal teams competing in local competitions, with newcomers always welcome. We host an array of staff events (both onsite and offsite), and team retreats are a regular feature. We also foster an environment of learning, with a robust CPD program, occasionally featuring outside experts to help our people hone their broader skills

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

21 April 2025 - 9 May 2025 &

1 September 2025 - 12 September 2025

19 May - 30 May 2025

1 practice group Winter and Summer

KHQ Lawyers is a unique firm within the legal services market. While relatively young, we have an enviable client list and market reputation, and are proud to be the firm of choice for a broad range of ASX-listed companies, large corporates, family businesses and high net worth individuals

Our program is designed to give clerks real world law firm experience, in a nurturing and supportive environment. Each clerk will be assigned to one specific team for the duration of their clerkship and will be allocated a mentor (being one of our senior lawyers) and a buddy. Mentors will guide and support clerks with their work, while buddies will show clerks the ropes and guide them through the cultural aspects of law firm life, to help them get as much as they can out of their time with us

By the end of the program, clerks will have a solid understanding of what it is to be an integral part of a high-performing team in a highly respected firm, working with top-tier clients on a range of legal matters of varying complexity We foster an active learning environment with open doors and free access to all senior lawyers

While strong academic performance and sharp intellect are a given, we value analytical thinking and innovation. Cultural fit is also important - while we deliver technically excellent, commercially astute advice, we have a relaxed working environment and are genuinely fun to work with. We look for people who are interesting, unique, engaging and lively.

Applicants should:

Have a working legal knowledge commensurate with undergraduate status; Have strong and consistent academics and involvement in extra-curricular activities and/or work experience in the customer service industry; Excellent communication skills; and Demonstrable cultural alignment.

As with our clerkship program, graduates will each be assigned a mentor and a buddy, to help them settle into everyday life at KHQ. For the first few weeks, they will be inundated with invitations to coffees and lunches so that they can get to know the firm and its people, and so that their new colleagues can get to know them

During their graduate program, graduates will rotate each quarter through our practice areas to ensure they receive a thorough overview of what each area has to offer, to help them decide which area they’d ultimately like to venture into.

In the first few months of the program, graduates will complete 6 core workshop-style modules Each module is convened by senior lawyers of the firm and covers the following topics:

Getting set up at KHQ

Starting your career as a commercial lawyer

File management

Document management

Time management; and

Business skills

We support our graduates every step of the way, to give them the guidance they need as they commence their legal careers.

The 12-month graduate program involves quarterly rotations through our practice groups Graduates will be mentored by one of KHQ’s directors over the course of their graduate year, together with practice group mentors and buddies to help them settle into KHQ life, and ultimately to succeed in their roles.

melgraduaterecruitment@au.kwm.com

https://www.kwm.com/au/en/careers/gra duates/graduates-australia html

447 Collins Arch, Melbourne VIC 3000

Tiffany Douros

tiffany.douros@au.kwm.com

Darcy Ford P

darcy.ford@au.kwm.com

We are a law firm born in A sia with over 3000 lawyers across 26 global locations We are focused on clients who have distinct ambitions and challenges, and we are driven to understand their needs and help solve their problems. To do this, at KWM we demonstrate a growth mindset , an appetite for continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence and mastering our craft . Whether designing new legal frameworks or establishing new precedents, we apply our deep technical legal expertise to deliver simple, innovative solutions that address complex challenges

From the start of your career at KWM, you will develop skills and knowledge through our structured learning and development programs and collaborate with colleagues and clients in the pursuit of legal master y. KWM is a place where you will work with teams who value different perspectives, inclusivity, and teamwork . Fostering your growth is our priority and we support you with this by providing first-class legal technical training. This includes experiencing a variety of market-leading transactions for top tier clients in areas that interest you You’ll also have access to a suite of wellbeing initiatives, opportunities and benefits to help you achieve your career goals and grow professionally and personally. At KWM, together we learn, together we master, together we lead.

Banking and Finance

Dispute Resolution

Mergers and Acquisitions

RECE (Real Estate; Energy, Resources & Infrastructure; Construction; Environment, Planning and Native Title)

We create an environment where you can thrive and meet your aspirations and goals At KWM, you can shape your own career path, supported ever y step of the way with world-class training, coaching and hands -on experience.

Diversity of thought , perspective and experience is critical to our culture. We provide a broad, inclusive and open environment in which you are encouraged to bring your whole self. We are not a one size fits all careers model. We offer multiple opportunities for you to gain experience and thrive.

we grow our people to be their best and how we support our communities to thrive

Our 8 principles are: Quality, Empathy, Generosity, Clarity, Creativity, Dynamism, Trust and Betterment .

Our People Value Proposition (PVP): Learn, Master and Lead, is also what makes KWM a special place to work and build a career A place where you will nurture your skills through continual learning and development opportunities and where you will collaborate with exceptional colleagues and clients in the pursuit of legal master y. Our PVP is about having a mindset of curiosity and an appetite for continuous learning; a commitment to excellence and mastering your craft .

King & Wood Mallesons recognises flexibility in the way we work as a core element of an effective, engaged and productive workplace that delivers a great experience for our clients We recognise flexible working improves wellbeing for many people, which leads to higher performance Some flexible working arrangements may be permanent (formal), while others will be informal and occasional (informal).

Acted for Singapore’s CapitaLand’s successful $200m acquisition of Australian private credit provider Wingate

Advised on Blackstone’s $24B acquisition of AirTrunk . The second largest private capital M&A deal in Australian histor y

Advised Aula Energ y on QLD’s Clean Energ y Project the 228MW Boulder Creek Wind Farm

Acted for Lendlease’s $1 3B sale of communities business to Stockland

Advising Medibank on multiple class actions to its response of the 2022 cybercrime incident

Advised Jet Zero Australia on its $600m investment funding of the Project Ulysses, a Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Renewable Diesel project

Advising Northern Star Resources on its proposed $5B acquisition of De Grey Mining

Advisor on the Royal Commissions inquir y into Defence and Veteran Suicide

Advisor for Microsoft on its strategic commercial licensing deals in A sia Pacific

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

At KWM, we look for someone who:

Communicates effectively

Shows genuine interest in corporate or commercial law

Embraces curiosity and a growth mindset

Balances commitments and prioritises tasks

Takes initiative and is committed to delivering quality work

30 (approximately)

7 July 2024 - 10 August 2025

September 2025

1 practice group

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

You don’t need to be perfect ; we thrive by learning from each other ’s strengths

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

20-30

All graduates are recruited from seasonal clerkship pool

3 x 6-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

At King & Wood Mallesons, we consider our graduates our future leaders and we invest heavily in your development Our graduate program offers you a future -focused learning curriculum and development support throughout your journey.

You will:

Be involved in meaningful work covering a wide range of practice areas and jurisdictions

Work as part of a team with a range of support from Partners, Senior A ssociates and Solicitors.

Gain exposure and training in KWM’s market leading technolog y tools.

jbith@landers.com.au

https://www.landers.com.au/

Level 15/477 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Jenny Bith

jbith@landers.com.au

+61 3 9269 9519

Lander & Rogers is a leading independent Australian law firm comprising over 650 people including 100 partners. Our firm is built on a strong work ethic, exceptional client ser vice and impressive staff and partner retention rates, creating a highly cohesive culture We believe that legal ser vices involve more than just the law – practical, commercial advice and exceptional client experience are equally important to our clients as they are to us. Our firm is global in its approach, but we remain fiercely independent and truly Australian. We work closely with international firms that do not have an Australian presence and we are the exclusive Australian member of the largest global network of independent law firms, TerraLex Consistent with our values and culture, we are strongly committed to pro bono and community work and supporting our environment We also established Australia's first LawTech Hubs in Melbourne and Sydney. Our key sectors are Government , Insurance and Financial Ser vices, Real Estate, Retail and Supply Chain and Technolog y.

Compensation Law

Corporate

Commercial Disputes

Real Estate and Projects

Workplace Relations and Safety

Family and Relationship Law

Insurance Law and Litigation

At Lander & Rogers, you'll be part of a close-knit, people-first culture that values collaboration, growth, and genuine support Our grads and clerks consistently tell us they feel like part of the team from day one doing real work with real clients, with guidance from partners and senior lawyers who are invested in their development.

You’ll be supported to build your confidence and skills in a friendly, high-performing environment that celebrates shared success. Whether you're drafting advice, attending court, or contributing to a pro bono matter, you’ll know your work matters and your team has your back.

We also offer a unique opportunity to be involved in the future of legal practice. Through our LawTech Hub and the iHub program, you can collaborate with tech entrepreneurs and legal minds to co-create solutions that are shaping the future of law. For example, through The Sprint, our signature AI-focused experience, clerks explore technologies like Microsoft Agents designing everything from legal tools to creative applications like lunch-recommending AI bots.

From flexible work options to award-winning wellbeing initiatives, we’re proud to offer a workplace where you can thrive professionally and personally.

Lander & Rogers’ core values of authenticity, connection and care underpin how we work with our people and our clients. We foster a culture where integrity, respect and diversity are valued, ensuring that our advice and client relationships are grounded in trust and understanding. Our commitment to excellence drives us to deliver commercially sound legal solutions that align with our clients' strategic goals A s a proudly independent Australian law firm, we value long-term partnerships and take a client-first approach, focusing on practical and innovative solutions Our values are reflected in our investment in the community through our pro bono and community impact programs. We also strongly emphasise environmental and social responsibility, striving to create positive outcomes for both our clients and the broader community.

Lander & Rogers distinguishes itself through a combination of technical expertise, deep sector knowledge and a client-focused approach. A s an independent Australian firm, we have the agility to respond quickly to market shifts and client needs, free from the constraints of a global network.

What sets us apart most is our people-first culture We’re known for being collaborative, inclusive, and down-to-earth with a strong emphasis on mentoring, knowledge sharing, and supporting one another’s growth Our lawyers work closely with clients and colleagues from the start, fostering meaningful relationships and delivering tailored, commercially focused solutions

We’re also passionate about driving positive change through pro bono work, community engagement, and initiatives like our LawTech Hub, iHub, and AI Lab, which explore the future of legal practice and improve how we deliver ser vices These programs reflect our commitment to innovation not for its own sake, but to improve outcomes for our clients, our people, and the profession

We are recognised for our expertise in several key practice areas:

Commercial Disputes: Handling complex litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and various commercial legal issues including construction, insolvency and restructuring, defamation, trust disputes, sports law, banking, real estate, environmental, white-collar fraud and intellectual property.

Compensation Law: Specialising in workers' compensation and associated insurance claims under state and Commonwealth schemes.

Corporate Law: Advising on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, structuring, corporate governance and contractual agreements, technology, data and privacy, intellectual property, cyber security, sport and more.

Family & Relationship Law: The largest team of family law specialists in Australia, dealing with property and financial matters, financial agreements, parenting, de facto relationships, international family law and more.

Insurance Law & Litigation: Covering class actions, interruption of business and property damage claims, construction litigation, directors’ and officers’ liability, financial ser vices misconduct, public liability and personal injur y claims, cyber security breaches, medical negligence, disciplinar y claims and regulator investigations.

Real Estate & Projects: Advising on property portfolios and infrastructure projects across their lifecycles including acquisition, planning and development, construction, leasing and disposal.

Workplace Relations & Safety: Providing full-ser vice employment law advice, from employee engagements and contracts, industrial relations and workplace safety, to disputes, grievances and terminations.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

30 - 33

11 (approximately)

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

15 - 26 September 2025

No rotations

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Our Seasonal Clerkship Program offers students practical legal experience through real client work and a behind-the -scenes look into life as a lawyer within Lander & Rogers' various practice groups. Experience one of three four-week clerkship programs run from November to December, Januar y to Februar y and June to July. A s a clerk , explore what it's like to work in a legal practice in your chosen specialisation. Whether you're solving interesting and complex legal problems alongside real clients, expanding your knowledge and skills through training and mentoring, or growing your network of legal and business contacts, the Seasonal Clerkship Program provides insight into a fulfilling career at Lander & Rogers

You will also have access to:

Practice group case study sessions to build your understanding of Lander & Rogers' areas of expertise

Workshops covering practical skills development like writing and taking instructions

Social opportunities including catered events, sporting and wellbeing activities

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

The graduate program offers:

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Face -to-face exposure to partners and clients on real matters to accelerate your learning

Practical coaching from lawyers and trainers to hone your skills

Regular check-ins and feedback to monitor your progress

Support to make a successful transition into the legal profession

Opportunity to experience and be involved in our pro bono and community engagement work

Financial and non-financial support to complete your practical legal training

Practice group rotation aligned with your preferences

Access to a comprehensive suite of learning and development programs

Ever y individual who joins our growing firm is essential to our shared success. That's why we don't simply seek the brightest legal minds but those with whom we share values of authenticity and connection

claire.kirwan@maddocks.com.au

https://www maddocks com au/

Level 25, Tower 2, 727 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3008

Claire Kirwan

Claire kirwan@maddocks com au 03 9258 3003

We are a proudly independent , modern Australian law firm with a leading reputation for exceptional ser vice, operational excellence, and a strong focus on employee experience. With close to 90 partners and more than 600 people across our Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney offices, we work closely with Australian and international businesses, governments, and organisations.

Our clients include medium to large private organisations, high net worth individuals and families, ASX200 companies, national, state, and local governments, leading tech companies, education institutions, not-for-profit organisations, and high-profile property developers. Our work spans sectors including Education, Government , Healthcare, Infrastructure, Energ y & Utilities, Technolog y, and Property Development

We offer a great place to Do What Matters, ensuring our people work on high-profile, complex , and engaging matters that have real impact . Our culture is built on collaboration, learning, and inclusion, where you will be mentored and supported by talented lawyers. At Maddocks, you will be part of a team recognised through awards such as WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (since 2004) and Silver Employer at the 2024 AWEI LGBTQ Inclusion Awards

Our people have access to structured career development programs, flexible working arrangements, generous wellbeing benefits, and opportunities to contribute to the community through pro bono work , staff volunteering, and involvement in our Diversity & Inclusion networks.

At Maddocks, we support you to Do What Matters - professionally, personally, and in the community

Construction & Projects

Commercial

Dispute Resolution & Litigation

Employment, Safety & People

Public Law

Real estate

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

September - October 2 rotations

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Our clerkship program offers the first step in a legal career at Maddocks. Over the four week program we provide a comprehensive induction, learning & development sessions and first-hand experience working on key client matters. You will have the opportunity to be mentored by Partners and lawyers in each team and receive structured feedback and advice The Maddocks clerkship program provides a fantastic chance to see what areas of law interest you and sets you up for a successful legal career During the program you will rotate through two practice teams based on your preferences You will have a coordinator and a buddy and they will provide regular feedback and advice You will also work closely with a supervising partner and others lawyers in the team and have a formal review at the end of the program. The training you receive during your induction and throughout the clerkship will ensure you are thoroughly prepared and ready to get involved in and contribute to client work straight away.

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Maddocks is proud to be recognised as an AAGE 2025 Top Graduate Employer, which is a reflection of our commitment to providing an outstanding graduate experience. The program is designed to provide a strong foundation for your legal career. We carefully select our clerks with the intention that they will continue as graduate lawyers, developing their technical legal skills and business acumen on complex and engaging matters. Graduates complete three four-month rotations across different practice teams, allowing them to explore diverse areas of law. Each graduate is supported by a buddy and coordinator to help navigate their first year. Our structured orientation program includes Practical Legal Training (PLT) with Leo Cussen Centre for Law and a comprehensive Maddocks induction program, ensuring a smooth transition into practice Beyond legal work , graduates benefit from ongoing professional development , including training sessions, mentoring, and networking opportunities with lawyers at all levels We foster a supportive and collaborative culture where graduates have regular exposure to partners, clients, and high-quality matters from the outset Our goal is to equip graduates with the skills, experience, and confidence needed for a successful legal career The program provides the opportunity to grow within the firm and find the practice area that best aligns with their interests and ambitions.

https://www minterellison com/ Level 20, 447 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

https://www.linkedin.com/company/minterellison/posts/?feedView=all

Fleur O'Donnell

fleur odonnell@minterellison com +61 3 8608 2000.

MinterEllison is one of Australia’s largest law firms, with nearly 200 years of business history We're known for our legal and consulting expertise - and for our inclusive and authentic character.

Our purpose is to create sustainable value with our clients, people and communities. That means we have a proud history of providing excellence to clients, nurturing our people and giving back to the communities in which we live and work.

We value excellence, curiosity and collaboration Clients rely on us for our responsive, commercial approach Our clients include government departments and agencies, private and publicly listed companies, and small and large businesses in Australia and overseas.

Banking & Finance

Energy

Resources and Projects

Financial Services and Funds

Mergers & Acquisitions/Capital Markets

Environment & Planning

Projects, Infrastructure and Constructions

Real Estate

Real Estate Stream Solutions

Competition and Technology

Dispute Resolution

Insurance and Corporate Risk

Excellence: In all its forms is the hallmark of all that we do

Statutory Compensation

Management

Legal Tech Consulting

Tax

Workplace

Consulting

Curiosity: We solve complex challenges for our clients and our business with a curious and innovative mindset.

Collaboration: We work collaboratively with our clients and harness the power of inclusion.

We want our people to be able to bring their whole selves to work and find their purpose. We know that when we bring together diversity of thinking, skills, experience, gender identity, backgrounds, orientations and abilities, and recognise where they intersect, we get better results for the firm and for our clients.

We are committed to building a culture where all of our people feel trusted, supported and able to create sustainable value for our clients, our people and our communities Working in ways that are sustainable, including being flexible in how, when and where we work are important elements of our cultural aspirations.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

50-60

25-30

7 July – 10 August 2025

8 September – 23 September

2 x 2-week rotations

Summer and Winter

Our clerkship program spans the summer or winter break, offering two practice group experiences over the four week clerkship program Dive into real legal work, supported by comprehensive orientation and skill-building workshops Embrace cutting-edge technology shaping tomorrow's legal professionals. Collaborate directly with partners and lawyers on live cases, contributing to timely, high-quality outcomes. Benefit from the mentorship of a dedicated senior supervisor and gain further guidance from a buddy. The focus of our clerkship program is to fully immerse you in our team, exposing you to a diverse range of legal tasks You'll collaborate closely with our partners and lawyers, engaging with ongoing cases, meeting tight deadlines, and delivering high-quality work. For daily guidance, a dedicated supervisor will be on hand to help you navigate your duties, while a 'buddy' who is a graduate or junior lawyer from your practice area will provide further insight and advice. During your time with us, your tasks will be varied, shaped by the firm’s current needs and the specifics of the practice group you are allocated

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Method of Application:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

25-30 25-30

Performance on rotations & Clerkship feedback

3 x 6-month rotations

Priority offers

Case by case basis

Our Graduate Program provides you with the on the-job skills and learning you need to succeed as a lawyer, including: a tailored orientation and development program, the opportunity to work with diverse clients on engaging transactions and cases the ability to work alongside our outstanding teams and receive ongoing mentoring and support completion of your Practical Legal Training funded by the firm, and support with your admission process. We know that how we work is changing, so we’ve designed a development program to build the skills of the future Our development program will provide you with the technical and business skills you’ll need to accelerate your career and achieve your ambitions. You also have the opportunity to experience up to three six-month rotations across different practice groups where you’ll be exposed to different clients, teams and matters.

australian.graduates@nortonrosefulbright.com

www nortonrosefulbright com/eu-au

Level 38, 477 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Hayley Ballard

H u m a n R e s o u r c e A d v i s o r

hayley ballard@nortonrosefulbright com 03 8686 6053

Norton Rose Fulbright is a global law firm, providing a full business law service to household-name businesses and financial institutions. We have more than 3000 lawyers and legal staff, based in 50+ cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. And in amongst that global network, you’ll find some of the finest minds in the legal sector – all ready to aid your development.

We acknowledge our responsibility to make a contribution to the community of which we are a part. We aim to create an environment which educates, encourages and supports our people in acknowledging their responsibility to participate in activities which contribute to our community; support the underprivileged; respect the environment; and acknowledge and respect Indigenous Australians Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program is a vital part of our cultural make-up and community spirit CSR is a way to give back to those in need It is our responsibility as corporate citizens to do the right thing. We’re proud of our contribution to pro bono, and during 2024 we completed over 29,000 hours of pro bono work across Australia.

Banking & Finance

Corporate M&A

Employment & Labour

Environment & Planning

Intellectual Property & Consumer Markets

Litigation and Arbitration

Pro Bono

Projects & Construction

Real Estate

Restructuring

Risk Advisory

Technology

We pride ourselves on our culture and work hard to maintain it . We are widely recognised as an inclusive, friendly, collaborative and supportive workplace with a genuine sense of community. We are confident that you will recognise these qualities from your ver y first encounter with us.

area aligned to your interests Wherever you look, you ll be throwing yourself into new things, all with the support of your program manager, supervisor, mentor, buddy and other team members.

Our clerkship program offers a real taste of life as a Graduate, including: attending client meetings and teleconferences, visits to court, research, preparation of court documents, drafting deeds/contracts, discovery and much more!

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

3x 6-month rotations

Priority offers Yes, for 1 year

The Graduate Program is an ongoing learning experience From the first rotation to the last, graduates will benefit from:

Buddy system: A recent graduate will be an informal “buddy”, who is there to help with all the “silly” questions, and offer advice and support throughout the years

Practice area training: We want our graduates to hit the ground running in all three rotations, so our knowledge lawyers and learning & development team work with them in each new rotation to make sure they have the specific skills and knowledge required.

Colleagues: We have a very collegiate environment here Everyone is happy to share their knowledge with the graduates – and partners will always take the time to sit down with you and explain a deal or technical issue

graduaterecruitmentaustralia@pinsentmasons.com

https://www.pinsentmasons.com/careers/earlytalent/australia

46/101 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000

Ali Beazley

H R M a n a g e r ali beazley@pinsentmasons com +61391170011 | Melbourne

Ellie Rosenberg

I n

ellie rosenberg@pinsentmasons com +61290629001 | Melbourne

A career at Pinsent Masons means being at the centre of a world of opportunities. Connect with colleagues who are working on some of the most important and market-leading matters in the A sia Pacific, including those driving the transition to renewable energ y and building vital large -scale infrastructure. In Australia, we have an on the ground presence in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Our expertise means we work on the full lifecycle of projects, from financing and project deliver y through to dispute resolution. The work we do sees us ranked as a Tier 1 firm in Infrastructure and Construction in Australia by Legal 500 A sia Pacific. Our Australian offices are connected closely with our A sia Pacific offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, with our Shenzhen office due to open later in 2025. We are also connected into the firm’s global network , which includes offices in the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. And we are growing. Fast. In the past 18 months we have expanded our Corporate team and added teams in Employment& Reward, Planning and Environment, Restructuring and Insolvency (incorporating Commercial litigation andDebt Recover y and Enforcement), Technolog y, Media and Telecommunications, and Work Health and Safety

In the A sia Pacific region, we primarily focus on the Energ y and Infrastructure sectors. Our practice teams –Finance and Projects, Property, Risk Advisor y Ser vices, Transactional Ser vices and Vario - work collaboratively across these sectors.

Pinsent Masons defines itself as “Approachable. Bold. Connected”. You won't need to wear a name badge as our people go out of their way to approach you and will be interested to learn who you are, what you do and what your ideas are. Pinsent Masons has been commended as one of the most innovative law firms and we welcome our people to deliver bold and innovative solutions. Your connections at Pinsent Masons will range from those sitting at the desk next to you, to leaders across our practice teams, offices, regions and at a global level.

In Australia, our primar y clients are local, regional and global contractors and developers. This ranges from Australian construction companies to Chinese State -Owned Enterprises. Recent key matters in Australia we have been involved in include:

Advising on the A$1.4 billion HumeLink East project, which is building 360 kilometres of transmission lines that will transmit energ y from the Snowy Hydro Scheme to major New South Wales regional centres.

A ssisting Fluence Energ y on its successful bid to build the Latrobe Valley Batter y Energ y Storage System (BESS) in Victoria

Advised the joint venture partners on its bid to design and construct the stations, systems and trains for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project.

Acting for a contractor in the Supreme Court of Victoria with proceedings arising from an onshore wind project in Victoria

Advising a Design & Construct

in Victoria

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

7 July 2025 - 3 August 2025 18 August 2025 - 29 August 2025

No rotations 28 June 2026 - July 2026

Our Winter Clerkship program will provide you with hands -on experience of Pinsent Masons in action. The program, aimed towards penultimate year students, is designed to have you work closely with our partners and lawyers on meaningful and impactful work , immersing you in ever ything the firm has to offer. At the same time, you will live and breathe our culture, gaining an understanding of what life looks like in a corporate law firm over our four-week clerkship. Our clerkship program provides you with the first opportunity to begin building connections that will have a lifelong impact . We design, structure and develop the clerkship program to give you an experience which is practical and enjoyable whilst authentically reflecting the Graduate Lawyer experience here at Pinsent Masons

Our program runs across four weeks, your first week is a combination of training and induction and once you are in your practice groups you will be exposed to working alongside the team on their matters with their clients There will be opportunities to get to know the team socially as well and you will be immersed in the day to day life of working at Pinsent Masons. Over the course of four weeks, our Winter Clerkship program will provide an up-close view of Pinsent Masons in action and fully immerse you in ever ything the firm has to offer. Our clerks will be assigned to one practice group, ideally of their preference. The program is designed to have you work closely with our partners and lawyers through involvement in meaningful work . At the same time, you will live and breathe our culture and inform your understanding of what life in corporate law looks like.

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure: Pathway to graduate position:

Four six-month rotations across two years

Clerkship and paralegal team

A s a graduate, you will work side -by-side with our lawyers and Partners in practical legal work from the outset throughout our two year program consisting of four rotations. You’ll have access to a range of matters and transactions during these rotations. You’ll be immersed in our culture, learning from some of the best in the business, building relationships and networks with our team and enjoying all that Pinsent Masons has to offer. We look for individuals who can think commercially, laterally and creatively. Most of all, we want people who are open-minded and passionate about pursuing a career in the law You will be down to earth and have a desire to become an exceptional commercial lawyer

peopleandculture@rk com au

https:/www russellkennedy com au/

Level 18, 500 Bourke Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

Vanessa Maio

C o o r d i n a t o r - P e o p l e & C u l t u r e vmaio@rk com au 03 9609 6812

Russell Kennedy is a for ward-thinking law firm, providing exceptional legal solutions nationally, guided by market leading expertise across our sectors of focus In operation for more than 120 years, we have more than 50 principals and 300 employees across offices in Melbourne and Sydney. Underpinning Russell Kennedy is the strong, lasting relationships we build with our clients and our people. We pride ourselves on creating positive and meaningful change within our community Our lawyers are widely recognised as leaders in their fields, helping shape the way industries appear today Our clients and capabilities are widespread A member of international legal network Ally Law, our reach spans the globe. We’re a certified Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and we’re dedicated to being a culturally diverse, LGBTQIA+ and disability friendly workforce. We strive to create an environment that is inclusive, progressive and compassionate, so our people feel confident bringing their whole, authentic selves to work Many roads lead to Russell Kennedy, whether you’re an experienced professional, an in-house specialist or just starting out. Ever growing, we recruit top calibre talent, to enhance our client ser vice offering.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

Up to 40 10-15

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025

Start mid-September & run for 4 weeks

1 practice group

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

Our Seasonal Clerkship Program is designed to give you a real taste of life at Russell Kennedy. We have created the program to be informative and provide relevant experience to help you decide whether you would like to pursue a Law Graduate position. Clerks are paired with a mentor and a buddy in their allocated practice group who will ensure that they receive the necessar y support throughout their journey with us.

Graduate positions available in 2025: Graduate rotation structure: Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer: 10-15

4 x 3-month rotations

Priority and market offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Russell Kennedy offers a 12-month Law Graduate program rotating through four Practice Groups. Our Graduate Program is designed to provide in depth on the job experience working across different teams within the firm

All graduates are encouraged to experience a transactional, advisor y and litigious team during the program

Spending three months in a practice group provides an opportunity to be exposed to different Principals, clients and industries that particular teams work with, allowing Graduates to take a deep dive into matters, apply skills learnt from formal studies into practice and gain a solid understanding of how our firm operates as a whole.

careers@steinpag com au

https://www.steinpag.com.au/careers

Level 6, 99 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Ellen Metlitzky

H R M a n a g e r emetlitzky@steinpag.com.au 08 9321 4000 03 9111 9400

Steinepreis Paganin is a leading independent corporate and commercial law firm with offices in Perth and Melbourne. Established in 1997, Steinepreis Paganin have an excellent market reputation as one of the largest corporate and commercial teams in Australia with a team of over 50 lawyers. We offer clients specialised and comprehensive advice on a range of corporate and commercial matters, servicing clients in Australia and internationally across all industry sectors

Steinepreis Paganin are:

The most active legal advisor on corporate compliance in Australia

Consistently ranked #1 in Australia for ECM transactions (IPOs and secondary capital raisings)

Consistently ranked in the top 3 in Australia for M&A transactions (takeovers, schemes of arrangement and asset sales)

Engage in more interactions with the ASX than any other law firm in Australia

Steinepreis Paganin is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive culture, with equal opportunity to progress and have a meaningful career. We offer challenging and rewarding work in a supportive and inclusive environment, where everyone can achieve personal and professional growth Our welcoming, inclusive and fun culture based on our one team structure enhances collegiality and collaboration. Regular feedback, and the firm’s Buddy and Mentor programs, all aim to provide a supportive environment and make work a great place to be.

At Steinepreis Paganin, we are ver y proud of our one team structure, which is our key point of difference to other firms. From day one and throughout your time at the firm, you will have the opportunity to work with team members at all levels from Partners to Lawyers and across the different offices

Our welcoming, inclusive and fun culture based on our one team structure enhances collegiality and collaboration Regular feedback, and the firm’s Buddy and Mentor programs, all aim to provide a supportive environment and make work a great place to be.

At Steinepreis Paganin, we live and breathe our values of Growth, Reliability, Excellence, Accountability and Teamwork as we believe they make us GREAT at what we do We pride ourselves on delivering quality work for our clients in an efficient way and we look to bring on new team members who reflect these values through their behaviours, both personally and professionally.

G - GROWTH

We encourage and support mentoring and knowledge sharing that helps us develop as individuals and as professionals

R - RELIABILITY

We are passionate about delivering quality work that reflects positively on the firm and ser vices our clients to the highest standard.

E - EXCELLENCE

We celebrate and encourage initiative and focus on how we can do things better to assist our clients and each other

A - ACCOUNTABILITY

We take ownership for our work , our behaviours, and our career development .

T - TEAMWORK

We work respectfully and collaboratively to create a culture to open communication where ever y team member ’s input is valued.

Full-time staff can work for up to 2 days a week from home with Tuesday being an anchor day for all staff to be in the office

Equity Capital Markets

Mergers & Acquisitions

Financial Services

Energy & Resources

Corporate & Commercial

Steinepreis Paganin are looking for law students who are dynamic, corporate minded, who pride themselves on being a dedicated team player and are willing to embrace and live the firm’s values of Growth, Reliability, Excellence, Accountability and Teamwork We pride ourselves on delivering quality work for our clients in an efficient way and we look to recruit team members who reflect these values through their behaviours, both personally and professionally

There is no one Steinepreis Paganin “type”. We want to actively involve a diverse range of minds from a broad range of backgrounds, united by the following strengths:

A clear interest and passion for corporate law

Exceptional communication skills

An eagerness to learn

Analytical ability

Commercial awareness

Teamwork

Resilience

Steinepreis Paganin acts for approximately 15% of all companies listed on the ASX, as well as a number of large private and public companies Steinepreis Paganin is the most active legal advisor on ASX IPOs and is a top 3 advisor on public mergers and acquisitions transactions. Some of our most recent transactions include acting for Decmil on its acquisition by Macmahon Holdings, acting for Black Cat on its $90m acquisition of the Lakewood mill from Westgold and acting for the largest private fitness group in WA in various acquisitions and investments.

Applications are invited from penultimate year law students seeking graduate positions in February 2027

Applications are invited from final year law students seeking graduate positions in February 2026.

Clerkship positions available in Melbourne office:

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

(two 2-week allocations/period) 7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025 September No rotations

Summer 1, Summer 2 and Winter

The aim of our clerkship program is to give each Vacation Clerk exposure to the type of work that we do, as well as our culture and team environment We provide Vacation Clerks with hands-on experience where they will get to work closely with our highly experienced team of corporate lawyers on active matters from day one. Clerkships at Steinepreis Paganin are for 2 weeks with multiple intakes over Summer and Winter.

The objective of the clerkship experience is to provide Vacation Clerks with a genuine insight into what life at Steinepreis Paganin is about and the nature and breadth of corporate and commercial legal work, which includes: Equity Capital Markets; Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate and Commercial; Energy and Resources and Financial Services. Vacation Clerks are each allocated a buddy and mentor for the duration of their clerkship and provided with an induction program and training to ensure that they know how to go about things, who to go to for support and how to access work.

Graduate positions available in 2026:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer: 2-3 2-3

No rotations

Priority offers and market offers

Not Allowed

At Steinepreis Paganin, we provide our graduates with a fantastic opportunity to join Australia’s most active Corporate Law Firm Graduates start in February of each year and participate in our National 2week induction program which aims to familiarise them with the systems and processes of the firm and some basic concepts that they will need to understand in their role.

Graduates then participate throughout the balance of their first year in the firm’s in-house Lawyer Training Program aimed at equipping new graduates to develop skills and better understand the technical aspects of commercial law

Graduates will be supported to begin the College of Law Practical Legal Training program so that they are eligible for admission as a solicitor. The firm covers the PLT course, admission costs and provides paid study and exam leave.

Philip

Shoppee

pshoppee@tglaw.com.au

www tglaw com au

Level 23, Rialto South Tower, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

pshoppee@tglaw com au 03 9641 8919

Thomson Geer is a major Australian corporate law firm. We have more than 700 people, including over 150 Partners operating out of our offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra and Adelaide We pride ourselves on the quality of our work, and our transparency We are driven by our clients' needs. Our industry coverage and client work is diverse. We have access to high quality work for major institutional clients in sectors such as banking, construction, energy, health, media, telecommunications, property development and gaming and leisure, giving our lawyers exposure to excellent work while maintaining small teams where each lawyer gets to develop and learn from senior lawyers, including partners

Corporate

M&A

Banking and Finance

Litigation

Workplace and General Insurance

Employment

Thomson Geer strives to deliver the best practice legal skills to our clients, doing so efficiently, reliably and with an authentic and transparent approach We are focused on enhancing the competitive position of our clients in whatever circumstances they find themselves in. This philosophy extends to the way we interact with each other Honestly and transparently and supporting each other to be the best lawyers and people we can be. We create an environment that is flexible, friendly, personable, collegiate and professionally stimulating. We work hard to enhance this culture through transparent, authentic communication, and by ensuring we are respectful and accountable to each other every day to provide an environment where our staff can grow personally and professionally. We offer a range of flexible working arrangements for our staff including, working from home, part time and purchased leave

Thomson Geer provides an excellent opportunity for junior lawyers, being large enough to attract excellent quality work while maintaining small teams that enable junior lawyers to get exposed to all aspects of the matters they work on Our small teams also mean that junior lawyers have excellent opportunities to work directly with, and learn from, our Partners and other senior practitioners and get to take a hands on role in the matters they work on

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

12-14

10-12

7 July 2025 (9 00am) - 10 August 2025 (11 59pm)

End of September

1 practice area

Summer 1 and Summer 2

We offer a four week Summer Clerkship program either in November/December or January/February. Our structured program helps clerks to learn through a combination of hands-on experience, training, coaching and observation. We know you’re not just a student on work experience. We want to give you a realistic, stretching introduction to the legal profession How does this happen? From day one, you’ll be an active participant in the team, involved in all aspects of legal practice and working directly with experienced practitioners We will dedicate time to your development as an up-and-coming lawyer in our team: an investment in you is an investment in our future, and the future of our valued clients You will find that our partners and staff are approachable and happy to share their knowledge and experience with you. We encourage our clerks, graduates and trainees to get as much exposure to different practice areas and ways of working as they can – this is a reflection of how we work as a fully integrated, cohesive, national team.

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring

3 x 4-month rotations

Priority offers, then graduate recruitment via website.

Considered on a case-by-case basis

Students who complete a clerkship with the firm will be eligible to be considered for a position in the firm’s next graduate program, commencing in 2025 This program runs for 12 months and includes rotation among different practice areas to help determine the area of law which best suits you. All Thomson Geer graduates complete comprehensive training in-house, as well as structured external training which will support them to become well-rounded and technically competent practitioners, fully qualified to gain admission to practice Our graduates are provided with considerable access to our Partners, resulting in unparalleled learning and development opportunities You will have access to a high level of information to assist in the development of your commercial career and you will be mentored by senior lawyers and supported by junior staff. Most importantly – your supervising Partner will be genuinely interested in and committed to your success and the progression of your career towards admission and beyond

earlycareers apac@whitecase com

www whitecase com/AUearlycareers

Level 32, 525 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Oliver Summers

oliver summers@whitecase com

White & Case are a global law firm with longstanding offices in the markets that matter today Our on-the-ground experience, cross-border integration and globally qualified lawyers help our clients work with confidence in any one market or across many Our innovative approaches create original solutions to our clients’ most complex domestic and multijurisdictional deals and disputes.

Over the past 100 years, we’ve built an unrivalled network of 44 offices in 30 countries This investment is the foundation for White & Case’s client work across 6 continents. We believe global exposure is an integral part of becoming a great lawyer, and our graduates are encouraged to take up international secondment opportunities, either as a part of the Graduate Program or early in their careers

Antitrust/competition

Corporate M&A and Private Equity

Debt Finance

Disputes and International Arbitration Environment and Planning

Clerkship positions available each intake:

Application period:

Interview period:

Rotations:

Seasonal clerkship periods:

Financial Restructuring and Insolvency

Project Development

Project Finance

Real Estate Tax

16-18

7 July 2025 - 10 August 2025 September - October 1 practice group Summer and Winter

A vacation clerkship is a great way to experience first-hand what life is like as a graduate at White & Case A s part of our clerkship program, you’ll be welcomed into our team, where you’ll undertake a number of meaningful and challenging tasks You will have the opportunity to attend client meetings, work on pro bono matters, and broaden your understanding of large cross-border transactions and matters During your time with White & Case, you’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our wider A sia-Pacific network through the simultaneous programs running across the region, as well as through the matters and projects you’ll be involved in These early insights are a great way of learning more about our Graduate Program’s overseas seat opportunities and what practice area options are available in different offices Throughout the clerkship, you will work closely with your super visor (partner), mentor (senior associate) and buddy ( junior associate/graduate) They will give you continuous support and assistance, engage you in their work, and provide formal and informal feedback Additionally, in-house training and events will help you better understand the work we do for our clients and build your network

Graduate positions available in 2025:

Graduates recruited from 2025-26 clerkship pool:

Graduate rotation structure:

Pathway to graduate position:

Deferring a graduate offer:

16-18 (Australia Wide)

Three six-month rotations

Priority offers

Considered on a case-by-case basis

You will be joining a fast-growing, dynamic Firm with ambitious growth plans in the A sia-Pacific region, supported by a top-tier global network of offices We structure our Graduate Program to meet both your short-term career goals and long-term aspirations You will work through three six-month rotations, taking into account your preferences, to fully equip you with the necessar y skills to become a skilled, globally commercial lawyer We also offer a guaranteed international seat as one of your rotations, in one of our A sia-Pacific or Middle East offices From day one, you will join our high-performing teams and work on fast-paced, cutting edge and complex multijurisdictional matters and disputes, experiencing the operational realities of cross-border law You will gain client exposure early on, as you handle substantive matters with first-rate guidance and super vision from leaders in their field

A s a truly global law firm, we provide our graduates with unique opportunities to work on international matters–both commercial and pro bono–with teams across our large global network of offices Our associates develop a global mentality, plus top legal skills, and build a network that will last a lifetime.

ANSWERING YOUR

W h e n a r e t h e c l e r k s h i p I n t a k e s ?

I n t a k e s f o r c l e r k s h i p s t a k e p l a c e i n e i t h e r s u m m e r o r w i n t e r a n d r u n f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y t h r e e t o f o u r

w e e k s . T h e a c t u a l d a t e s w i l l d i f f e r f r o m f i r m t o f i r m , h o w e v e r g e n e r a l l y s p e a k i n g t h e d a t e s a r e a s f o l l o w s :

S u m m e r 1 i n t a k e : N o v e m b e r t o D e c e m b e r

S u m m e r 2 i n t a k e : J a n u a r y t o F e b r u a r y

W i n t e r i n t a k e : J u n e t o J u l y

U s u a l l y w h e n t h e a p p l i c a n t g e t s t h r o u g h t o t h e i n t e r v i e w s t a g e , t h e f i r m w i l l a s k t h e a p p l i c a n t w h a t

t h e i r p r e f e r e n c e s a r e r e g a r d i n g t h e d i f f e r e n t i n t a k e s t h e f i r m o f f e r s

W h i c h i n t a k e i s t h e b e s t ?

T h e a n s w e r h e r e i s s u b j e c t i v e , u l t i m a t e l y t h e a i m o f a c l e r k s h i p i s t o m a k e a g o o d i m p r e s s i o n s o a s t o

b e r e m e m b e r e d a n d c h o s e n f o r a g r a d u a t e r o l e C o n s e q u e n t l y , w h e t h e r y o u c h o o s e a s u m m e r o r

w i n t e r i n t a k e , y o u w i l l b e s u b j e c t t o t h e s a m e s t a n d a r d o f a s s e s s m e n t . H o w e v e r , t h e r e a r e s o m e

p r a c t i c a l d i f f e r e n c e s t h a t m a y b e w o r t h t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t :

T h e f i r s t s u m m e r i n t a k e c a n b e m o r e f u n a n d f e s t i v e g i v e n t h a t t h e f i r m t y p i c a l l y e n g a g e s i n

C h r i s t m a s / h o l i d a y f e s t i v i t i e s l i k e C h r i s t m a s p a r t i e s a n d l u n c h e s a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y y o u m a y h a v e a n

e a s i e r t i m e s o c i a l i s i n g w i t h p e o p l e a t t h e f i r m d u r i n g t h i s t i m e

W i t h t h e f i r s t s u m m e r i n t a k e , o n c e i t i s f i n a l i s e d , y o u o u g h t t o d o l i t t l e t h i n g s t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r

( u p a n d u n t i l g r a d u a t e a p p l i c a t i o n s ) t o r e m a i n r e m e m b e r e d , f o r i n s t a n c e h a v i n g r e g u l a r c o f f e e s o r

c a t c h - u p s w i t h t h e p e o p l e o f t h e i r f i r m .

R e g a r d i n g t h e s e c o n d s u m m e r i n t a k e , t h e f i r m w i l l u s u a l l y b e l e s s b u s y w h e n i t c o m e s t o w o r k

( c o m p a r e d w i t h f i r s t s u m m e r i n t a k e a n d t h e w i n t e r i n t a k e ) , t h i s i s b e c a u s e a l o t o f t h e l e g a l w o r l d

g o e s i n t o h i b e r n a t i o n u n t i l l a t e J a n u a r y . F u r t h e r , y o u w i l l f i n d t h a t s o m e P a r t n e r s a n d S e n i o r

A s s o c i a t e s w i l l b e o n h o l i d a y w i t h f a m i l y f o r s o m e o f t h e t i m e i n w h i c h y o u a r e c l e r k i n g

S o m e c l a i m t h a t t h e w i n t e r i n t a k e i s m o r e b e n e f i c i a l b e c a u s e i t i s p r i o r t o s u b m i s s i o n o f g r a d u a t e

a p p l i c a t i o n s a n d t h e r e f o r e y o u r i m p r e s s i o n i s l i k e l y t o b e t h e m o s t r e c e n t i m p r e s s i o n l e f t o n t h e f i r m .

P e o p l e w h o a r e f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o a c c e p t t h r e e c l e r k s h i p o f f e r s , m a y w a n t t o p l a c e t h e i r

f a v o u r i t e f i r m i n t h e w i n t e r i n t a k e a n d i n t u r n u s e t h e p r e c e d i n g t w o o f f e r s d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r i n t a k e s a s p r a c t i c e s t h a t w i l l b e s t p r e p a r e t h e m f o r t h e i r f i n a l w i n t e r i n t a k e .

U l t i m a t e l y , t h e r e i s n o b e s t p r a c t i c e , b o t h s u m m e r a n d w i n t e r i n t a k e s h a v e t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e a d v a n t a g e s a n d d i s a d v a n t a g e s

W h a t d o e s t h e t y p i c a l c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s e n t a i l ?

W h e n a p p

l y i n g f o r a c l e r k s h i p , y o u w i l l f i n d t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s i s b r o a d l y s i m i l a r a c r o s s a l l t h e

f i r m s , b u t t h i s i s s u b j e c t t o s o m e s m a l l e x c e p t i o n s T h e t y p i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s i s o u t l i n e d a s

f o l l o w s :

C o m p l e t i n g t h e a c t u a l a p p l i c a t i o n

M o s t l a w f i r m s ( i f n o t a l l ) r e q u i r e y o u t o s u b m i t a r e s u m e , c o v e r l e t t e r , o f f i c i a l t r a n s c r i p t , a n d

p e r s o n a l i s e d r e s p o n s e s t o q u e s t i o n s t h a t a r e d e s i g n e d t o e l a b o r a t e m o r e a b o u t y o u , y o u r

a c h i e v e m e n t s , s t r e n g t h s , a n d k n o w l e d g e o f t h e f i r m

W h e r e t h e v a r i a t i o n s c a n o c c u r i s t h a t s o m e f i r m s d i s p e n s e w i t h a c o v e r l e t t e r a n d r e q u i r e y o u t o

i n s t e a d s u b m i t r e s p o n s e s t o t h e q u e s t i o n s a s k e d . T h i s i s b e c a u s e t h e q u e s t i o n s a s k e d t y p i c a l l y r e q u i r e

r e s p o n s e s t h a t y o u w o u l d o t h e r w i s e p u t i n y o u r c o v e r l e t t e r F o r H R , t h i s m e t h o d c a n b e s e e n a s a

m o r e e f f i c i e n t a n d e f f e c t i v e m e t h o d o f d i s c o v e r i n g w h o y o u a r e a s a n a p p l i c a n t .

C o m p l e t i n g t h e p s y c h o m e t r i c / a p t i t u d e t e s t i n g p r o c e s s

O n c e y o u h a v e s u b m i t t e d y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n a n d a s s u m i n g y o u p r o g r e s s t h r o u g h t o t h e n e x t s t a g e , s o m e

f i r m s r e q u i r e y o u t o u n d e r t a k e p s y c h o m e t r i c a n d a p t i t u d e t e s t i n g H o w e v e r , s o m e f i r m s p u t t h e

p s y c h o m e t r i c / a p t i t u d e t e s t i n g c o m p o n e n t a s p a r t o f t h e f i r s t s t a g e ( i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e a c t u a l

a p p l i c a t i o n ) .

P s y c h o m e t r i c t e s t i n g i s a s e r i e s o f q u e s t i o n s t h a t a r e d e s i g n e d t o c a p t u r e y o u r p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s a n d

o v e r a l l e m o t i o n a l i n t e l l i g e n c e W h i l e a p t i t u d e t e s t i n g a i m s t o m e a s u r e o n e ’ s a b i l i t y t o r e c o g n i s e

p a t t e r n s , a b i l i t y t o w o r k o u t n u m e r i c a l p r o b l e m s , a n d o n e ’ s r e a d i n g a n d w r i t i n g a c u m e n .

I n t e r v i e w S t a g e

A f t e r c o m p l e t i n g t h e a p p l i c a t i o n a n d p s y c h o m e t r i c / a p t i t u d e s t a g e , t h e n t h e a p p l i c a n t w i l l p r o g r e s s

t h r o u g h t o t h e i n t e r v i e w s t a g e T h i s s t a g e t y p i c a l l y t a k e s t h e f o r m o f a f a c e t o f a c e i n t e r v i e w b e t w e e n

t h e a p p l i c a n t w i t h o n e o r m o r e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m t h e f i r m . T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e f i r m m a y

i n c l u d e H R , a S e n i o r A s s o c i a t e , o r e v e n a P a r t n e r o f t h e f i r m

S o m e f i r m s w i l l h a v e m o r e t h a n o n e i n t e r v i e w s t a g e a n d s o m e f i r m s e m p l o y t h e u s e o f a o n e - w a y v i d e o i n t e r v i e w p l a t f o r m T h i s t y p e o f i n t e r v i e w i s c o n d u c t e d o n y o u r c o m p u t e r , w h e r e y o u a r e a s k e d

q u e s t i o n s a n d y o u v i d e o r e c o r d y o u r r e s p o n s e s t o t h o s e q u e s t i o n s v i a t h e r e l e v a n t c o m p u t e r p r o g r a m b e i n g u s e d b y t h a t f i r m T h e s e v i d e o i n t e r v i e w s t e n d t o b e a p r e r e q u i s i t e t o a r e a l f a c e t o f a c e i n t e r v i e w . L a s t l y , t h e a p p l i c a n t s t h a t r e c e i v e a n i n t e r v i e w a r e u s u a l l y i n v i t e d t o a f i r m c o c k t a i l n i g h t , t h i s p r e s e n t s a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e a p p l i c a n t s ( w h o a r e a b o u t t o u n d e r t a k e a n i n t e r v i e w ) t o g e t t o k n o w t h e

f i r m o n a m o r e p e r s o n a l l e v e l T h e y w i l l b e a b l e t o m i n g l e w i t h v a r i o u s P a r t n e r s , S e n i o r A s s o c i a t e s ,

A s s o c i a t e s , a n d g r a d u a t e s o f t h e f i r m . T h i s i s a l s o a n o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e a p p l i c a n t t o m a k e a l a s t i n g i m p r e s s i o n o n t h e f i r m p r i o r t o t h e i n t e r v i e w

W h a t h a p p e n s o n o f f e r d a y ?

O f f e r d a y w i l l o c c u r o n T h u r s d a y 1 6 O c t o b e r 2 0 2 5 F o r t h e a p p l i c a n t s t h a t m a d e i t t h r o u g h e v e r y s t a g e

o f t h e c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s , o f f e r d a y i s w h e n t h e f i r m s w i l l i n f o r m t h e a p p l i c a n t s o f w h e t h e r t h e y r e c e i v e d

a c l e r k s h i p o f f e r A t 1 0 a m , f i r m s w i l l p r o m p t l y m a k e f i r s t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e s u c c e s s f u l a p p l i c a n t s v i a e m a i l .

T h i s e m a i l i s f o l l o w e d b y a p h o n e c a l l f r o m t h e P a r t n e r , S e n i o r A s s o c i a t e , o r H R r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t h a t

i n t e r v i e w e d y o u . I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e L I V g u i d e l i n e s , t h e a p p l i c a n t d o e s n o t h a v e t o i m m e d i a t e l y

a c c e p t o r r e j e c t t h e o f f e r , t h e y m a y h o l d t h e o f f e r f o r a m i n i m u m o f f o u r h o u r s a s t h e a p p l i c a n t w o u l d

w a n t t o k n o w w h e t h e r t h e y w i l l r e c e i v e o f f e r s f r o m o t h e r f i r m s ( u n l e s s y o u h o l d m o r e t h a n f o u r o f f e r s ,

i n t h a t c a s e y o u c a n n o t h o l d t h e o f f e r s f o r m o r e t h a n t w o h o u r s )

A l s o , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e L I V g u i d e l i n e s , a n a p p l i c a n t m a y a c c e p t a m a x i m u m o f t h r e e c l e r k s h i p

o f f e r s , h e n c e i t i s s t r o n g l y a d v i s e d t h a t p r i o r t o o f f e r d a y , y o u p r i o r i t i s e w h a t o f f e r s y o u w o u l d a c c e p t

T h e a p p l i c a n t s w h o w e r e n o t g i v e n a n o f f e r w i l l b e i n f o r m e d o f t h i s f a c t e i t h e r b y t h e e n d o f o f f e r d a y o r

s o m e t i m e t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y . T h i s i s t y p i c a l l y d o n e v i a e m a i l .

W h a t i f I d o n o t g e t a c l e r k s h i p ?

I f y o u d o n o t g e t a c l e r k s h i p , t h e f i r s t t h i n g t o r e a l i s e i s t h a t i t i s n o t t h e e n d o f t h e w o r l d . A c l e r k s h i p i s

n o t t h e r e q u i s i t e m a g i c a l k e y t h a t u n l o c k s t h e d o o r t o a s u c c e s s f u l l a w c a r e e r A s s u m i n g t h a t y o u w a n t

a c o m m e r c i a l l a w c a r e e r i n o n e o f t h o s e f i r m s , t h e r e w i l l a l w a y s b e a n o t h e r a v e n u e t h a t a l l o w s y o u t o

m e e t t h a t d r e a m I n l i g h t o f t h i s , y o u s h o u l d b e a w a r e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g a l t e r n a t i v e p a t h w a y s t h a t c a n b e

t a k e n T h e r e i s n o t h i n g w r o n g w i t h a p p l y i n g f o r c l e r k s h i p s a s e c o n d t i m e , a s e x p l a i n e d a b o v e , l a w f i r m s

w i l l a c c e p t a p p l i c a t i o n s f r o m s t u d e n t s i n t h e i r l a s t y e a r , t h i s i s n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y h a v e

a l r e a d y a p p l i e d t h e y e a r b e f o r e I t i s r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t i f y o u t r y a g a i n , y o u s h o u l d h a v e a n

u n d e r s t a n d i n g a s t o y o u r w e a k n e s s i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n p r o c e s s , s o t h a t y o u c a n a i m t o r e c t i f y t h o s e

w e a k n e s s e s w h e n y o u a p p l y a g a i n

L a w f i r m s d o f a c i l i t a t e o p e n m a r k e t o f f e r s . T h e s e a r e g r a d u a t e o f f e r s m a d e t o a p p l i c a n t s i n t h e o p e n m a r k e t , t h a t i s l a w s t u d e n t s w h o h a v e n o t c o m p l e t e d a c l e r k s h i p a t t h a t f i r m i n t h e y e a r p r i o r t o t h e i r

g r a d u a t e y e a r . N o t e v e r y l a w f i r m d o e s t h i s a n d i t a l s o m a y b e s u b j e c t t o t h e d e m a n d f o r l a w g r a d u a t e s

v e r s u s t h e s u p p l y o f s u c c e s s f u l c l e r k s H e n c e , i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o f i n d o u t w h i c h l a w f i r m s a r e o f f e r i n g a n o p e n m a r k e t o f f e r i n t h a t y e a r . T o h a v e a s u c c e s s f u l c a r e e r i n c o m m e r c i a l l a w , y o u d o n o t n e e d t o s t a r t i n a t o p t i e r l a w f i r m , I w o u l d r e c o m m e n d t r y i n g y o u r h a n d a t a b o u t i q u e c o m m e r c i a l l a w f i r m o r e v e n a t a g o v e r n m e n t i n s t i t u t i o n l i k e A S I C o r t h e A C C C T h i s i s b e c a u s e o n c e y o u l o o k b e y o n d y o u r g r a d u a t e y e a r , l a w f i r m s ( e s p e c i a l l y t o p t i e r l a w f i r m s ) d o n o t n e c e s s a r i l y l o o k f o r t h e b e s t t r a n s c r i p t .

W h o t y p i c a l l y c a n a p p l y f o r c l e r k s h i p ?

L a w f i r m s a n d a c c o u n t i n g f i r m s t y p i c a l l y p r e f e r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r s t u d e n t s ( s t u d e n t s i n t h e i r s e c o n d l a s t

y e a r o f l a w s c h o o l ) , t h i s i s b e c a u s e t h e c l e r k s h i p f o r a l o t o f f i r m s c a n b e a g o o d p r e - r e q u i s i t e t o t h e

o f f e r i n g o f g r a d u a t e r o l e s . C o n s e q u e n t l y , o n c e y o u h a v e f i n i s h e d y o u r c l e r k s h i p , i t i s d e s i r a b l e t h a t t h e

f o l l o w i n g y e a r ( 2 0 2 6 ) , y o u a r e c o m p l e t i n g y o u r l a s t y e a r a n d c a n t h e r e f o r e s t a t e a g r a d u a t e r o l e b y

2 0 2 7 .

I s i t m a n d a t o r y t h a t y o u b e i n y o u r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r t o a p p l y f o r a c l e r k s h i p ?

N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g t h e a b o v e , i t i s n o t m a n d a t o r y t h a t y o u b e i n y o u r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r I t i s n o t

u n c o m m o n t h a t a p p l i c a n t s w h o h a v e a p p l i e d i n o n e y e a r , a p p l y a g a i n f o r a n o t h e r y e a r , t h i s c a n b e d u e

t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l w a s u n s u c c e s s f u l i n t h e p r e c e d i n g y e a r T y p i c a l l y , i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n

p r o c e s s l a w f i r m s w i l l a s k y o u w h e t h e r y o u a r e i n y o u r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r ( a n d w h e n y o u a i m t o

g r a d u a t e ) , h e n c e l a w f i r m s d o e x p e c t t h a t n o t a l l o f t h e i r c l e r k s w i l l b e i n t h e i r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r .

H o w e v e r , m o s t l a w f i r m s w i l l e x p e c t t h a t i f y o u a r e n o t i n y o u r p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r , y o u w i l l c e r t a i n l y b e i n

y o u r f i n a l y e a r ( a s o p p o s e d t o b e i n g i n y o u r p r e - p e n u l t i m a t e y e a r ) .

I s t h e r e a n o p t i m a l t i m e t o h a v e s u b m i t t e d y o u r c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n ?

T h e s h o r t a n s w e r i s n o , a l l l a w f i r m s w i l l r e v i e w a n d g i v e e q u a l w e i g h t i n g t o a l l c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n s

t h a t a r e s u b m i t t e d w i t h i n t h e r e q u i r e d d a t e s ( o u t l i n e d b y t h e l a w f i r m ) H e n c e , s u b m i t t i n g y o u r

a p p l i c a t i o n i n t h e f i r s t w e e k o f a p p l i c a t i o n s w i l l n o t g i v e y o u a n a d v a n t a g e o v e r t h e p e r s o n w h o

s u b m i t s t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n i n t h e s e c o n d w e e k ( a n d v i c e v e r s a ) N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g w h a t h a s b e e n s a i d , i t i s

g e n e r a l l y u n w i s e t o s u b m i t y o u r a p p l i c a t i o n i n t h e l a s t c o u p l e o f d a y s i n w h i c h i t i s d u e , t h i s i s b e c a u s e

y o u w i l l n o t h a v e e n o u g h t i m e t o p r e p a r e f o r l a s t - m i n u t e p r o b l e m s t h a t m a y a r i s e s u c h a s t h e c r a s h i n g

o f s e r v e r s

H o w i m p o r t a n t i s t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s W A M / G P A ? I s t h e r e a m i n i m u m W A M / G P A ?

D i f f e r e n t f i r m s a r e g o i n g t o p l a c e v a r y i n g e m p h a s i s o n t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s W A M / G P A , h e n c e i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o m a k e a b l a n k e t s t a t e m e n t t h a t p i n p o i n t s t h e d e g r e e t o w h i c h t h e W A M / G P A i s i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e

c l e r k s h i p p r o c e s s T h e b a d n e w s i s t h a t t h e l e g a l i n d u s t r y a n d i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e c o m m e r c i a l l e g a l

i n d u s t r y i s v e r y c o m p e t i t i v e , t h e r e f o r e w e w o u l d b e l y i n g t o o u r s e l v e s i f w e s a i d t h a t t h e W A M / G P A i s n o t t h e o n l y f a c t o r t h a t i s l o o k e d a t f o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h e c l e r k s h i p a p p l i c a t i o n I n m y o w n p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e I k n o w p e o p l e w i t h H D a v e r a g e s w h o h a d f a i l e d t o s e c u r e a c l e r k s h i p o r a t t h e v e r y l e a s t , t h e y s t r u g g l e d t o g e t m a n y i n t e r v i e w s T h i s i s b e c a u s e f i r m s w a n t t o k n o w t h a t t h e y a r e n o t h i r i n g

p e o p l e t h a t a r e o n e d i m e n s i o n a l ( t h a t i s , o n l y g o o d a t a c a d e m i c s ) , f i r m s w a n t t o s e e t h a t y o u a r e c a p a b l e o f j u g g l i n g u n i v e r s i t y w i t h j o b s ( l e g a l o r o t h e r ) , v o l u n t e e r i n g a n d o t h e r e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r

a c t i v i t i e s , a b o v e a l l , f i r m s w a n t t o k n o w t h e y a r e h i r i n g s o m e o n e w h o i s h u m a n W h i l e f i r m s w i l l n o t

a c c e p t a p p l i c a n t s w i t h a p o o r a c a d e m i c a v e r a g e , o n e c a n n o t p l a c e a s p e c i f i c c u t o f f p o i n t k n o w i n g t h a t

o t h e r v a r i a b l e s a r e a t p l a y , l i k e t h e f i r m ’ s p s y c h o m e t r i c / a p t i t u d e t e s t i n g ( i f a n y ) a n d t h e a p p l i c a n t ’ s

o t h e r s t r e n g t h s t h a t t h e y c a n p r e s e n t i n t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n .

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2025 Seasonal Clerkship Guide

DEAKIN LAW STUDENTS’ SOCIETY

Acknowledgment of Country

PUBLISHED BY DEAKIN LAW STUDENTS' SOCIETY

FIRM INSIGHTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FIRM PROFILES

F I R M

P E R I O D S

F I R M

P E R I O D S

C L E R K S H I P S

PROGRESSING FROM

STRAIGHT FROM STUDENTS...

Orgranisation

RE: APPLICATION FOR SEASONAL CLERKSHIP 2024/2025 - SAMPLE COVER LETTER ONLY

S A M P L E C V

S

J o h n A d a m s

WORK EXPERIENCE

S

VOLUNTEERING/EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

STRAIGHT FROM LAWYERS...

Shape the future with Allens

A Day in the Life of a B&F Law Graduate

A MESSAGE FROM ABL LAWYERS AND ADVISERS

A typical day

Enjoy your time

Be curious

Be yourself

A little about us

Why employment law?

A Collaborative & Supportive Culture

WHAT SKI LLS I S KWM

LOOKI NG FOR I N A SUCCESSFUL CLERK?

THE APPLICCATION PROCESS

Insight into an international secondment Norton Rose Fullbright

CLERKSHIPS, GRADUATE ROLES & MORE...

Sustainability

Flat Hierarchy:

Corporate Social Responsibility:

Innovation:

Getting set up at KHQ

ANSWERING YOUR

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