2020 UNSW Law Society Private Law Careers Guide

PR IVAT E L AW CA R E E R S GU I DE

2020

UNSW Law Society

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Acknowledgements Co-Presidents Justin Song Sophie Berton Vice-President (Private Law Careers) Lilian Wan

Private Law Careers Publications Directors Joshua Chin Guy Suttner International Private Law Careers Director

Vice President (International)

Harry Zheng Philip Chen

Chelsea Wu

Domestic Sponsorship

Vice-President (Administration) Utkarsh Chanana Tarun Mahajan

International Sponsorship

Private Law Careers Directors

Tony Wu

Adarsh Jeggannagari Annabelle Lee Maria Bletsas Rachana Shastri Caitlin Yan Herbert Sa

Contributors

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Nikita Harlkaka Mariam Jaber Natasha Hartanto Johnson Man

Preface The Private Law Careers team is proud to present the 2020 Private Law Careers Guide. We hope this guide will be a useful window into what a career in private practice might look like. For students in their penultimate year, we wish you the best of luck in your clerkship applications and hope this guide can be of some use in finding the path and firm that best suits you. On behalf of the UNSW Law Society, we would also like to offer our thanks to our sponsors for their continued support.

Guy Suttner and Joshua Chin Private Law Careers Publications Directors, 2020

This Student Club publication is proudly supported by Arc. Š 2020 UNSW Law Society Inc. This publication is copyright. Except where permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part of this publication may be reproduced or stored by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the UNSW Law Society Inc. DISCLAIMER The articles and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the UNSW Law Society Inc., the editors, or those of the UNSW Faculty of Law. Although the editor and authors have taken every care in preparing and writing the guide, they expressly disclaim and accept no liability for any errors, omissions, misuse or misunderstandings on the part of any person who use or relies upon it. The editor, author and the UNSW Law Society Inc. accept no responsibility for any damage, injury or loss occasioned to any person or entity, whether law student or otherwise, as a result of a person relying, wholly or in part, on any material included, omitted or implied in this publication.

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Our Sponsors This guide would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors Allen & Overy Allens Arnold Bloch Leibler Ashurst Baker McKenzie Bird & Bird Clifford Chance Clayton Utz Corrs Chambers Westgarth Gilbert + Tobin Hall & Wilcox Herbert Smith Freehills Jones Day K&L Gates King & Wood Mallesons Lander & Rogers Maddocks Norton Rose Fulbright MinterEllison Thomson Geer White & Case 4

Table of Contents A Message from the Dean A Message from the Manager of the Careers Service A Message from the Presidents A Message from the Vice-President (Private Law Careers)

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The Private Sector 14 The Private Law Landscape 16 Areas of Practice 18 Qualifying to Practice in Australia 20 The Application Process 22 Overview of the Application Process 23 The Cover Letter 24 The CV 28 CVMail 30 The Selection Criteria 31 The Interview 32 Commercial Awareness 36 Mental Wellbeing 37 Clerkships and Trimester Enrolments Explained

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Domestic Law Firms 40 Allen & Overy 43 Allens 48 Arnold Bloch Leibler 53 Ashurst 55 Baker Mackenzie 60 Bird & Bird 62 Clifford Chance 64 Clayton Utz 66 Corrs Chambers Westgarth 71 Gilbert + Tobin 76 Herbet Smith Freehills 81 K&L Gates 86 King & Wood Mallesons 88 Jones Day 93 Lander & Rogers 96 Maddocks 99 MinterEllison 101 Norton Rose Fulbright 104 Thomson Geer 106 White & Case 108 International Law Firms 110 International Admission Requirements: 112 Hong Kong 113 China 117 United States of America 118 United Kingdom 119 Singapore 121 International Firm Profiles: 122 Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Hong Kong) 123 White & Case (Hong Kong) 125 Testimonials 126 Alumni 128 Students 130

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ME SSAGE FRO starting place for many a legal career. And while partnership is the goal some of you may aspire to, other opportunities will beckon along the way; the Bar, government and community sector, in-house commercial roles to name a few. You must be prepared for, and ready to nimbly embrace change, both within your role and into the future as your personal occupational goals change.

Professor George Williams AO

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s we move into 2020 the law continues to be an exciting place to be in. The accelerating technological change which I alluded to last year continues to move forward in leaps and bounds. Legal technology spend continues to increase, turning disruption into opportunity. Consequently, you will graduate into a private sector where firms will be increasingly more innovative and business models have changed.

Private sector practice has long been the

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Some of this change is driven by corporations becoming more sophisticated in their legal service procurement. Another result of this change is that more corporations are retaining in-house counsel and the role of the in-house lawyer has developed to include company secretarial, compliance and risk.

In response, UNSW Law Careers is partnering with the ACC (The Association of Corporate Counsel) Australia to create new opportunities for in-house clerkships as inhouse counsel are seeing the value of clerkships which have generally been the purview of traditional law firms.

In-house teams are increasingly subcontracting to specialised boutiques, alternative legal services businesses and barristers. Boutique practices offering expertise in niche practice areas – for example, employment, construction, tax, intellectual property – now also offer a quality employment option in the private sector.

OM TH E DEAN The past decade has seen the entry of a host of international firms offering quality, cross-border work and opportunities for employment in overseas offices. Simultaneously, we have also seen the expansion of key, midsize firms which have gone on to establish a national presence, impressive client bases and reputations for quality and professionalism. Similarly, the entry of law firms attached to the professional services firms – such as PwC Legal, Deloitte Legal, KPMG Law and EY Law – attract an excellent mix of referral work and offer mentoring by partners drawn from the major firms.

The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry’s focus on greater consumer protections, increased penalties for law breakers and expanded enforcement powers for regulators has led to a rise in the need for regulatory advice in the financial sector. This has resulted in an increased demand for regulatory lawyers across areas of compliance, governance and data privacy. The report also emphasised the key principles of good governance and responsibilities of the Board being provided with the right flow of information to discharge their duties.

NewLaw, the start-ups of the legal world, come in a variety of models. They are an exciting, ongoing development in the private practice space, often offering greater flexibility, autonomy and work-life balance. They are

often niche businesses blending technology with process-driven solutions and pricing strategies.

NewLaw firms range from secondment models, legal process outsourcers, on-line lawyer registries or quoting services, tech-driven businesses through to full-service law firms that prioritise flexible arrangements and innovative pricing. Over the next few years we will see the ‘un-bundling’ of some legal services.

The emphasis at UNSW Law on experiential and international learning in the LLB and JD programs is heavily influenced by advice from employers. Academic achievement is not the sole determinant for employment.

The law graduate who stands out can think critically and solve problems, communicates effectively and works collaboratively. Private practice employers will seek out the candidate who brings both breadth of experience and character. So, take advantage of what’s on offer in the Law School and, more generally, at university and in the community.

UNSW Law is committed to helping students chart their unique career course. We have a dedicated Law Careers Service to help our students best position themselves to secure a rewarding job at the end of their studies.

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Me s sag e fr o m T he Siobhan Ryan

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he Law Careers Service at the UNSW Law School exists to optimise your chances of finding and securing a fulfilling job. We believe that you should begin ‘forward planning’ your career the moment you commence your studies at UNSW Law to identify what type of legal role best suits your skills and personality rather than focussing only on traditional legal roles.

The Careers Service aims to provide you with resources and opportunities that improve your employability in the legal profession including advice on navigating the jobs market and how to put your best foot forward in terms of your resume, cover letter, on-line profile and interview skills.

We are here to support you in securing employment both while you are a student at UNSW and when you ultimately graduate.

We recommend that you read the UNSW Law Careers Service online resources online, including our E-book which brings together everything you need to know to forward plan your career: https://www.law.unsw.edu.au/students/ careers These are some of the specialised services we offer which complement UNSW Careers and Employment broader career services :

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One-on-one careers counselling appointments with our team advisor; A carefully tailored Jobs Board advertising a range of roles with employers as diverse as law firms, corporations, government, departments, not-for-profits, community organisations, the Bar and the Judiciary; Legal profession career resources such as detailed information about career pathways, Resume and cover letters; Yearly updated lists of oppurtunities for clerkships, graduate, corporate and public service roles.

2020 sees a continued rising trend in the number of immersion opportunities offered by commercial law firms. Firms are seeking to diversify their talent pool from the traditional hiring profile of Law/ Commerce; Law/Business students, to recruiting students with double degree combinations such as Law/Information Technology; Law/Science, amongst others.

Increasingly, international firms have established an Australian presence and are eager to offer a diverse range of internship programs – so make sure to keep an eye out for these firms, even if they are not on the Law Society of NSW list of firms participating in Legal Vitae. Check out the Law Careers updated work opportunity lists on the resources page.

In 2020 UNSW Law Careers Service will focus on expanding opportunities for in-house counsel clerkships which is a growing market for graduate roles and a new career pathway

e Car eer s S erv i c e which previously recruited lawyers with varying PQE. UNSW Law Careers service has partnered with the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) in 2020 to offer in-house counsel clerkships with 2 days training in-built to assist students to explore these legal/business career pathways and start their career. This is an excellent pathway to develop your commercial/legal skills in client-facing roles.

Again in 2020 we will be increasing awareness of public sector roles by expanding the ‘A Day in the Life Of Series’ whereby students visit public sector organisations for a

day to better understand the realities and rewards of what a career in the public service can offer.

Ranked 14th law school in the world, UNSW provides you with an exceptional educational foundation. We encourage you to use your Law Careers Service to explore the different pathways which your law degree can take you on. In 2020 UNSW Law Faculty is committed to supporting you with broader opportunities.

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Pre sidents

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Sophie Berton & Justin Song

n behalf of the UNSW Law Society, we would like to wish you all the best with your future careers, wherever they may lead you! We understand that the process of job-hunting can be a very daunting and tedious period.

Nevertheless, this is a stressful time for everyone, and you are not alone! To ease your burden, we have created this Careers Guide in hopes that it will provide some assistance to you throughout your journey.

This Guide is broken down into several key components, including a thorough overview of the application process. As a starting point, you should have an in-depth understanding of this outline, before you begin writing your application. Whether you’re in your first year or your final year,

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having sound knowledge of this information will prove to be extremely valuable, and we genuinely hope that all the information contained in this Guide will be of use to you.

To conclude, we would like to say our thanks to the Private Law Careers team for creating this Guide. Our Private Law Careers Vice-President, Lilian Wan, and her two Publications Directors, Joshua Chin and Guy Suttner, put in a great deal of effort to create this wonderful Guide, so we hope you enjoy it!

Good luck and best wishes!

V ice-Pre sident ( P ri vat e L aw C a re e rs) ing events and interviews moving into a virtual space. This Guide continues to be a valuable starting point for penultimate students making major decisions about their future career paths.

While the clerkship application process can be a challenging time for penultimate students, it is also an excellent opportunity for students to meet legal professionals and learn more about the legal industry. It is an exciting chance to consider how your skill sets and values may fit into the cultures of different firms. Clerkships offer a truly unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the culture of a firm and develop enriching professional relationships.

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Lilian Wan

s Vice-President (Private Law Careers), it is with great pleasure that I welcome readers to a new decade and the 2020 edition of the Private Law Careers Guide! This publication provides an excellent overview of opportunities within domestic and international commercial law firms, and it outlines advice and resources that will assist students applying for clerkships and other opportunities within private law.

This year the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of our lives greatly. It is a challenging time, and it is more important than ever to ensure that we equip our student community with digital resources like this Careers Guide and support them in their career goals.

COVID-19 has affected every single industry, including the legal industry. It is likely to also impact recruitment processes, with network-

I am grateful to all of our sponsors for their incredible support to the Law Society and its students. Their support has given us the opportunity to run so many of our wonderful initiatives which aim to develop students personally and professionally. I am very proud of the way the Private Law Careers portfolio has navigated the challenges caused by COVID-19 and I am grateful for our team’s enthusiasm in redesigning events for the digital space. I would also like to thank Guy and Josh, our publications directors, for the incredible effort that they have devoted to creating this Guide. Finally, thank you to the co-presidents, Sophie Berton and Justin Song, who have offered their support throughout this year. I am also grateful to our student and alumni contributors who have shared their own professional experiences with us.

Clerkships provide just one pathway into a legal career – remember to explore all avenues. I wish the best of luck to everyone applying for clerkships and other corporate law opportunities!

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Vice-Pre si dent ( I n t e r n at i o n al ) you some insights into the global opportunities ahead of you, and offer some perspectives into what it’s like to work cross-border and cross-jurisdictionally.

Whilst this guide focuses on career opportunities in Hong Kong, a global economic and legal services hub situated within the Chinese Greater Bay Area, the firms included in this guide are often global law firms with offices in other major cities.

Chelsea Wu

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he International Careers section in this Clerkship Guide gives you an overview of career opportunities beyond those in Australia. As our world becomes more connected, with businesses operating on a global scale, international legal career opportunities are increasingly available. The International Careers section of this guide aims to help students understand more about these opportunities and facilitate connection between students and international firms.

Due to the similarities that the Australian legal system shares with other common law jurisdictions, namely, Hong Kong, the U.K. and Singapore, an Australian law degree equips graduates with the skills they need to succeed internationally. In this guide, we aim to give

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Although the International Careers Fair (previously known as the Hong Kong Law Fair) cannot take place this year under the current pandemic, the participating firms have provided us with information regarding career opportunities in Asia.

However, if you are not planning to apply this year, be sure to check out the Fair in 2021!

Vacationer schemes are a great opportunity for penultimate and final year students to immerse themselves within the local working culture and lifestyle of the region of interest. Each firm is different, but there are usually 1-2 intakes throughout each year and each program lasts for 4 to 8 weeks in length. Some jurisdictions may require Australian graduates to meet conversion requirements in order to be admitted for practice. We have extracted admission requirements in 5 popular jurisdictions in this guide, so we highly recommend you to check early, do your own research on the firms and regions that you are interested in, and plan your degree progression accordingly! Finally, on behalf of the International Portfolio, we wish you the best of luck with your applications!

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the priva 14

ate sector 15

The private law landscape In-House Legal Counsel Larger corporations are increasingly expanding their own in-house legal teams who advise the business on legal matters concerning the company and its management. Now more than ever they have begun to take responsibility for the company’s corporate governance, compliance, and risk functions that may have been traditionally provided by a private law firm on retainer. In-house legal teams can now be found across a growing list of industries and sectors ranging from pharmaceutical, multimedia, construction, and infrastructure. Accordingly, lawyers working within inhouse teams may develop specialised knowledge of the particular industry in which the business operates. Previously, there were few opportunities to complete Practical Legal Training outside of private practice, hence lawyers wishing to obtain in-house legal counsel positions needed to qualify through private practice first. However, with the big four professional services now offering their own clerkship and graduate programs in law, the path to in-house legal counsel is more accessible.

The role of an in-house counsel differs from the role of a lawyer in a commercial law firm as you have sole responsibility towards one client, the business. Often, counsel is thought of as the corporation’s conscience. Within this role, lawyers must balance ethical considerations with their obligations to act in the best interests of the client. The role of counsel is to recognise and provide guidance towards the management of the company’s legal risks. In the role of counsel, you may also be required to provide commercial as well as legal advice to your client. In-house legal counsel is the integral communicating link between the corporation and any external lawyers since they possess a combination of legal and industry knowledge.

Larger City Law Firms National and international law firms offer a plethora of legal services across a range of practice areas.

A financial or commerce related degree is not required in order to enter into the commercial law sphere. As a lawyer working in a large commercial firm, you will interact with clients across a variety of industries. Although large law firms practice in a variety of sectors such as banking and finance, intellectual property, litigation, and corporate and commercial law, they are distinguished by specialised practices in certain sector areas. These firms may also practice sectors such as infrastructure, information technology, environmental law, competition law, and dispute resolution.

For many, starting in the litigation team of a commercial law firm can begin the path to becoming a barrister and taking the bar later on. Starting off at a law firm can also provide a foundation from which you can progress to a career in-house or into any commercial, strategic, and management roles. Lawyers working in multinational law firms or firms with strong partnerships are also often afforded the opportunity to work overseas on secondments.

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Clerkships Clerkships are an amazing opportunity for penultimate year law students to gain real work experience in a commercial law firm! They usually occur during the summer holidays, with limited clerkships also available during the winter break. During a clerkship, students are typically involved in working in multiple practice areas of the firm. Your first year as a graduate is often completed in conjunction with your Practical Legal Training (PLT) and obtaining your licence to practice.

This process will assist students to discover the areas of commercial law they are passionate about and gain in-depth experience related to these areas and aid them in specialising later on. Examples of practice groups student rotate through during the clerkship include, property, finance, intellectual property, and Corporate M&A. Overall, clerkships are an amazing opportunity for law students to gain some experience of working in a corporate organisation and maybe even a graduate position at the firm. The clerkship application process is competitive; see key dates above to get started on the process!

International Firms International law firms also offer clerkships but applications tend to close earlier in the year. If you are interested in applying for international firms, note the deadlines for applications and remember that some firms can recruit up to two years in advance.

2020 Clerkship Program - Key Dates Tuesday, 9 June 2020: Applications for summer clerkships open.

Sunday 5 and 12 July 2020: Applications for summer clerkships close Wednesday, 16 September 2020: Offers for summer clerkships can be made.

Friday, 18 September 2020: Offers for summer clerkships must be accepted or declined by 5.00pm.

For more information: https://www.lawsociety.com.au/legal-communities/ law-students/internship-program/clerkship-program

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Areas of practice While at law school students learn all areas of the legal system, as they advance in their career lawyers tend to specialise in certain areas. Just as doctors may become cardiologists or surgeons or endocrinologists, lawyers can choose from a rich variety of areas in which to practise. As a clerk, students will generally perform ‘rotations’ through 2-3 practice areas to gain an idea of where their interests lie. Similarly, as a graduate one would also perform a number of rotations which would then lead to then specialising in a certain area. Information about a number of common practice areas is outlined below. This list is by no means exhaustive.

Mergers & Acquisitions M&A deals with the process of companies combining with other companies, either as a partnership (a merger) or as an owner-subsidiary relationship (an acquisition). This process involves a huge amount of logistical effort, on both sides of the transaction. M&A lawyers’ roles are to facilitate this transition. This involves transactional work in drafting documents for due diligence, so both parties can fulfil their legal obligations. It would also involve drafting and negotiating new legal structures outlining the respective rights of each party in the new framework as well as how it affects each side’s respective shareholders/ owners. As M&A often occurs across national borders, lawyers in this area may have to work alongside international counterparts, creating a need for flexible working hours and an understanding of transnational legal frameworks.

Banking & Finance Banking and finance law is a diverse field dealing with a number of areas relevant to the operation and regulation of the financial system. While specialities exist, the common thread is drafting and negotiating agreements dealing with the borrowing and lending of money. Some example of this include: • Financial services regulation: legal work ensuring baking clients are compliant

with legislation regulating financial services • Asset finance: enabling the purchase, selling and operation of assets. This can

include a wide variety of goods such as ships, machinery or property • Project finance: facilitating the financing of public works and infrastructure, where

the borrowed amount are gradually paid back with revenue generated by the completed project Intellectual Property Intellectual property (IP) law is concerned with the rights of people who hold intangible assets, usually associated with inventive works such as technology or art. IP lawyers advise their clients to protect their rights in respect to four main types of property, trademarks, copyrights, patents and design law. IP lawyers engage in transactional work such as patent registration or licensing agreements, as well as litigious matters such as advising a client on how to approach infringements on intellectual property. IP law is rapidly evolving, with several leading cases being decided in past 15 years. This necessitates practitioners in this area to remain up-to-date with the most recent shifts.

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Competition and Consumer Law Competition and Consumer Law are two related areas of the law linked by their relation to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Competition law attempts to ensure that markets operate fairly and efficiently, with the aim of increasing competition and hence increasing outcomes for consumers.

The primary role for competition lawyers is advising clients on how to remain compliant with the act, primarily by avoiding anti-competitive conduct such as exclusive dealing or cartels. In cases where anti-competitive conduct is suspected, competition lawyers may have to assist clients in responding to any Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) investigations. This often occurs within the context of mergers or acquisitions, where the ACCC has to approve these transactions to ensure monopolistic structures are not formed. On the other hand, Australian Consumer Law (ACL) affords consumers protections under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth). Lawyers in this area must advise consumers regarding their legal rights under ACL as well as business to ensure they do not breach these rules and enforce strong consumer outcomes. Examples of this include product safety regulation, prohibition on misleading or deceptive advertising and unfair contract terms.

Employment Law Employment law governs the relationships between employers and employees. It includes a range of legal issues, such as renumeration, working conditions, dismissal, discrimination and industrial action.

Employment law is largely governed by the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). However, it covers a wide range of issues, ranging from the drafting of employment contracts, respective parties’ rights in relation to hiring, training and firing of employees, as well as the assistance in the resolution of workplace disputes.

Employment lawyers can work for a variety of stakeholders, from law firms to in-house counsels to unions.

Taxation Laws Taxation laws concerns tax regimes which generate funds from the economic activities of individuals and businesses to fund government programs. Taxation lawyers primarily engage in transactional work advising clients who include individuals, corporations and private groups, to minimise their tax burden.

This can relate to a variety of sources, such as personal income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax and corporate taxes. Tax lawyers can also be engaged to defend clients facing litigation brought by the Australian Taxation Office.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution Both dispute resolution and litigation are methods of resolving legal conflicts. These are ‘back-stops’ when relationships break down, which can be for any number of reasons from poorly drafted contracts to insufficient performance of obligations by one party. Dispute resolution attempts to resolve issues while avoiding the expense of going to court, and hence involves processes such as mediation or arbitration. When this fails, parties will often litigate and go to court to resolve impasses. Litigation lawyers must document evidence and provide relevant sections to the other party, a process known as discovery.

They must also hire Barristers to represent them in court, which involves a careful process of selecting the right advocate. Finally, settlement negotiations generally persist throughout litigation as both parties attempt to find an acceptable compromise and avoid the risk of a ruling which goes against them.

Litigation and dispute resolution aren’t so much related to an ‘area’ of the law as it is with a certain field within the law.

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Qualifying to Practice in Australia 20

New South Wales In New South Wales, a person is admitted as a Lawyer of the Supreme Court of NSW, and, once admitted, may practice as either a barrister (by obtaining a practising certificate through the NSW Bar Association), or as a solicitor (by obtaining a practicing certificate through the Law Society of NSW).

To become a solicitor in New South Wales you must meet the eligibility requirements for admission as detailed in sections 24 and 25 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW).

To be eligible for admission, an individual must be: • Over 18 years of age; and • Have completed the required academic and Practical Legal Training (PLT) requirements; and • Be a ‘fit and proper person’ (generally, this means that an individual is of good character. For more information, see section 9 of the Legal Profession Act 2004 (NSW).

Practical Legal Training Once you have completed your law degree, you must then undertake approved Practical Legal Training. The Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005 contains a list of accredited law degrees (Second Schedule) and Practical Legal Training course providers (Fourth Schedule).

In contrast to the broad theoretical knowledge gained at university, Practical Legal Training provides instructions on a wide range of tasks and procedures, such as: • Legal research • Fact and legal analysis • Problem solving • Legal writing and drafting • Interviewing and oral communication • Advising • Advocacy • Dispute resolution.

A course in PLT is available through the Professional Program at the College of Law, as well as through the ANU Legal Workshop. The Professional Program consists of three components: • Coursework Component: 15 weeks of full-time or 30 weeks of part-time study, offered via Distance Online or on-campus courses • Work Experience Component: consists of 75 working days and may be completed fulltime or part-time (at least two days a week) • Continuing Professional Education Component: consists of two self assessable parts being a workbook and seminars (accessible online).

Admission Criteria Having met the eligibility and suitability requirements for admission, to be eligible to practice as a solicitor in New South Wales you must be admitted to the profession in the Supreme Court of NSW (unless you have already been admitted in another jurisdiction within Australia). This is a one time only application.

Once your application for admission is approved you will need to attend the Supreme Court of NSW to: • Take and sign the Oath • Sign the Roll of Australian Lawyers • Receive your original Certificate of Admission Admission First-time applicants should apply for admission to the Supreme Court of NSW via the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB). Once you have completed your academic study and your Practical Legal Training, and satisfy the English Language Proficiency requirements (if applicable) you may make an application for admission using Form 10 of the Legal Profession Admission Rules 2005. Applications for admission must be accompanied by two character references in Form 3.

Practising Certificate Prior to admission, the LPAB provides a list of proposed admittees to the Law Society of New South Wales. The Law Society will send you a kit including an application form for a Practising Certificate. If you are intending to commence practice as a solicitor in New South Wales you will need to: • Complete the application form for a Practicing Certificate and send it, together with payment, to the Law Society Registry by the date specified.

• Attend an admission day at the Supreme Court of NSW to receive your original Certificate of Admission.

• Take your Certificate of Admission to the Law Society to receive your Practising Certificate.

Becoming a Barrister Barristers are lawyers who provide specialist services and advocacy skills to represent clients before courts and tribunals. They prepare court documents and advise clients about their legal problems and prospects of success in litigation. Barristers work on their own; they are not permitted to work in partnerships or in- corporations. They are usually briefed by a solicitor before commencing work.

Requirements For admission into the Bar, a person must: • Be admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of NSW (or in another state).

• Obtain a 75 pass mark for all three Bar exams (‘Ethics for barristers’, ‘Aspects of evidence’ and ‘Practice and procedure for barristers’), before commencing the Bar Practice Course. This is a condition precedent to undertaking the reading program.

• Complete the Reading Program, which involves a period of ‘reading’ for at least 12 months under the supervision of a barrister with not less than seven years’ standing. The program includes a month-long Bar Practice Course, which involves study of advanced advocacy and barrister-related skills.

• During the 11 months after completion of the course, other requirements are imposed: criminal reading and civil reading, participation in two advocacy workshops, and attendance at six extension sessions. For full time practice at the Bar, one must commence

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The Application process

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Application Process Firms seek well-rounded individuals with a diverse set of experiences. While academics are certainly pivotal, they are balanced against extracurricular activities and work experience.

University offers the opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities through societies, competitions or local community initatives. Firms regard unique qualities and experiences that can distinguish the applicant particularly valuable.

Having prior legal work experience such as working as a legal secretary, paralegal, or volunteering at a community legal centre is advantageous when applying for clerkships. However, firms also value non-legal work such as customer service and retail.

Clerkships are intended to provide students with practical involvement in corporate law and certain practice areas within that field. It is not necessary to have prior extensive and diversified legal experience, but some form of legal experience could be considered useful.

The Five-Step Process 1. Applying: Firms generally require a cover letter, CV and an official academic transcript to be submitted, along with the completion of an online questionnaire which is set by the firm.

There are three key ways to submit an application: through CVmail, through the firm website, and through the NSW Law Society ‘Student Application Form’. A majority of the firms use the first two methods.

2. First Round Interviews: You may be invited to partake in group or individual interviews, depending on the firm. You may be required to bring identifying documentation and an official copy of your academic transcript available form Student Central.

3. Second Round Interviews and Cocktail Evenings: These events allow you to meet firm representatives from senior management, or partners ofthe firm. Sometimes firms will also invite you to attend cocktail evenings to evaluate whether you would fit in with their firm culture. It is a two-way street; you assess the firm and they assess you.

4. Offers: Offers are sent out by firms. Firms will call applicants notifying them if they are succesful.

5. Replying to Offers: You have the choice of accepting or declining offers. Either way, be sure to respond to the HR representative with a thank you email/call, by way of courtesy.

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Cover Letter The cover letter is the first component of your application read by a prospective employer. You want it to be a short blurb about yourself that is enticing, interesting, and makes them want to meet you. In order to stand out, a candidate should exhibit their most impressive and relevant experiences on their cover letter. Your goal is to take your own experiences and tie them together in a way that meets the organisation’s aims and addresses the qualities of their ideal employee.

capacity to write persuasively and make clear points in correspondence.

A cover letter allows an employer to evaluate candidates when facing the “quantity problem”. Before commencing the application process, employers develop criteria for candidates. The good news for you is that this generally varies in small and discreet ways. All organisations are looking for people who have strong records of academia, leadership, responsibility and teamwork. It allows an employer to paint a picture of the candidate and cross-reference it with the application criteria.

b) Target your information to the employer – Conduct research about the organisation you’re applying to and cite your most relevant experience e.g. commercial experience should be preferenced in an application to a commercial organisation.

How can I best address the employer’s needs?

d) Attention to detail – Ensure there are no typos and that the information is correct; one typo can reduce your chances significantly as this is a highly competitive process. Read it aloud yourself to catch small mistakes, or ask a parent or friend to read over it.

There are three key questions on the employer’s mind as they reading your cover letter: Your cover letter should exhibit your skills, knowledge, and experiences in a way that demonstrates your competencies and how they might be relevant for the role.

1. Can you do the job?

Your cover letter should flaunt your skills, knowledge, and experiences in a way that demonstrates your competencies and how they might be relevant for the role.

2. Will you do the job?

You should also treat your cover letter as an opportunity to show you are dedicated, interested in the work itself and have the right mindset to succeed in the role and the organisation as a whole.

3. Will you fit in?

Take some words to describe how you will fit into the organisation’s culture. Throughout the cover letter you want to weave your values and goals into your experiences, demonstrating how these align with those of the firm. Remember, this is a display of written communication skills, demonstrating your

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a) Clarity of expression – make sure your sentences and paragraphs flow logically to demonstrate your qualities.

The language you use should be incisive. Flamboyant language should only be used if it is the most appropriate choice. Remember you only have one page and the employer shouldn’t have to dig for information. Use clean, minimalist formatting that is easy to read and follow.

c) Target your communication to your audience – Make sure the language and experiences in your letter are appropriate and relevant. Use the selection criteria to help you address this point.

e) Address the selection criteria and key requirements – This is essentially the marking criteria. Just as for an assignment make sure you are answering and addressing these elements.

How do I construct my cover letter?

1. Take stock – Before you start writing your cover letter, evaluate your past few years of law school. Think about some achievements you are particularly proud of and skills you have that may be transferable to the position you are applying for, specifically at the organisation(s) you have chose to apply to. Jot these ideas down in a list or a mind map. Alternatively, if you have an updated CV at hand, this will be a useful tool. This process is a good check for yourself.

2. Research – A cover letter can also demonstrate your research and analytical skills. Employers will be assessing how well you have researched the firm and the position, so if you’ve done this you’ll have an edge. Avoid relying

solely on the information on their website, go the extra mile and look for other sources like newspapers. Think back to the times you were asked to write case notes in law school. The website is the case in this scenario. You wouldn’t just summarise what’s in a case, but instead use it as a starting point to and find out more. The same applies to the firm website. You can also mention the name of anyone you have talked to from that firm, the nature of their work and why you’re specifically interested in that work. Because employers know that anyone can find their website, small efforts (such as looking at their major clients and their websites) might give you the advantage.

3. Get Writing – See the sample for more ideas. (a) Layout Cover letters should begin with your name in the upper right-hand corner, followed by your address, contact phone number, and email address. Next, insert the date on the left-hand side, followed by the name of the contact person, their position within the organisation, the name of the organisation, and the address of the organisation.

Always double check the organisation and HR’s name you are addressing the letter to! Begin the letter with Dear [name of the contact person], as it is best to avoid ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To Whom it May Concern’. These suggest that you have not bothered to ascertain the name of the relevant person. For graduate programs you can use ‘Dear Head of Recruitment’, but always try to find the name of the HR representative.

In the heading, state the name of the position for which you are applying for. (b) Paragraphs Briefly and clearly introduce yourself. Try to make your unique personality traits shine through as you write. Outline your university academic credentials e.g.

WAM, subjects you have performed well in and any awards or scholarships you have received.

Tell the organisation why it has grabbed your interest.

In particular, you should demonstrate researched knowledge of the organisation, such as its most prominent practice areas, its industry connections, its

reputation, any awards, and any recent newspaper articles related to the firm.

Outline your professional experiences and credentials, and the skills they have provided you with.

Try to subtly link these to the attributes the firm is seeking in a candidate. If possible, show the employer your personality by outlining a few of the more interesting extracurricular activities that can be found on your CV. Thank the organisation for considering your application, tell them you have attached a copy of your resume and transcript, and when you would be available for an interview. Provide your contact details (phone/email). State that you look forward to hearing from them!

Tips • Only use the sample cover letter as an inspiration and do not just copy it as everyone may access this guide.

• Have a distinctive style and a logically flowing cover letter. This will attract the employer’s attention, making them want to read your resume and meet you. Highlight your unique selling point whether it is speaking a second language or excellent mooting skills.

• Show, don’t tell. Steer clear from simply stating that you have ‘good communication skills’ or are a ‘diligent’ person. Instead, show you have these qualities through examples of experiences.

• Clearly demonstrate your values align with those of the firm you are applying for. You may want to state these specific values.

• Feel free to mention that you ‘achieved a distinction average’ or ‘topped the course in Contracts’ but only if this is relevant to the job. Remember, the employer already has a copy of your transcript and can see all your grades.

• Make sure you mention why you would be an asset for the firm and what you can do for them.

• Use resources such as UNSW Careers & Employment to check your cover letter and resume in detail.

• Use the full firm name, no abbreviations!

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SAMPLE Cover Letter 19 May 2020

Sally Gong M: 0450 123 456 E: s.gong@student.unsw.edu.au linkedin.com/sally-gong/

Donna Greggory Graduate Recruitment and Development Manager Pearson, Spector & Litt 155 Smith Place, Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Ms Greggory, Re: Application for 2020/21 Sydney Summer Clerkship I am currently in my penultimate year of a Bachelor of Commerce (International Business and Marketing)/Laws at the University of New South Wales (‘UNSW’). I am interested in a career in commercial law at a firm that offers an opportunity to interact with a diverse range of clients on an international scale.

I have a keen interest in commercial law, and I believe that I would be a good fit for Pearson, Specter & Litt. I am a highly motivated and dedicated individual, demonstrated through my excellent academic record, and I have developed a broad range of analytical skills through both of my degrees. Throughout my time at university, I have also been involved in a number of extracurricular activities, such as debating, where I learnt to work in a team and gained leadership skills through my term as Vice-President on the executive committee in 2018. I have also worked in a variety of environments, from retail roles to paralegal positions, which have honed my professional, communication and legal skills.

My attraction to Pearson, Spector & Litt began when I had the opportunity to visit your offices earlier this year. As an international business major, I was able to appreciate Spector & Litt’s focus on unique regional global deals and pro bono support provided to the United Nations in the Maldives and Myanmar. This demonstrated the firm’s ability to work across offices, particularly when providing support to a range of clients to deliver impactful results within emerging markets. Over the last few years, I have developed a strong passion to take my career abroad and believe that Pearson, Spector & Litt will provide me the invaluable opportunity to fulfil my career aspirations. Being fluent in over two languages and having an international mindset through my strategic consultancy work in Thailand over the last summer, I believe that I have developed

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strong practical skills that will prove to be an asset to the firm. Further to this, my strong performance in numerous competitions while representing UNSW and my 3-year executive commitment to both my law school and business school demonstrate my ability to innovate, collaborate and work within a team environment.

I have also come to strongly admire the firm’s commitment to world leading technology companies and its ability to invest heavily in emerging fintech. Pearson, Spector & Litt’s recent advice on WiseTech IPO on the ASX led by Rachel Zane demonstrates the firm’s active involvement in technology practices globally, a growing practice within global markets. My dedication and passion in engaging with disruptive thinking mirrors the approach of change and improvement, a point of conversation discussed with intellectual property lawyer Mike Ross on the night of my firm visit. Over the last year, I have been an active policy research assistant with FinTech Australia, a grassroots organisation with a strong commitment to disruptive innovation and legal technology within financial services. As part of my work, I have been able to help lead research into Australian FinTech expansion, including Open Banking and Consumer Data Right legislation.

Whilst pursuing my education at UNSW, I have been able to enhance my leadership ability through my substantial involvement in legal competitions, university societies and part time legal work. I have continued to demonstrate significant improvements as a well-rounded individual through my unique and broad experience in legal research, legal technology and consultancy. I believe that working at Pearson, Spector & Litt will provide me with an unparalleled opportunity to establish a rewarding career in commercial law. I look forward to meeting in person to discuss this opportunity further.

Yours Sincerely, Sally Gong Notes: • •

This cover letter is quite long. Please note that some firms impose a one-page limit or 500-word cap on their resumes.

This is a sample that covers a broad range of topics or interests to demonstrate how students can potentially engage with a firm. You may wish to condense this into a more digestible format for some firms, depending on their preference. If you believe that you are not able to cover as much detail in a one-page cover letter, you are able to push the boundary, albeit it being a bit of a risk. Important things to consider when it comes to length include the readability of your cover letter, the language used and style.

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SAMPLE CV Timothy Osbourne

42 Shell Street, Maroubra NSW 2035 M: 0432 144 144 E: t.osbourne@gmail.com

EDUCATION

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing)  Weighted Average Mark: 77.8  Weighted Average Mark in Law: 75.08  UNSW Ambassador, New Colombo Plan Grant 2019 (Thailand)

Randwick Boys High School   

ATAR: 97.85 House Captain 2013 Sports Captain 2014

2015 – Present

2009 – 2014

ACHIEVEMENTS     

Negotiations, Australian Law Students Association National Competition (Melbourne), 2019.

Best Delegate, UNSW Model UN (Thailand), 2019.

Finalist, Senior Witness Examination Competition, 2018.

Runner Up, Intermediate Negotiations Competition, 2018.

Finalist, UNSW Law Hackathon, 2017.

EMPLOYMENT PARALEGAL

Kingsford Legal Centre

Mar 2017 – Present

Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC) is a community legal centre providing free legal advice, casework and legal education to south-eastern Sydney communities.  Assisting with preparing advice and letters for clients dropping into the Centre.  Drafting and proofreading correspondence and legal correspondence.  Obtaining client instructions and providing initial advice, information and referrals.  Managing the Centre's Pro Bono Project.  Supervising the Centre's volunteers’ duties including file open and closure, client interviews and advice shifts.

STRATEGY CONSULTANT

Kanter Infrastructure and Utilities (Thailand) December 2017 – Feb 2018  Led research and market analysis on the automotive industry in Thailand.  Designed optimal sourcing for Kanter’s operating systems, including automobile manufacturing and assembling facilities, ensuring effective financial budget management; devised a WACC model for present operation, estimating $21M USD net present value.  Delivered a client facing report, business report and plan to the Independent Executive Director and board.

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LEGAL ASSISTANT

George Street Chambers Jan 2017 – July 2017  Performed administrative duties including invoicing, drafting costs agreements and filing briefs.  Assisted in preparing for cases, including draft chronologies of events, legal research and reviewing evidence.  Supported barristers in litigation by conducting research and compiling evidence.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES VICE PRESIDENT (ADMINISTRATION)

UNSW Marketing Society Nov 2019 – Present  Overseeing a group of 4 students in order to ensure the cohesion and effectiveness of the society.  Liaising with Arc in order to source internal funding and to ensure compliance with university guidelines and policies.  Ensuring society meets re-affiliation requirements by preparing motions for general meetings, making changes to the constitution and maintaining all documents and reports.

MUSIC DIRECTOR

UNSW Law Society Nov 2018 – Oct 2019  Oversaw and coordinated multiple events and initiatives for the law society band including Lawlapalooza, law ball and multiple social events over the year.

PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR

UNSW Marketing Society Nov 2017 – Oct 2018  Worked in a team in order to prepare all publication materials for the society including the Marketing Careers Publications.  Prepared weekly email newsletters for all society members.  Managed and crafted text and visual content for society’s social media accounts.

ENTERTAINMENT COORDINATOR

UNSW O-Week Jan 2016 – Feb 2016  Organised and produced a major live entertainment line up across five nights for all first years on UNSW campus during O-Week.  Sourced live acts, negotiation of entertainment contracts, promotion of events and overseeing technical production requirements.

INTERESTS & SKILLS

Interests: Pianist and Band Member, UNSW Law Society Law Band and Runner with UNSW RunSoc Languages: Native Proficiency in English and Mandarin, Beginners in Latin Recreational Interests: Kickboxing, archery, food and travelling

REFEREES Lisa Wong Barrister, George Street Chambers M: 0490 909 909 E: lisa.gong@chambers.com Professor Mason Wilson Lecturer, UNSW Law School M: 0451 515 523 E: Mason.Wilson@unsw.law.edu.au

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CVMail Overview CVMail is a centralised law student portal run by Thomson Reuters. It provides information about the legal industry and enables law students to apply and schedule interviews online. Most law firms use CVMail for summer clerkship applications, but ensure that you check with each firm first.

How to use CVMail 1. Go to ww.cvmail.com.au; 2. Click ‘register’ at the very top-left-hand corner of the page, and enter your details; 3. You will then be asked to complete your ‘Personal Profile’, which includes contact details 4. Return to ‘Application Manager’; and complete your academic profile, which records your degree, subject and mark details.

Submitting an Application 1. The ‘Application Manager’ displays which firms are taking applications. Click the ‘seasonal’ tab for the summer clerkship and ‘NSW’ for law firms in this state; 2. At the top of the list of firm names, you will see ‘Practice Firm’. This allows you to fill in a mock application in order to familiarise yourself with the process; 3. You can also click ‘Resources’ towards the top of the page to access a range of useful material about each law firm; 4. When the applications are open, CVMail will walk you through the process of entering your details; 5. Depending on the firm, there may be a number of interview-style application questions to answer. It is recommended that you prepare answers to these in a word processor, and then copy/paste them into CVMail; 6. This same method can be used to insert your cover letter; 7. Your CV can be attached to your application by uploading the relevant file from your computer.

Application Timing 1. As CVMail can only store a work-in-progress application form, you can only work on one application at a time; 2. Partially completed applications can be saved, allowing you to continue at a later time; 3. When completing the application form, CVMail only allows you 90 minutes to answer the questions and fill in your details before it automatically logs out; 4. You should apply as early as possible, as CVMail has been known to crash and succumb to internet traffic close to the application deadline. Be prudent and make sure it is completed days before it is due.

5. Before you submit your application, make sure that you have saved a backup copy of your responses to your computer; 6. Once you have submitted your application, you are given a unique receipt number and are sent an automated email confirming that your submission has been successful.

My CVMail This section of the website allows you to view submitted applications, correspond with law firms regarding your applications, and schedule interviews once the firms have contacted you.

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The Selection Criteria Overview Using the selection criteria will help ensure you have met all of the employer’s key requirements. The selection criteria are a list of the essential and desirable skills, attributes, experience, and education deemed necessary for a position.

Selection criteria are used to help select the most capable, effective, suited, experienced, and qualified person for the job. Applicants must demonstrate and prove the ways in which they will be of value for the job and the organisation. An application may not be shortlisted if it fails to establish how the applicant meets any one of the criteria. Applicants who are able to successfully and competitively demonstrate that they meet each of the selection criteria will usually be offered an interview.

From the organisation’s point of view, selection criteria can help standardise the recruitment process.

They serve as a guide for employees and recruiters to help look for essential and desirable requirements in applicants, which can help reduce personal and social bias in selection decisions, and to ensure that the most suitable candidate is selected.

Where can I find the selection criteria?

In holistically considering an individual’s characteristics, law firms (and companies in the private sector as a whole) generally have a loose selection criteria they hire candidates based upon. However, they may not be as clear or followed as rigidly as selection criteria in the Public Service. Selection criteria for jobs in the private sector may be outlined in the job advertisement, or may be available from manager of the work unit or the recruitment consultant who is working to fill the position.

Tips Clarify the selection criteria by either requesting a recruitment package, analysing the job advertisement, or speaking to the contact officer or recruitment consultant. Research the position and the organisation further. Alternatively, attend firm presentations and speak to firm representatives when they are on campus.

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The Interview Overview An interview is the culmination of your research into the firm and your personal ‘sales effort’ represented by your cover letter and CV. Reaching the interview stage is an achievement in itself, as partners are willing to give up time and high billable hours to meet and get to know you.

Types of Interviews Interviews can vary significantly depending on the particular organisation. You can even experience very different styles of interview between particular interviewers at the same organisation. Given that you might not be able to predict what kind of interview situation you will be walking into it is useful to be aware of the different varieties. In the instance you do know something about how the interview will run, this is a great opportunity to practice what you might say.

The first aspect of the interview which may vary is the number of interviewers. Depending on the number of interviewers, the manner in which you respond may differ.

Regardless of the situation ensure you give ample eye contact to everyone in the room to demonstrate that you are comfortable holding a conversation with multiple listeners.

As an example, clerkship interviews often will consist of two interviewers who may be lawyers, human resources employees or both.

The number of candidates in the room may also vary; you may be interviewing with other hopefuls for the job. In these interviews you have the opportunity to demonstrate that you are able to listen to others in the room, whilst clearly conveying your own responses. Bounce off the ideas of others in the room and try to help everyone feel included. Take initiative with your responses without being too authoritative.

Remember that in this kind of situation it is important that the group achieve its assigned goal and that to stand out, one does not always have to be the leader of your group.

Observers will assess your contribution to discussion, expression, reaction to others and contribution towards reaching group goal. To perform successfully you should consider your position before contributing, listen to and support others, show courtesy and tact, remain composed and keep a focus on the goal and on time limits.

Another variable in the interview process is the structure of the interview itself. Some have set questions to be answered, while other interviews have no structure and may take the form of a conversation. Remember this is a sliding scale and

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interviews may be a blend of the two, with some requisite questions asked with casual conversation in between. A top tip is to do a quick search of people’s interview experiences at the organisation or similar organisations , so you can be prepared for the interview environment you will be heading in to.

General Interview Tips • If you are asked to answer behavioural questions (e.g. “tell me about a time when you demonstrated leadership”), use the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This allows you to support your answer with concrete evidence. What action did you undertake and what was the result of the action?

• Be yourself, be calm and try not to show your nervousness.

• Small talk is good to break the ice before and after the formal part of the interview.

• Make sure you re-read your cover letter and resume before the interview to remind yourself of what you wrote.

Before the Interview Know your CV and cover letter like the back of your hand!

Your CV and cover letter have created a positive impression, so you now have an opportunity to reinforce this opinion.

The interview should be seen as a two-way process: the firm will ask you to expand on elements of your cover letter and CV, and you will be expected to ask questions of the interviewer(s), which allows them to find out more about you and ensure you are the ideal candidate for the job.

Research As you did for the cover letter, you need to research the firm in more detail for the interview. Aside from preparing for likely interview questions, you will also be expected to have done some research into each law firm. You should research: • The firm’s practice areas and particular strengths; • The organisational structure, rough number of partners/lawyers/directors etc. (briefly); • The name(s) of key people in the organisation.

Mention this only if you have something interesting to say (e.g. admire the Managing Partner’s leadership style); • The firm/organisation’s culture, values, atmosphere (crucial and should be incorporated into your responses); • The organisation’s recent work, deals, cases or transactions; • Business affairs, such as a recent or intended merger; • Brief understanding of the firm’s reputation; • The structure, activities, number of rotations etc of the position you are applying for; and,

• The current issues facing the legal industry, e.g. competition from overseas firms.

Don’t forget to revise any personal knowledge or familiarity with current employees of the firm/organisation. You may have met them at the various cocktail evenings or you may also know recent UNSW clerks or graduates. Research methods include: • The firm/organisation’s website, particularly pages such as ‘Our People’, ‘Our Culture’ and those dealing with the clerkship and graduate programme.

• Media (Australian Financial Review (Friday legal affairs section); Lawyers Weekly) • Speaking with employees of the firm/organisation at various events held in the lead-up to the interview period.

On the Day What to bring In order to feel confident and well prepared you will want to take a copy of your CV, cover letter, and the official copy of your academic transcript available from Student Central.

Presentation You have the firm’s attention and they already value your skills and experience. The interview is your chance to continue to impress them. You need to create a positive and professional impression to give yourself the competitive edge.

During the Interview Starting the interview confidently The impression you create will weigh upon the tone of voice you use. Attempt to communicate positive emotions (interest, enthusiasm or confidence) rather than negative emotions (anxiety, uncertainty or boredom). Modulate your voice to maintain the attention of your interviewers and use hand gestures where appropriate to reinforce an image of confidence.

Introducing yourself Preparing an opening line may assist you to exude an air of confidence. Use a simple phrase such as, ‘Good morning, pleased to meet you. I’m Sally Gong’. Choose something you feel comfortable saying and say it instinctively. Smile and talk to, not at, the interviewer. Show the interviewer that you are glad to meet them and you are enthusiastic about the job. Remember, you do not have to use this opening - another conversation may take place - but it can be reassuring to have prepared and practiced a backup opening line.

Building rapport

Generally, formal business attire is most appropriate. However, dressing standards might differ depending on the firm or organisation. Choose styles and colours that do not distract others or yourself. They should fit well, be in good repair and be neatly pressed.

While having canned small talk on the weather or news may help ease initial nervousness, the most important aspect to building rapport is being genuine. Coming off as artificial can be just as damaging as a slight bit of awkwardness. During the interview take into account their language, body language, and consider their perspective to form your responses effectively. Subtle mirroring and responsiveness to the interviewer will help build rapport (i.e. if they lean forward, you may lean forward, or if the interviewer sits with arms on the table, you may do the same).

Grooming and hair

Body language

Clean, neat and simple. Pay attention to possible details eg chipped nail polish and dirty fingernails. Make sure aftershave/ perfume you wear is not overpowering.

Maintain appropriate eye contact throughout the interview (do not stare or look away too much). Listen carefully to what the interview is telling you about the organisation and your likely role within it in order to ask informed questions in response. Use appropriate listening cues such as nodding in order to look engaged at all times.

Clothes

Make a good first impression Your relationship with the interviewers, especially your non-verbal communication is crucial in the success of the interview. If you appear to be confident and enthusiastic from the outset, your answers are more likely to be reviewed positively.

Answering questions Listen to the interviewer and clarify the question if you do not understand it to allow yourself to answer the question adequately. The bucket approach (i.e. throwing everything that you know about the question) will not effectively answer the quesiton. Try to relate your answers to the requirements of the position and the organisations.

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Ending the interview confidently

• Why do you want to become a corporate lawyer?

Formulate some well-considered questions prepared before the interview, as in many cases, interviewers will give you time to ask questions or make further comments at the end of the interview. If you have any important things to add about your suitability, do it at this point. Have a closing statement prepared, for example, “thank you for your time, it was a pleasure to meet you,” so that you leave a confident and enthusiastic impression with the interviewer.

• What kind of positions are you most interested in?

• Do you have a locational preference? Where would you like to work?

• What is your understanding of the current legal climate here in Australia in comparison to USA or UK? • Will you relocate? Are you willing to travel?

Types of Interview Questions

• Why should we consider you for this position?

• In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?

• What other skills would you like to develop in the future?

• Is there anything else we should take into account to help us make a decision?

There are many types of interview questions, and while the underlying intent of the interviewer may be self-evident with some, for others it’s important to understand what the interviewer is trying to find out about you. Regardless of the question asked, remain calm and confident in your answer.

Introductory/background questions These questions are designed to find out a little bit more about you. It is a chance for you to explain what you have done, your attitudes and values, and the choices you’ve made in your life.

It is often a good idea to address the question in a reverse chronological order and also to start with a brief synopsis. Remember that you need to be informative without going into so much detail that you bore your interviewers.

• Tell me about yourself.

• How would you describe yourself ?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• Is there an achievement of which you are particularly proud?

What is it and why is it significant?

Objectives With these questions, you need to demonstrate to the interviewer that you have thought about what it is that you want from working at the firm and what you hope to achieve. At the same time you need to assure them that you are flexible and would be prepared to work in a range of areas. Some example questions include: • What are your long term and short term goals and objectives?

How are you preparing yourself to achieve them?

• What do you see yourself doing five years from now?

Behavioural questions To address these questions apply the STAR model and consider various scenarios, such as a time you were a good leader, resolved a problem, or adjusted to a last minute change. This could also include questions such as ‘tell us a time you resolved a conflict’.

Career interests Employers are often keen to find out what your major areas of interest are so that they can better assess how well you will fit into their organisation, both now as well as your potential to develop within the organisation in the future:

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Your contribution to the organisation

Commitment to work and to the organisation An employer is interested in how your values are aligned with their firms. This is one area where you will shine if you have done thorough research.

• What do you know about our company?

• What you understand about the current climate of the legal industry?

• How do you keep informed professionally?

• Give me an example in your career where you felt like giving up but managed to keep going.

• Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?

Education With these questions, interviewers hope to gain more insight into your educational background. Most importantly, they are interested in the reasoning behind your decision to study the course you did and what you think you have attained from your studies. Follow-up questions include: • Why did you choose to study law?

• What university subjects did you like the best and least? Why? • Do you plan to continue studying?

• What courses have you taken that prepared you for this position?

• What part of your education do you see as being most relevant to this position?

• Is your academic performance any indication of how you will do this job?

• What do you like about your discipline of study?

• Why did you fail/perform poorly in this subject?

As for this final question, it simply demands honesty: the firm is likely to be satisfied if you can cite extracurricular commitments, employment or something similar. The benefit of such a response is that you are simultaneously outlining a strength, namely your involvement in activities outside university and your work experience.

Work experience • Do you have any vacation employment or previous experience in the legal context?

• Most jobs have their frustrations and problems. Describe some that have particularly dissatisfied you.

• What have been the most satisfying aspects of jobs that you have held?

• What has been the value of your previous work experience?

Other interests With these questions, employers are trying to gain a better understanding of you, and thereby better assess how well you are going to fit in with the company. There are no right answers to these questions, but it is important to think about how your interests and goals fit in with what the company does and how it hopes to develop in the future.

• What are your outside interests?

• Who is your favourite novelist?

• Do you like/dislike football?

Approach to work Employers are often interested in knowing how you manage different responsibilities, particularly how you prioritise your time. They are also interested in knowing how you cope in stressful situations involving tight deadlines and large amounts of work.

• How do you work under pressure?

• How do you balance work priorities and those of your personal life and family?

• Give me an example of when you had to work to an important deadline. What did you do to ensure that the deadline was met?

• Have you ever had to persuade people to your way of thinking?

• Describe a situation when you had to explain a difficult concept to someone. Tell me about your approach. How do you know they understood?

Problem solving/analytical skills • This might include scenarios such as “here is a problem that we faced recently, how would you have dealt with that?”

• Tell me about a time when, despite careful planning, things got out of hand.

Teamwork/leadership • Have you been in any situations where you have been required to perform as a part of a team? What was the situation, what part did you play in the team and what was the outcome of the exercise?

• Can you describe a time when your team fell apart. What was your role in the outcome?

• What kind of people do you find difficult to work with and why?

• Tell me about a difficult situation when you pulled the team together.

• Tell me about a time when you took leadership role of a group.

• What is your style of influencing/leading people?

Creativity/initiative • Have you ever been responsible for the generation of a new idea or suggestion? Describe and explain.

• Tell me of a time when you generated a creative solution to a problem.

Client focus • What is your definition of ‘excellent’ client service?

• Tell me about a time when you went beyond the call of duty to help a client.

• Describe a situation that illustrates how you developed a positive relationship with a client.

Questions you may ask At the end of the interview you will be given the opportunity to ask questions of your interviewer(s). This is not a mere formality, it is expected that you ask some questions, which at the very least will reflect your interest in the organisation or firm. Be judicious in your choice of questions. Asking questions with an obvious answer would reflect inadequate thought and preparation. Always prepare a list of potential questions to ask in advance. Examples of such questions include: • Why did you choose to work here? What was the ‘clincher’ in your decision? What did you find unique about this firm?

• How is a work/life balance encouraged in this firm? How do you achieve this balance?

• How often is feedback provided, both to summer clerks and to full-time lawyers?

• What sort of induction and training do you normally offer?

• What is the firm’s policy on taking leave for further study or associateships?

• What long-term career opportunities are available at the firm?

• What do you enjoy about your practice group? What led you to work in it?

• What sort of work would I be doing in your practice group?

• Are there any secondment opportunities for lawyers at this firm?

• What ‘extracurricular’ activities are available for clerks?

• What is your usual retention rate between summer clerks and graduate lawyers?

• How many years of service does it tend to take for a lawyer to be promoted to a senior associate or partner? What other factors are relevant in such a promotion?

• How do the various practice groups communicate and collaborate with each other when a matter requires it?

After the Interview Be sure to follow up and write a thank you letter to the HR from the firms you receive an offer from.

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Commercial Awareness What is it?

Commercial awareness is staying frequently informed of the happenings and developments occurring in the business world. More than simply being informed, commercial awareness means considering the potential implications of an event and how it will affect the commercial space.

Regularly seeking news on prevalent deals, transactions and issues in the industry allows you to remain informed about matters of interest to the firms you will be applying for.

Why is it important?

The corporate workplace is highly competitive and employees need to know the business that they are dealing in. This not only means being knowledgeable in the matters of their own firms but that of their clients as well. Having current knowledge about relevant industries is highly advantageous to establishing links with clients and avoiding poor business decisions.

What should I consider?

Knowing a significant event happened is not sufficient. You should think about why this happened, the causes, stakeholders, and implications. Do you agree with how key stakeholders manage the situation? Would you do anything differently? This is how you stay informed and ‘connect the dots’.

Bear in mind too, commercial awareness is not something that can be developed overnight, as you will need to constantly build your knowledge on news and events over time.

HOW TO STAY COMMERCIALLY AWARE 1. Read business pages and follow the stories and trends throughout a period – connect the dots.

2. Keep an eye out for big deals occurring in the commercial world, these are not just big for the company but will definitely have consequences for the industry and beyond.

3. If you do not understand something initially, conduct further research into the topic!

4. Some interesting sources to keep a tab on include, but are not limited to: • Lawyers Weekly • Australian Lawyer • Australian Financial Review • The New York Times • Bloomberg News • Financial Times • International Financial Law Review

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Mental Wellbeing The clerkship application period and process can be one of the most stressful times in a law student’s time at law school. But remember, clerkships are by no means the be all and end all! It’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally during this time.

Create a flexible schedule.

The key to using your time wisely is learning to prioritize tasks and get organized. Whether you procrastinate or not, when you have multiple deadlines you have to meet it can be difficult to accord time to each task. Thinking ahead when creating your schedule is your best bet. Plan out the semester ahead and take careful note of when assignments are due, along with your work obligations and other personal commitments. Always be realistic with how much time you will need to complete each task, start things early and set goals. Most importantly, communicate your schedule with your workplace, family and friends so that they are aware and can support you the best they can.

Build your support network and use it.

It’s no secret that law students suffer from higher levels of depression and anxiety. Add part or even full-time employment and a stressful application period into the mix & you may be left feeling seriously overextended. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your support network!

If you are struggling, the UNSW Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offer free services to students, be it counselling, or personal skills sessions. Alternatively, swing by our well-being events at any time for some tips on coping with and managing stress (or just some free food)!

Reward yourself!

Law school is hard. Work is hard. Clerkship applications are hard. But that doesn’t mean that you should be hard on yourself ! It’s a good idea to just switch off once in a while and do something you enjoy. Always make time for your family, friends, and most importantly for yourself.

Stay healthy, ensure you are getting sufficient sleep, maintain a healthy diet and relieve stress through exercise. This is important, as maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help ease stress and keep you going for the semester and/or your application period.

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Clerkships and Trimesters

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Under the new UNSW3+ academic calendar, students now annually enrol in courses for each Term of the coming year from October.

Students are able to apply for a Summer Clerkship in T2, and will be notified of the outcome by early T3.

It is possible that students who receive an offer may have enrolled in a T3 elective that is not compatible with their commencement of the Clerkship program.

Specifically, those who accept an offer must ensure their T3 courses do not have an exam in the UNSW formal exam period, which overlaps with start of Clerkships.

Avoiding overlap between T3 elective and Clerkship To maximise compatibility with Clerkship programs, UNSW Law is offering a higher than usual number of electives to UG and JD students in T3 that do not feature a formal examination (or in which such assessment is optional) that would clash with the start of Clerkships.

Additionally, a number of these electives are taught intensively and will commence in Week 2 of T3. This will enable students who need to alter their enrolment after receiving an offer to change into a course without having missed the first week of classes.

UNSW Law has reviewed current enrolment figures in T3 electives and noted that UG and JD places remain across the offerings. Further places may be opened up as students unenroll from compatible courses if they do not receive an offer. The Faculty will individually assist a student to enrol into a compatible course on demonstration of an offer (if he/she has not enrolled into one already and receives a clerkship offer). However choice of course is not able to be guaranteed.

Additional support Because students will be required to prepare applications for clerkships during Term 2 rather than in the semester break that existed under the former academic calendar, the Faculty is committed to providing them with greater support so they may maintain focus on their study and still seek clerkship positions to the same extent as previously. The Law Careers service has created a virtual HUB with resources to support students applying for clerkships in 2020. Access these resources (including PPT video on preparing resume and cover letter/ updates from firms on 2020 clerkships, exclusively for UNSW students & more) at Current Students https://student. unsw.edu.au/law/news and also on MyLaw Resources https://my.law.unsw.edu.au/careers/resources

Domestic

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law firms

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FIRM PROFILES

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Allen & Overy How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

• • •

23 Partners in Australia / 550 Partners in our global network 2800 lawyers in our global network 5500 employees working across our global network

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

It depends on our business needs. Last year we had 10 summer clerks in Sydney.

•

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

• •

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

Our summer clerk program is a feeder program into the graduate program. We can successfully say we have offered each of our summer clerks a graduate position to-date.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Each day, we challenge ourselves to bring original thinking to society’s biggest challenges. We recognise that every one of our people can make a significant contribution and that when we work together, we have the power to change lives. We rise to the challenge of looking at ways in how we can improve our environmental performance and empower our people to make a positive impact. We have worked on landmark cases to support people facing human rights violations in conflict-affected areas and soon we’ll reach our goal to raise £1 million for our global charity partner, Hope and Homes, to help end institutionalised care for children around the world. We recognise that there is always more to do and we are determined to do just that.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

The overall health and wellbeing of our people is essential and we work hard to ensure our junior lawyers achieve a balanced working life. We ensure that our lawyers feel supported through their careers mentally and emotionally as well as supporting their physical health.

Our support includes: • Agile and flexible work arrangements for staff through our iFlex policy • Paid transaction breaks between periods of high busyness • Establishing a reverse mentoring program, enabling the voice of more junior staff to be heard at partner level • 24/7 access to our employee assistance program • Appointing value partners throughout the firm to ensure the firms values are upheld • Promoting mental wellness, through our “Mind Matters” program, offering various resilience skills workshops, promoting initiatives such as “R U OK?” ,

“Heart on My Sleeve” and MOvember.

Subsides gym memberships, internal sporting teams, on-site flu vacations, skin checks and massages, health and well-being newsletters, mindfulness memberships, and healthy snacks are available

• • • • •

2 rotations over a 10 week period Insight into Asia experience – every clerk has the opportunity to spend 1 week in one of our Asia Pacific offices during the clerkship Hands on experience working alongside practising lawyers Real, interesting and challenging work where you will shadow lawyers daily and contribute with tasks where appropriate A lot of fun and exciting social activities organised with your cohort, graduates and others in your team Opportunity to participation in our White Chapel volunteering day and ABCN program Social sport alongside other summer clerks at different law firms

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

We encourage our staff to let us know if they would like to go on secondment, whether to an external client or internally to another office in the network. Our summer clerks have the opportunity to take part in a 1 week Insight into Asia experience where they venture to one of Asia Pacific offices to learn about the other office and build upon their network.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

We work to attract, develop and keep the very best people. All kinds of people work at Allen & Overy, with a few things in common. We are united by ambition and drive, and by the restless pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We foster a working environment based on collaboration and mutual respect, where everyone is trusted to do their very best work. We are committed to ensuring that A&O is a place where diverse group of people can be themselves and bring the best of themselves to their career. We are proud of our initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the firm, the legal profession and the community. We encourage everyone at the firm to pursue their interests, and passions to complement their skills and ambitions.

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Face up to the challenge.

Put the competition behind you.

Make it to the top together.

IT’S TIME.

Visit allenovery.com/careers/gradsaustralia

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An Allen & Overy Summer Clerkship Experience The Summer Clerkship at Allen & Overy was an amazing experience. During the ten weeks we spent at the firm, we were fortunate enough to complete two rotations, host a competitive drawing fundraiser, and travel to Bangkok, Singapore and Beijing, all whilst successfully winning the wooden spoon in the clerk sports competition (which was no small feat!).

One of the reasons many of us chose A&O was our desire to travel and work with people from all over the world. From our very first week, we were working on matters alongside colleagues from across the vast A&O network, including from the London, Hong Kong and Tokyo offices, for a diverse range of multinational clients. Every clerk also spent a week in one of A&O’s APAC offices, getting a taste of working overseas.

The clerks who went to Bangkok drafted a piece on the renewables sector in Thailand, which involved looking at major projects in wind, solar and hydro-electricity, and those in Singapore worked on cross-border transactions across Indonesia and Malaysia. In addition, the Insight into Asia Experience was a chance to explore a new city. Those of us stationed in Shanghai and Beijing took a considerable amount of time to sample a wide range of dumplings and noodles, while the group in Singapore conducted a thorough investigation of the city’s hidden cocktail bars.

A&O’s relatively small team in Australia meant that we never felt like just a cog in the machine. Every person was a valuable part of their team, and the senior lawyers took the time and effort to get to know us. Often we found that it would just be a clerk, an associate and a partner on a task. This level of exposure to real work was daunting at the start, but the on-the-job training was a fantastic way to develop our skills as commercial lawyers. The responsibility came quickly but when the going did get tough, everyone (from fellow clerks through to the partners) would pitch in to make sure the job got done.

As with any job, not every moment of our clerkship was

glamorous and fun. However, each time we were faced with less exciting work, the team patiently explained our role in the context of the wider matter, allowing us to gain a better understanding of how a complex transaction or piece of litigation runs from start to finish.

In addition to this, we had the opportunity to engage in pro bono legal work, such as research for a matter in Kenya run out of the London office. Some of us also had the opportunity to volunteer for a day at the Wayside Chapel, where we worked with A&O lawyers to cook a delicious meal for people experiencing homelessness. The highlight of our clerkship was undoubtedly getting to know our fellow clerks. On any given morning, you could find us chain-eating raisin toast in the kitchen and by the end of the ten weeks, we were embarrassingly inseparable, snuggling up under a blanket with wine in hand at the Moonlight Cinema.

All together, we had an unforgettable summer, learnt invaluable new skills, and made some exceptional friends, and we are so excited to start as grads together.

A career in Law Find out more at: allenovery.com/ careers/gradsaustralia Follow the conversation: LinkedIn

Allen & Overy means Allen & Overy LLP and/or its affiliated undertakings. Allen & Overy LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC306763. Allen & Overy (Holdings) Limited is a limited company registered in England and Wales with registered number 07462870. Allen & Overy LLP and Allen & Overy (Holdings) Limited are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales. The term partner is used to refer to a member of Allen & Overy LLP or a director of Allen & Overy (Holdings) Limited or, in either case, an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or an individual with equivalent status in one of Allen & Overy LLP’s affiliated undertakings. A list of the members of Allen & Overy LLP and of the non-members who are designated as partners, and a list of the directors of Allen & Overy (Holdings) Limited, is open to inspection at our registered office at One Bishops Square, London E1 6AD. © Allen & Overy LLP 2019. This document is for general guidance only and does not constitute definitive advice.

© Allen & Overy LLP 2020 | CS1702_CDD-47494_ADD-89567

IT’S TIME | SYDNEY

It’s time…

As an Allen & Overy Summer Clerk, you will be a part of a team which prides itself in working on top tier Australian and international deals and cases.

What we can offer you During your ten week placement at Allen & Overy, you will participate in real transactions from beginning to end as well as specifically designed exercises that provide a valuable insight into the role of an Allen & Overy lawyer. Bespoke training is provided by some of our leading lawyers in Australia including access to international training sessions too.

In addition to gaining experience in two of our practice areas in the Sydney office, our previous summer clerks have been able to spend time in one of our Asia Pacific offices during the program.

This experience will give you a greater understanding of our global network and a taste of future opportunities at Allen & Overy.

As your career progresses with Allen & Overy, you will be given a range of choices to develop your experiences, such as taking up the opportunity to spend time working in another office, whether that’s a rotation as a junior lawyer, a longer term secondment or a permanent transfer.

Top tier Australian and international work From the moment you join the firm, you’ll be involved in helping our clients to protect and grow their assets. You will get involved in cross-border deals including inbound investment by international clients and outbound investment

by Australian clients; international disputes and

© Allen & Overy LLP 2020

regulatory reviews; project financing for projects both in Australia and around the world; and international bond programs. Clients increasingly expect global service providers and Allen & Overy is currently one of the only firms in Australia able to provide a fully integrated domestic, regional and global offering. Our four core practice groups provide a full suite of corporate, finance (debt and equity), international capital markets and litigation services. Within these Groups, the practice areas are diverse, including Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Projects, Structured Products, International and Capital Markets, Funds, Asset Finance, Competition, Tax, Litigation and International Arbitration.

What we are looking for Our shared culture and the values inspire the way we work and behave: instinctively thoughtful, collectively ambitious, insightfully inventive and refreshingly open. There is no typical Allen & Overy lawyer. We realise each person has their unique skills and qualities.

In addition to excellent academic results, we seek penultimate year students who are team players, show resilience, are good communicators, have strength in planning and organisation, are adept at problem solving and have general commercial awareness with an overall ambition to build a career at Allen & Overy.

BE PART OF SOMETHING EXCITING | SYDNEY

Be part of something exciting

Join an elite group of Summer Clerks at Allen & Overy in 2020/21.

We accept applications from overseas students, however applicants must demonstrate a commitment to starting their legal career in Australia and have the right to live and work in Australia. We invest in hand-selecting our Summer Clerks each year and were pleased to offer graduate positions to all of our Sydney Summer Clerks to-date.

Applications for the Sydney program open on Tuesday 9 June 2020 and close on Sunday 12 July 2020.

To apply for our Summer Clerkship program in 2020/21, please visit our website allenovery.com/careers The website also contains details of our Clerkship program in Perth.

allenovery.com

Allens

Areas of Legal Practice

Banking & Finance, Competition, Consumer & Regulatory, Corporate, including: Funds, Super & Wealth, Mergers & Acquisitions and Capital Markets, Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Disputes and Investigations, including: Commercial Disputes Employment & Safety Restructuring & Insolvency, Intellectual Property and Patent & Trademark Attorneys, Projects & Development, including Projects Real Estate & Development, Tax Number of Lawyers 757 Lawyers and 135 Partners What Specific Qualites Does the Firm Look for in a Potential Clerk?

We’re proud that there isn’t an ‘Allens’ type’. We know that diverse perspectives help solve complex problems, strengthen teams and enrich client relationships. The more you enjoy working with a diverse range of people, the greater your success will be.

While we celebrate our differences, it’s important to understand what unites us.

These are attributes that our people have in common. These help us to succeed as a team and individually: • Initiative: a curious mind is vital. The more adaptable you’re able to be and the more energy you bring with you, the more you’ll get out of a career at Allens.

• Excellence: it’s a guarantee we give our clients. Intellectually rigorous, driven and eager to learn.

• Commerciality: law is more than an academic pursuit; it’s about understanding the client – their objectives and the challenges they face – as well as the wider commercial environment in which we operate.

• Flexibility: a key priority for the firm is to ensure our people feel they are trusted to work in a way that allows them to balance the needs of the firm alongside the pursuit of their own career and life goals irrespective of gender, age or life stage.

• Commitment: positive people thrive in our environment. We look for people who can build sustainable careers with us, and successfully juggle work and a personal life while maintaining their wellbeing.

Sydney Clerkship Intake TBC, dependent on business need After Becoming a Clerk, What are the Prospects of Obtaining a Graduate Role?

We aim to fill our graduate programs with our summer clerks. We endeavor to make graduate offers to all of our clerks unless for whatever reason it isn’t in the best interests of the firm or the individual.

How Does Your Firm Value Corporate Responsibility?

We use our position to give back to our community. We stand up for what we believe in and strive to make a real difference. Not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because we are truly motivated by positive change. You’ll find individuals and teams across the firm committed to providing access to justice, alleviating disadvantage, promoting reconciliation and protecting the environment. At Allens, we are proud of the important role we play in our community. From support for marriage equality to campaigning for refugee rights and going carbon neutral, we use our technical knowledge and professional skills to help others. > Pro bono Pro bono work is a valued part of life at Allens. Join us and you’ll have the opportunity to apply your skills and contribute to causes and organisations. You’ll also be encouraged to take part in challenging matters and develop new skills that complement what you already know. > Reconciliation We believe in creating a just society. We’re committed to ensuring the same level of opportunity exists for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as for other Australians. That’s why we launched our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) more than eight years ago. Since then, 23 Allens staff have spent a total of 154 weeks living and working alongside Indigenous communities from Arnhem Land to inner Sydney to the West Kimberley.

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> Environment We take responsibility for our impact on the planet and work together to reduce it. We’re committed to organisational sustainability and best practice environmental management. Our staff-led Footprint Committee drives us to keep improving and inspire action within the firm.

We’re proud to be the first Australian law firm to achieve certification as carbon neutral. We extend our influence to outside of the firm too. > Philanthropy At Allens, we have philanthropy committees in each office. This means we’re supporting the causes closest to our community. Our people work hard to support and advocate for charities and community organisations by hosting fundraising days and events. Our legal professionals can take part in volunteering opportunities of their choosing, ranging from making meals for homeless people to mentoring disadvantaged children.

What is Unique About this Firm’s Culture?

We are working to create a culture where our people feel they are trusted to work in a way that allows them to balance the needs of the firm alongside the pursuit of their own career and life goals irrespective of gender, age or life stage.

Allens is committed to providing an inclusive workplace that celebrates diversity and values the contribution that different backgrounds and life experience bring to our firm.

We recruit, develop and promote talented people, and we – and our clients – benefit from the different backgrounds, experiences and points of view that shape their thinking.

Our diversity and inclusion strategy is focused on seven segments: Gender, Culture, Social, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI), Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander (ATSI), Disability and Carers How does your Firm Encourage a Work-Life Balance?

We expect a lot from our people. Real commitment and excellent performance.

So it’s only fair that we offer a benefits package that reflects your dedication, provides support and allows for development inside and outside the firm. Our rewards and benefits package is paired with a supportive and inclusive culture to ensure that you have every opportunity to succeed.

Clerks will work with some of the most experienced lawyers in Australia and encounter first-hand the type of work you could do as a lawyer at Allens. You’ll get to be part of a team, assisting with real matters. Your performance coach and buddy will be there to support you, help you make the most of your clerkship, get to know our people, and thrive.

We believe that we stand out as an employer because of our high-quality technical training and excellent learning environment. We’ll work with you to develop your understanding of commercial law and build your skills, providing the foundation you need to become a successful lawyer. You’ll be involved in some of the market’s most complex domestic and global transactions.

Our clerkship program is a stepping stone to bigger things – most clerks go on to become graduates with us. Here is a quick rundown of what you can look forward to: • • • • • • • • •

A personalised induction program that introduces you to our people and the work we do; On-the-job training with support from a partner and a junior lawyer, who will act as your performance coach and buddy; Learning opportunities across practice areas and partners, as we don’t work in silos; The chance to work on real matters with many of Australia’s and the world’s top 100 companies; The opportunity to get involved in community and pro bono work, and learn about our committees and interest groups; The chance to learn about working within our alliance with Linklaters and about secondment opportunities; Seminars that will build a strong foundation of skills to help you become an excellent lawyer and thrive in our ever‑changing world; Social events, where you will really get to know us; and The opportunity to network with some of the best in the profession.

Great change is here.

Shape the future with Allens At Allens, we’re focused on equipping our people with the skills and experience they need to be the lawyers of the future. We’re ready to define tomorrow. Are you?

With us, you’ll be more than a lawyer. Our people are technical experts, but they’re also trusted business advisers who think bigger, more broadly and more strategically. Together, we solve complex legal challenges, and collaborate across practice areas and disciplines to guide our clients.

We work across borders too, thanks to our alliance with Linklaters. This provides opportunites for our firm and our people, including annual rotations in Linklaters London, Hong Kong and Singapore being available to our graduate lawyers.

An early legal career at Allens includes highly tailored training through the Allens Academy. Developed in partnership with the Australian National University, our Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice will help you transition from law graduate to legal expert and trusted business adviser.

In a rapidly changing world, we seek opportunities to innovate, embracing creative thinking, new approaches and emerging technology. We don’t just seek opportunities to benefit ourselves and our clients, we believe strongly in driving positive change to do right by our community too, as demonstrated through our strong pro bono practices.

Our teams are open, inclusive and encouraging, giving you the opportunity to learn and grow while feeling supported.

You’ll have the flexibility to drive your own career, and we’ll recognise your achievements and hard work as you progress through the firm. Are you ready to begin?

CLERKSHIP PROGRAM A clerkship at Allens is the first step in a rewarding legal career, and will give you invaluable insights into our work and culture. With support from a buddy and development supervisor, you’ll work on real matters for real clients and be involved in a variety of projects. The programs: run from three to 10 weeks; are available at our Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth

and Sydney offices;

feature ongoing support, including a buddy system; and include exposure to one or two practice groups.

GRADUATE PROGRAM In each rotation, you’ll gain a depth of experience that comes from seeing matters through to the end, and get exposure to stimulating legal challenges. At Allens, we don’t work in silos, meaning you won’t be limited to working with only one partner or by your practice areas. You’ll work alongside a range of partners and lawyers, giving you exposure to a wide variety of tasks. Working with different teams and leading organisations, you’ll grow a solid skills base and develop the agility needed to thrive in our ever‑changing world. The programs include: two 12‑month rotations in your areas of interest; secondment options in London or Asia, via our alliance

with Linklaters;

ongoing supervision, coaching and mentoring; completing a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

(via Allens Academy); and

a 12‑month weekly legal seminar series

(Cornerstone Program).

Find out more at graduates.allens.com.au Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.

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Great change is here.

Shape the future with Allens Rare Case Study MONA ABU ZALAF SUMMER CLERK 2017/18 Mona Abu Zalaf completed her clerkship in Sydney in 2017/18. After winning a client interview competition sponsored by Allens, she was encouraged to apply for a clerkship.

When she applied she was identified as an outperformer by the Rare Contextual Recruitment System.

Mona was born and brought up in western Sydney. Her father is a Palestinian refugee, and her mother, who was born in Lebanon, never went to school and doesn’t speak any English. They both migrated to Australia in search of opportunity, which is certainly something that Mona has made the most of. Her mother always encouraged her to try her hardest at school, and impressed upon her the importance of getting an education. Though she was unable to help Mona with any homework, she was incredibly supportive and nurtured her ambition.

The fact that her mother didn’t speak any English meant that Mona became very independent at a young age. She often had to be a translator and take the lead in handling situations that required fluency in English. This helped her to become comfortable with taking on responsibility, which was demonstrated through her success at work. Mona got a job as soon as she was old enough and was promoted to crew chief at McDonald’s within a year, despite being only sixteen. She worked six-hour shifts four nights a week, as well as studying for school.

She first became interested in the law while she was at school.

Mona thought she might want to be a human rights lawyer when she started to learn about the history of Palestine, her father’s country.. It was her interest in business that eventually led her to go into commercial law – she enjoys the fact that this type of law is so entwined with the way that businesses function.

Mona applied to university through an Access Scheme and a Principal’s Recommendation Scheme, to strengthen her

application. On results day, she found out that she had just missed out on the HSC grades she needed in order to secure her place in law at the University of Technology Sydney. ‘I cried for a week but then decided to make the best of the situation. I decided to study for a journalism degree for a year, and I had always been interested in that too. I kept in the back of my mind that I would need to get a distinction average, which would allow me to change to law.’ She fully committed herself to the course, and also started to take the lead on lots of political campaigning in her community.

That transition from school to university was quite difficult for Mona.

She had attended a religious institution and describes her life at school as being quite sheltered. University was very culturally different to what she was used to, which made her feel slightly isolated. It took her a while to become confident enough to get involved with the law society and participate in competitions. She said that the moment she finally felt like she deserved to be in the law course was when she received the highest score in her real property course, which led to her receiving a faculty award. This gave her the boost she needed. In her second year, she started to enter competitions, and then she came to Allens for the grand finals. ‘The first time I ever visited a law firm, (and Allens), was during the client interview competition grand finals. I assumed that I’d never be able to work somewhere like that.’

‘My uncles are all painters and they painted number 1 Bligh Street, which is the office of a law firm. That’s the biggest connection I had to the legal world before I started to network when participating in competitions.’

When Mona applied to Allens, she was identified as an outperformer by the Rare CRS. This added to her already impressive achievements, and she was invited to interview. She wears a headscarf and was, sadly, verbally abused moments before walking into the building for her interview with us. Despite this, she kept her cool and performed well at the interview. She was offered a clerkship.

Talking about her experience on the clerkship Mona said, ‘Working at Allens was absolutely amazing. It was everything that I expected and more. The work is enjoyable, the team were supportive, and the partners were approachable.’ The feedback that she received was just as positive.

Her resilience and motivation shone through, and her willingness to take on extra work impressed those that she worked with. Mona is now a Lawyer at Allens. She’s ready. Are you?

Find out more at allens.com.au/yourcareer Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.

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Great change is here.

Shape the future with Allens At Allens, we’re focused on equipping our people with the skills and experience they need to be the lawyers of the future. We’re ready to define tomorrow. Are you?

KATE SINCLAIR SUMMER CLERK 2018/19 1. What kind of work were you involved in during your clerkship at Allens?

I rotated through the Competition, Consumer & Regulatory and the Projects and Development teams. The work was varied, but some examples of what I did day to day are: drafting advice and commercial contracts; attending client meetings; research, both legal and commercial; and ‘sensechecking’/ proofreading advice, commercial contracts, articles and leases.

2. What did you enjoy most about working at Allens?

Not only is Allens genuinely invested in you and your career, the people are so lovely. During the application process, you meet so many people from different firms and practice areas; you attend what feels like 50 cocktail evenings and interviews; and you meet a tonne of other applicants. The stress of the process stops you from connecting with other people, but this pressure is lifted when you start a clerkship.

Rather than being a source of anxiety, socialising becomes enjoyable. Potential employers become colleagues, and competitors become friends. I loved settling in and learning about, and from, the people I was working with.

3. What are the social opportunities like at Allens?

The clerkship is full of social activities! Monday night sport and Friday night drinks were staple events, as were informal Clerk lunches in the botanical gardens each day.

There were lots of organised events where you could bond with fellow Clerks, with activities like lawn bowls, karaoke, tenpin bowling, cork and canvas, and trivia. The lead-up to

Christmas is also a blast, with team lunches and the firm Christmas party, which are great opportunities to learn more about your colleagues outside the office. Even before the clerkship started, Allens put on a wine and cheese night for the Summer Clerks, where we learned more about the practice areas we could choose to rotate through.

4. What surprised you about working at Allens?

I was pleasantly surprised to meet so many cool and lovely people at Allens. I was concerned that I wouldn’t fit in at Allens (that I didn’t have the right background), due to its reputation as a traditional (and stuffy) firm, but I didn’t feel out of place at all. Everyone was so nice and welcoming! Of course, the work is fascinating, but the most interesting work in the world isn’t worth it if you don’t like who you’re working with (particularly if you’re working late nights).

5. What would be your advice to students wishing to apply to Allens?

Two things: (1) Do it – apply. Before doing my clerkship, Allens intimidated me; I didn’t think I would be selected and I wasn’t sure the firm was for me. But I could not have been more wrong and I’m really pleased I applied.

(2) Be genuine. Applying for clerkships is a tiresome and stressful time, and it’s easy to get carried away with what you think firms or HR want to see, but there would be nothing worse than pretending to be someone you’re not and ending up at a firm that isn’t the right place for you. Be yourself, and if it’s the right fit, it’ll work.

6. What’s the most exciting thing you worked on?

Doing work on the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry and Snowy 2.0 was cool, but I was most excited to work for the giraffe-in-a-van from my childhood – Healthy Harold.

Find out more at allens.com.au/yourcareer Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.

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Great change is here.

Shape the future with Allens At Allens, we’re focused on equipping our people with the skills and experience they need to be the lawyers of the future. We’re ready to define tomorrow. Are you?

WILL BROWN ANU ALUMNI & ALLENS GRADUATE One of Allens 2019 Graduates and Australian National University JD alumni Will Brown shares his clerkship experience in a feature with Lawyers Weekly.

Having spent the best part of five years studying at the ANU, it felt like the right time to make the move from the nation’s capital to the place most commonly mistaken for the nation’s capital, Sydney. After several brief glimpses into life at Allens, it was with much excitement that I awaited the start of my Summer Clerkship. I could picture it – exciting work, new colleagues, and Christmas functions to boot. I did not, however, foresee a trip to the Sydney Children’s Hospital, an advanced screening of Jumanji, losing to a rival firm in soccer (controversially and in wet weather…) and karaoke on a Thursday night somewhere in Surry Hills.

Trying to imagine life inside a commercial law firm is quite difficult. Most of the work is confidential and each person’s experience and perspective differs greatly. I had always thought - or at least hoped - that I would fit in and that I would be given a chance to use my skills not just commercially, but in the context of helping other people too.

After several days of training and exploring the less travelled parts of Microsoft Word, we were let loose onto the floors to join the teams for our first rotation. For me, this was Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT). Here, I was met with genuine warmth and excitement. The arrival of clerks, I was told, meant it was almost Christmas.

In the weeks since, I have had the privilege to work on largescale service agreements in addition to novation deeds, licences, advice on cryptocurrencies and even the issue of zero-ratings and net neutrality. It has been a process of constant learning, navigating new laws and trying to anticipate the regulation of new and exciting concepts.

Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.

By the same token (couldn’t help myself), I have also worked on a number of Allens Accelerate matters. Accelerate works with aspiring entrepreneurs in the embryonic stages of starting their own companies, many of which could have a big impact on a number of sectors in the coming years.

What has really rounded out my experience has been the chance to work on pro bono matters. While clients are always grateful for receiving advice, there is something really rewarding when you can make a difference for a client that would not ordinarily be in a position to access legal services. Allens has a strong commitment to pro bono work and clerks are encouraged to get involved from day one.

Aside from having front-row seats for a senior colleague’s rendition of Geri Halliwell’s It’s Raining Men, the highlight of my Allens experience has been the people. There is a genuine team spirit among the clerks and it has been a pleasure getting to know so many interesting people from all over the country.

Special thanks must go to the entire TMT and People & Development teams, without whom my experience would not have been as seamless and enjoyable as it has been. In the last few weeks, a sense of confidence has been instilled in me by the lawyers I work alongside. Despite having complex matters to attend to before Christmas, they have all taken the time to explain new concepts to me and give me detailed feedback on their work.

Particular thanks must go to Ian McGill, my supervising partner. No matter how busy he has been, Ian has set aside time to review my work and provide feedback which has allowed me to increase the standard of my work immeasurably. His approachability has allowed me to ask questions and to work with confidence, without fear of making mistakes while I learn. I am also grateful to Connie Ye and Alice Williams who have also been formally involved in mentoring me during this process.

Now I can’t wait to see where my career at Allens takes me!

But first, I’m off to Linklaters in Singapore for a year, as part of my graduate program.

Find out more at allens.com.au/yourcareer 18217D

Arnold Bloch Leibler How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

sidized gym membership, flexible work practices among many more.

38 Partners and approximately 120 Lawyers (including Law Graduates)

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

During your clerkship, we arrange a number of extra-curricular activities such as dinners with our current grads and lunches with different groups across the firm (including a team lunch, firm-wide legal staff lunch and a special partner lunch). A recent addition to our clerkship program includes a day out with one of our clients. We find that this unique experience connects the dots for clerks to see and meet the people that lie at the heart of the firm’s identity. It also provides the opportunity to hear from our clients about why they have chosen ABL and what they’re looking for when they come to us for legal advice.

45 clerks across three intakes How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

23 across Melbourne and Sydney How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Giving back to the community has always been one of our core values. At ABL, we proudly have a stand-alone pro bono practice group, led by partner, Peter Seidel. All lawyers at the firm are given the opportunity to get involved with pro bono work. The firm engages with many not-forprofit and charitable organisations that are active in communal, social, health, research, religious and environmental sectors. At ABL, we feel that we punch above our weight, and pro bono work is no exception. Pro bono work is an inherent part of the firm’s DNA and we do it because it is the right thing to do. The firm is deeply committed to indigenous constitutional recognition and reconciliation.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

At ABL, we don’t expect people to remain in the office at the end of the day for the sake of being seen. We want our people to enjoy their life outside work – after all it’s our diversity of thought and experience that binds us, produces our collegiate culture and ensures our success. We support a variety of health & wellbeing events and initiatives, which include sponsoring fun runs and sports teams, providing fresh fruit daily, our fully sub-

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

ABL may be located in Australia but we have substantial global reach. We are renowned for advising entrepreneurial businesses all over the world and possessing influence within legal, business and political circles. While we don’t offer the ability to work from an overseas office, you will have the opportunity to do global work, from a local office.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

ABL is well known for being the go-to firm when it matters. We pride ourselves on providing strategic guidance and solving complex problems related to our clients’ commercial interests, legal position and reputation. This means that our legal staff are exposed to interesting and varied work where they can fully utilise their skills and potential. We do not try to be everything to everyone − rather, we strive for excellence in our chosen areas of expertise.

We encourage our employees to bring their whole selves to work each day, recognising that diversity of thought, background and life experience all contribute to our distinctive culture and the solutions we deliver for each of our clients.

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A reputation for excellence & innovation Arnold Bloch Leibler is the commercial law firm clients turn to for advice and support on their most complex legal matters, high stakes transactions, litigation and commercial decisions. With a reputation built on a long history of success, our lawyers are often at the centre of law reform and regularly advise on landmark matters.

Our firm advises entrepreneurial family-owned businesses, ASX listed companies, private clients and international corporations. We enjoy long-standing relationships with a select group of other professional advisors − including accountants, hedge funds, insolvency practitioners, private bankers and equity firms and overseas-based specialist law firms.

We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver innovative strategic guidance and solutions to complex problems related to our clients’ commercial interests, legal position and reputation.

What distinguishes ABL from other firms?

At Arnold Bloch Leibler we relish our exposure to a wide range of interesting and challenging matters that enable our lawyers to draw on their expertise and intellectual potential.

We encourage them to bring their whole selves to work each day, recognising that diversity of thought, background and life experience all contribute to our distinctive culture and the solutions we deliver for each of our clients.

Our internal structure is also a little different to our competitors. Our lawyers are trained to be ‘generalist specialists’ - able to straddle a range of different legal matters, as opposed to only being super specialised in a narrow field.

Kelly Seo | Lawyer | 2016 Graduate Banking & Finance and Commercial “ABL’s graduate model allowed me to fast track my development well beyond what I expected. I surprised myself with how much I learnt in my first year. I am continually encouraged to think outside the square and contribute my ideas.”

Working in a broad based practice group this way, you’ll work across the full range of matters that the group deals with.

For example, you might choose to be a finance lawyer and work across corporate finance, property & development finance, restructuring and insolvency. In addition to core finance work, you’ll also be exposed to broader commercial transactions like shareholders and joint venture agreements, equity transactions, fund management and financial services - instead of specialising in just one of these areas.

This allows our lawyers to maintain a client-centric focus which is at the core of what we do. What’s the downside? Hard work and the ability to think differently.

You have to cover more ground and be attuned to a larger range of issues. The feedback from our lawyers is that, while it’s more challenging, the satisfaction that comes from achieving excellent outcomes for our clients is unique. In fact, they say it’s pretty incredible.

For clerkship and graduate opportunities in our Sydney office, please visit our careers page on our website, www.abl.com.au. Expressions of interests are available year round as we hire on an ad hoc basis.

For further information about our clerkship and graduate program, please visit www.abl.grad.careers.

Ashurst

Areas of Legal Practice Our presence in the world’s leading financial and resource centres in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and the USA gives us the scale to attract global mandates, with cutting-edge capabilities in four key areas: Corporate, Finance, Projects & Real Estate and Strategic Advisory. In Sydney, clerks and graduates will have the opportunity to choose from 15 different practice areas within the four main capabilities. Including Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition and Anti-Trust, Corporate and M&A, Digital Economy, Dispute Resolution, Employment, Financial Regulation, Infrastructure, Intellectual Property, Environment & Planning, Investment Funds, Projects, Real Estate, Restructuring, Insolvency & Special Situations, Tax. Number of Lawyers National: 147 Partners and 548 Lawyers; Global: 412 Partners and 1583 Lawyers Clerkship Opening and Closing Dates In Sydney applications open on Tuesday 9 June and close on Sunday 12 July 2020 Sydney Clerkship Intake: We are looking for 25 – 30 clerks in our Sydney Office.

What specific qualities does Ashurst look for in a potential Clerk?

There’s absolutely no Ashurst “type”. We want to actively involve a broad range of minds with a broad range of backgrounds, all united by a common set of strengths.

• • • • •

Excellent academic record and a passion to develop a career in an elite international law firm Outstanding communication skills Analytical ability, motivation, determination and drive Commercial awareness Teamwork and interpersonal skills

What kind of responsibilities/tasks can a Clerk expect at Ashurst?

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. You could also be involved in attending court, drafting advice to clients. You can also attend a one week client secondment or accompany a lawyer to a pro bono clinic.

After becoming a clerk, what are the prospects of obtaining a graduate role?

The prospects are high, we recruit all of our graduates from our clerks. In Sydney 100% of our recent clerks have been offered graduate roles with us.

What is unique about Ashurst’s culture?

With our technical expertise, local knowledge and international network, we deliver an experience for our clients that other professional service providers find hard to match. We are committed to being a sustainable global law firm, having positive impacts for our clients, employees, profession, the environment and the communities in which we are based.

Are there any international secondment opportunities?

A small number of international secondments are offered to graduates in their third rotation. There are also opportunities on settlement and post the graduate program to work in one of our international offices.

What training and development opportunities does Ashurst offer?

Throughout the clerkship we offer a range of learning & development sessions to assist with developing technical legal skills, and personal growth.

These programs are designed to challenge clerks to start thinking like lawyers. A support network of supervising partner, lawyer and buddy are also provided and are fundamental to your on job learning, providing informal and formal feedback.

How does Ashurst value Corporate Responsibility?

Corporate responsibility (CR) at Ashurst encompasses our community involvement, place-to-work and environmental initiatives. Pro bono is considered a stand-alone legal practice and we regard pro bono legal work as an integral part of our professional responsibility. Both the CR program and pro bono practice are led by a fulltime partner. We are passionate about using our skills and resources to support projects and initiatives where we believe we can make a real difference. Our lawyers help us to achieve this by providing their time, expertise and experience in any number of different ways, ranging from the provision of pro bono legal advice to charitable fundraising.

How does Ashurst encourage a work-life balance?

Ashurst recognises the importance of balancing work with your life outside of the office and our firm offers a number of initiatives to support you with this. You may be interested in joining one of our many social sporting teams, access our corporate gym memberships or take the opportunity to participate in a fun run event on behalf of the firm to ensure that you are getting the time you need outside of the office as well as having the chance to build your networks and friendships within the firm. We also recognise the way we work and how we work has changed dramatically over the years and to address these changes and recognise the role that flexibility plays in work life balance, we have launched an initiative ‘Smarter Working’, which redefines our approach to flexibility.

The firm has implemented a number of initiatives and programs to support the firm’s focus on gender: • The ‘Committed to Change’ Initiative which sees the partners of firm commit to taking an active role in promoting diversity and inclusion and taking part in programs such as reverse mentoring which are designed to build awareness and perspective of a range of diversity areas.

• The Australian Women’s network which organises a range of events and discussions related to gender diversity issues. The Women’s Network aims to create a network of professionals to encourage, inspire and support women. Each year a program of events is organised to celebrate and raise awareness of International Women’s Day as well as other key topics throughout the year.

• Our Global Managing Partner, Paul Jenkins is personally committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture as he is a member of the Male Champions of Change initiative and is a WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador.

Ashurst’s Spectrum network were nominated as ‘Employee Network of the year’ at the 2019 Australian LGBTI Awards. Spectrum’s remit is to: • Advise management and the Ashurst committee on issues which may affect the LGBTI population; • Provide a safe forum for discussion and debate of relevant issues; facilitate business development with LGBTI clients; • Provide a link with external LGBTI organisations such as Pride in Diversity, Wear it Purple and other support or networking groups; • Work with Graduate Recruitment on targeted recruitment initiatives; and foster a sense of LGBTI inclusiveness through informal social events and organised events with other internal or external networks.

• Spectrum provides our Australian staff with a forum to discuss ideas, policies and events to help further develop the network. Formal events, talks and participation are open to all.

make the difference

to your career, clients and community

Aim beyond pure legal knowledge. Beyond commercial advice.

Be known for something more: a clarity of thought and an instinct for problem solving that can influence governments and leading businesses the world over. Join us and we’ll help you enrich and expand your worldview, grow your skills and influence new ways of thinking. In other words, we’ll help you make the difference.

Begin now at ashurst.com/careers

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My Clerkship Experience Jonathan, Seasonal Clerk

Studied: Bachelor of Laws (Honors), University of NSW Sydney Rotations: Resources, Environment and Planning

1. WHY ASHURST

4. CAREER DEVELOPMENT AT ASHURST

I chose Ashurst for its recognition as one of Australia’s leading environmental law practices and for the people I met at Ashurst during the application process. The opportunity to learn from and work alongside genuine and down-to-earth people who excel in their specialities was one of the main reasons I chose Ashurst. What also set Ashurst apart was the training the firm provides. Ashurst is a firm that not only values the quality of the work it produces, but also the quality of training it provides to junior lawyers and clerks.

Even as a clerk, it was clear to me that Ashurst invests in the development of its people. We received training formally, through weekly training sessions covering a range of practice areas, as well as informally, through the mentoring received from lawyers during our rotations. This was also evident at the end of the clerkship, where there was clear communication about next steps for our careers at Ashurst.

2. YOUR WORK AS A CLERK I was fortunate enough to receive a diverse range of work during my rotations. I had the opportunity to draft advice to clients, sit in on client meetings, research areas of law, prepare briefs to Counsel and assist with pro bono matters.

The lawyers I worked with were incredibly diligent, patient and were always happy to take the time to explain each task to me and to answer any questions I had. I believe this greatly developed my legal skills and enhanced my learning experience.

3. SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE CLERKSHIP I thoroughly enjoyed the social aspects of the clerkship. As clerks we participated in inter-firm clerk sports, attended the clerk-cruise, had clerk-cohort dinners and even organised a weekend trip to the Central Coast. As a whole, the clerkship was highly social and a great opportunity to meet new people and develop close friendships.

5. ASHURST IN THE COMMUNITY Ashurst’s stand-alone pro bono practice and commitment to corporate social responsibility stand out to me as it is a clear demonstration of the firm’s commitment to making a difference beyond its professional work. As a clerk, there is the opportunity to clerk in the Pro Bono team, and every clerk has the opportunity to get involved with some form of pro bono work. I found this to be an immensely fulfilling experience.

6. APPLICATION TIPS My advice to candidates would be to bring your whole self to the application process. I found that every firm really values getting to know more about candidates than just their university credentials. I would also try to enjoy the process, as stressful as it is. Having come out the other side, I found the applications to be a really rewarding experiences and a great chance to reflect on all the things I’d done.

7. WHO SHOULD APPLY? I would recommend Ashurst to anyone seeking to work at a firm that produces technically excellent work and invests in the development of its junior lawyers.

ashurst.com/students

Make the difference at Ashurst As a global law firm with a rich history spanning almost 200 years, we’ve established ourselves as a leading adviser to corporates, financial institutions and governments, on all areas of the law including finance, M&A, disputes and competition. We’re renowned for helping our clients navigate through a complex and constantly evolving global landscape. With 28 offices across the world’s leading financial and resource centres, we offer the reach and insight of a global network combined with deep local market knowledge.

Our people are our greatest asset. We bring together lawyers of the highest calibre with the expertise, industry experience and regional know-how to provide the incisive advice our clients need. As a global team we have a reputation for successfully managing large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, disputes and projects.

Ashurst around the globe

Glasgow London Paris Madrid

Brussels Frankfurt Munich Milan Luxembourg Abu Dhabi Jeddah Riyadh

New York Beijing New Delhi Mumbai

Dubai

Tokyo Shanghai

Los Angeles

Hong Kong

Singapore Jakarta

Port Moresby

Perth Melbourne

Brisbane * Sydney Canberra * Brisbane has two office locations

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time zones

16

countries

Begin now at ashurst.com/students

28

offices

3,660 people

1,583 lawyers

Connect with us on

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partners

Tips for clerkship success Be self-aware and remember that first impressions count

Remember to request feedback after completing tasks

• In locations with multi-clerkship opportunities, a 3.5 to 4 week clerkship is essentially a long interview for a graduate position

• A clerkship is a great opportunity for you to learn and develop your legal knowledge and skills

• Consider your personal brand and how you want to be perceived and remembered in terms of your strengths and fit with firm

• Take the time to follow up your work providers and get their thoughts on the work you have completed - however be aware of their workload and the timing of asking for feedback

• A great attitude, enthusiasm for any sort of task and the ability to quickly build rapport with others goes a long way

• Acting on this feedback is a great way to demonstrate your ability to learn quickly – a key skill for junior lawyers

Show initiative and seek opportunities

Develop your networks – speak to as many people as possible

• What do you want to get out of your clerkship? What do you want to learn about the firm and what work do you want to get involved in?

• As well firms looking at your abilities and fit to the firm, it’s also your opportunity to find out if this is the place you want to start and establish your career

• Take the initiative to get to know your team as well as other practices across the firm, meet as many people as possible and try to get involved in different types of work, projects and activities

• Take every opportunity to meet people from across the firm to learn about the practice groups and if they are people you would like to work with in the future

Keep your supervisor updated on workload and schedule

• Lastly, take the time to get to know your fellow clerks – you may be colleagues one day

• Communication is key in a law firm. Take on a variety of work for different people across the team, but don’t forget the importance of managing your priorities and keeping your work providers up to date • Clerkships involve a number of training sessions and other activities so it’s important to keep people informed as to where you will be if you are away from your desk for a long period of time

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Baker Mckenzie

How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

84 Partners and 197 Lawyers How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

8-10 How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

14 How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Pro Bono and Community Services initiatives are an integral part of Baker McKenzie’s mission. Our Pro Bono, Community Services and corporate social responsibility programs aim to inspire staff to make a difference and collaborate with clients who share the same commitment to social justice. We believe that the provision of pro bono legal services is a fundamental professional responsibility.

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•

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Pro bono legal services – Baker McKenzie is a signatory to the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target of at least 35 hours of pro bono legal work per lawyer per year. Our lawyers regularly undertake a wide range of pro bono legal work for disadvantaged clients in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as not-for-profit organisations. Some of our work includes assisting victims of domestic violence seek compensation; representing asylum seekers seeking judicial review of decisions relating to their refugee status and statement-taking in support of protection visas; helping elderly and ill clients and young people exiting the child protection system with their legal affairs; assisting with submissions and advocacy papers to support law and policy reform; presenting legal workshops to vulnerable and at risk youth; and assisting survivors of domestic violence. Our pro bono work extends globally, including the Asia Pacific region.

Community Services and CSR – We also offer the opportunity to participate in a variety of community service initiatives. Our community service programs include the LEAPS literacy and mentoring program in Sydney, FareShare corporate volunteering sessions in Brisbane, and Eat Up volunteering sessions in Melbourne. Baker McKenzie also supports three charity partners: Tuberous Sclerosis Australia, Refugee Advice and Casework Service, and LeaderLife. All staff members are encouraged to participate in volunteering and fundraising activities to support these causes. Staff members have the opportunity to donate to charities of their choice via the Firm’s workplace giving platform.

Reconciliation Action Plan - In 2019 Baker McKenzie committed to the Firm’s first Reconciliation Action Plan, which included a commitment to support a range of initiatives including providing opportunities for CareerTrackers interns, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through pro bono legal work and volunteering opportunities, and ensuring that the Firm acknowledges the historic challenges faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community whilst also sharing in celebrations of culture.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

Our award-winning diversity strategy, initiatives, and programs, in which all of our people can get involved, are focused in six key areas: • 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 – supporting carers and parents, and workplace flexibility; • BakerWellbeing – mental health and wellbeing; • BakerLGBTI & Allies – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex diversity; and • BakerIndigenousEngagement – commitment to engagement with our Indigenous community - achieving better social, economic and cultural outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to making a real difference in the lives of our nation’s First Peoples.

Central to our Diversity programs are BakerBalance and BakerWellbeing: working groups dedicated to ensuring that our lawyers of all levels are supported in maintaining work-life balance and prioritising mental health and wellbeing as paramount in their careers as successful legal professionals at Baker McKenzie.

Naturally, whether a junior lawyer has to work longer than usual hours ultimately

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depends on how busy the practice groups are. However, it is certainly not the norm. Our bAgile program encourages a range of flexible work opportunities for all. We invite our people to let us know of any reasonable adjustments they require to perform the requirements of a role at Baker McKenzie.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

Right from the start, our Clerks are involved in real work. In Sydney, our Summer Clerks complete two practice group rotations and a client secondment. Clerks who accept a Graduate role with Baker McKenzie are eligible to apply for an International Clerkship, with the opportunity to work in one of our overseas offices after completion of their Clerkship.

In addition to our unique values, Baker McKenzie’s key difference is that, unlike other firms, we were ‘born global’. Our practices and culture are well established and integrated globally, which is why many clients and lawyers choose to work with us.

We also have a global approach to development. Because we’ve been global from the beginning, we have well established regional and global programs and a deeply embedded culture of knowledge sharing, support and mentoring both within and across offices. Our global development roadmap, the Development Framework, clearly explains what success looks like at each career stage at Baker McKenzie. It shapes the way we recruit, select, develop, manage and promote our lawyers. For you, it means always having a clear career roadmap, empowering you to plan and drive your development – formally and on the job – at every stage.

Our lawyers benefit from an Australian professional development curriculum based on the Development Framework – from black letter law to practice-specific skills and knowledge development at the local, regional and global levels.

Our lawyers also attend regional/global training and events/conferences relating to their practices to help develop networks and legal skills. Further, they attend regional transition programs at each career stage which provide development in the key skills our lawyers need – like people leadership, business development and project management – and which enable them to foster relationships with international peers at the same career stage. Recently, programs have been held in Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo.

We also provide our lawyers with opportunities to attend USA summer school courses and scholarships for full-time legal study overseas.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

In addition to the opportunities outlined above, the Firm provides lawyers at varying stages of their career to work directly for clients or with our other offices in the Asia Pacific region and globally. In the last few years, we have placed lawyers in London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Chicago, Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Taipei, Singapore, Shanghai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Jakarta, Myanmar, and of course, we have also had lawyers from across our network come to work in our Sydney and Melbourne offices.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

Baker McKenzie’s difference is in our unique values: our passion for being global, our culture of friendship, our commercial pragmatism, our support for entrepreneurship, our commitment to development, our focus on contributing to the community, and our genuine focus on maintaining a diverse and inclusive environment for all of our people. Baker McKenzie is committed to diversity, inclusion, workplace flexibility, and equal opportunity. As the first truly global law firm, Baker McKenzie’s origins are rooted in the respect for and appreciation of difference. We understand that organizations work best when people with different backgrounds and multiple points of view are brought together. Our own diversity mirrors our commitment to exploring multiple perspectives to develop the best possible solutions for our clients and to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion that celebrates diversity. Diversity and inclusion are in our DNA. Baker McKenzie is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive culture for all its employees, with equal opportunity for all to progress and have a meaningful career with our Firm. Our mission is to foster an environment where individuals of every ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, age, disability, carer status, and working style may succeed professionally and fully contribute to the goals of the Firm. As part of our inclusive culture, we encourage applications from all genders, abilities and cultural backgrounds including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

BORN GLOBAL At Baker McKenzie we are different in the way we think, work and behave.

Like no other law firm, we were born global.

Baker McKenzie has been thinking globally in Australia for more than 50 years. In 2014, we opened our Brisbane office making our Australian practice the fourth largest in our network of 76 offices with more than 80 Partners and 220 lawyers across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. In Australia, we act for leading multinational and domestic companies on market leading local and global transactions.

Founded in 1949, Baker McKenzie is one of the world’s largest law firms by markets, revenue and headcount. We offer our clients and lawyers the uncompromising commitment to excellence expected of a leading firm and a distinctive way of thinking, working and behaving as a passionately global and genuinely collaborative firm.

We understand the challenges of the global economy because we have been a global law firm from the start.

Our Clerkship Program

Right from the start, our Clerks get involved in real work.

You will be exposed to our Australian and international clients through client meetings, shadowing, research and other everyday activities within your assigned practice group.

Our Clerks work closely with other lawyers, are guided by a Supervising Partner and enjoy the extra support of an experienced Associate “Buddy”. You will develop practical and legal skills through our national learning program and by attending workshops specifically designed for Clerks, as well as Firm-wide sessions.

In Sydney, the Summer Clerkship Program runs from late November to February each year during which Clerks complete two practice group rotations. Clerks who accept a Graduate role with Baker McKenzie are eligible to apply for an International Clerkship, with the opportunity to work in one of our overseas offices in the year following their Clerkship.

Our Graduate Program

Over the course of the program, Graduates gain experience in different areas of law before they join a particular practice group as an Associate. You will be supervised by a senior lawyer and an Associate “Buddy” in each rotation to oversee your on-the-job and formal learning.

Develop globally

At Baker McKenzie, we have a deep commitment to development. We work with each Graduate to create a tailored development plan and career goals. To help you reach your goals, we provide targeted learning opportunities — from seminars on core legal topics to practical skills development in areas such as communication, drafting and presenting.

We work hard to facilitate on-the-job learning and the many ways it happens — through informal mentoring relationships, client secondments, involving Graduates in global teams working on international deals and in managing their own files for our award-winning Pro Bono Program.

We also bring Graduates from our Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane offices together to help our people foster networks across the Firm, and support professional development by covering the costs of Practical Legal Training and your admission.

Our regional practice group structure means many of our lawyers attend regional training in our Asia Pacific offices.

Once Graduates complete their Graduate Program, they will attend a regional orientation program with other mid-level Associates from the Asia Pacific region. The Firm also offers opportunities for lawyers at varying stages of their careers to work directly for clients or with our other offices globally.

What does the Firm look for?

Baker McKenzie looks for people who genuinely want to work with us and who understand Baker McKenzie's unique offering, values and position in the market. We look for well-rounded, motivated individuals who share our global perspective; who are intellectually curious and have sound academics; who display business acumen and are practical in their approach; who enjoy a challenge and seek new opportunities; who take responsibility and use their initiative; who act with integrity and honesty in all of their dealings, decisions and actions; who express themselves confidently while staying open to new ideas; who strive to provide excellent service to their clients; who seek a friendly, diverse, and inclusive culture; and who take seriously our role in making a difference to our local and global communities.

Thrive in a culture of inclusion

Quality and excellence along with team work, integrity and responsiveness are central in delivering outstanding service to our clients, as you would expect in a top tier law firm.

The values that make us a unique and great place to work are deeply embedded and you will notice our difference in all of your interactions with us, in Australia and across the globe.

We are passionately global, and leverage our global expertise for our clients.

We strive to stay ahead of the curve and encourage entrepreneurship.

We actively encourage and support contribution to the community, through our pro bono and community service programs.

We want everyone at Baker McKenzie to reach their potential so we invest in global, regional and local world-class development and mobility programs for our people.

Our award-winning diversity strategy, initiatives and programs are focused in six areas: BakerWomen – gender equality and supporting the progression of women BakerDNA – ethnic, indigenous and cultural diversity BakerBalance – supporting carers and parents, and workplace flexibility BakerLGBTI & Allies – lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex diversity BakerIndigenousEngagement – commitment to engagement with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community BakerWellbeing – commitment to mental health and wellbeing.

How to apply

Applications for Clerkships can be submitted via www.bakermckenzie.com/careers/Australia.

Applications should include a cover letter, as well as details of your work experience, your extra-curricular activities and interests, and your academic results.

Applications for Clerkships open at 9.00am on 9 June 2020 and close at 11.59 pm on 5 July 2020.

Angelique Holden Talent Management Consultant +61 2 8922 5596 angelique.holden@bakermckenzie.com

We have a strong culture of friendship and collaborative working style.

We are commercial pragmatists who simplify issues for clients.

Our key areas of practice     

Banking & Finance Capital Markets Commercial Real Estate Construction Dispute Resolution

 Employment  Energy, Resources and Infrastructure  Environmental Markets

 Financial Services & Structured Transactions  Insolvency  Intellectual Property  Media

   

Mergers & Acquisitions Private Equity Tax Technology & Communications

www.bakermckenzie.com/careers/Australia Baker & McKenzie, an Australian Partnership, is a member firm of Baker & McKenzie International.

Bird & Bird How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Bird & Bird has 1,350 lawyers across our 30 fully integrated offices worldwide. Our Sydney office has been growing rapidly and currently has 14 partners and 55 other lawyers, ranging from Associate to Senior Counsel.

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

Our intake numbers vary but we are planning to take 4-6 clerks for the 2020-2021 summer clerkship.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

We took on 5 graduate lawyers during the 2019-2020 period.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

We were most recently named as an Australasian Lawyer Employer of Choice 2019; in recognition of our ongoing commitment to CSR initiatives. Our comprehensive global CSR framework is comprised of 5 local pillars of Environ- ment, Diversity & Inclusion, Fundraising, Volunteering, and Pro bono.

This allows us to channel our focus into each specialised area of CSR through initiatives steered by com- mittees comprising a full cross section of our people.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ worklife balance?

Work-life balance is important for all of our people. It is why we joined Bird & Bird, a firm with one of the lowest turnovers of staff in our market.

• We enjoy weekly “morning tea” town hall meetings (a gastronomical delight and a Sydney office institution). We encourage and support lunchtime sporting groups (touch, soccer and netball).

• We provide a well-equipped kitchen/café area for meeting and eating, hold social committee events and we also subsidize on-site yoga classes (with amazing end-of-journey showering facilities downstairs).

• We actively encourage all our people to benefit from the many supportive lunch n learn sessions, educational articles and the talks we share, and also the 3rd party services available such as accessing pro bono work via Vollie (our volunteering partner), seeking support and coaching from Grace Papers (our parental support partner) and the “well-nest” via the Centre for Corporate Health (our EAP partner).

Importantly though, we are not a firm that encourages long hours of work for its own sake. While we are responsive to client needs, we neither have nor want a stressed and unhappy workforce being asked to work well beyond that which is reasonable or desirable.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

Firstly, we are unique in our summer clerk hiring process. We read all applications several times and make an informed overall judgement, rather than cull solely based on one criteria alone.

We engage in warm and authentic conversations with our candidates. There are no psychometric tests or group culling exercises here.

Our selection of clerks is based on our assessment as to whether the applicant has what it takes to become a future part- ner of our global firm. We are an international firm with a focus on innovation and technology. Our clerks are exposed to high profile matters with market leading national and international clients from the very beginning.

Once qualified as Associates they will have the opportunity to attend a regional Associates’ Retreat held at a beautiful destination in our Asia Pacific region (previously Bangkok and Bintan Island).

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

Yes, many. In addition to the regional Associates’ Retreat mentioned above, our lawyers are given opportunities to attend our frequent global sector group and practice group retreats in Europe, which allows you to network with partners and colleagues in different jurisdictions and build your internal profile.

Bird & Bird also provides opportunities for client secondments as well as overseas inter-office secondments during the course of your career with Bird & Bird.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

We seek to be the number one firm in the world for businesses being changed by technology and the digital economy. We are a fully integrated international law firm with just over 100 employees working within the Sydney office. Our Sydney numbers allow us to build warm interpersonal relationships with every team member in the office, regardless of their position, which is further reinforced by our brand-new office design.

We pride ourselves on our CSR initiatives and we are always looking for ways to better our offering, recognised most recently through our naming as Australasian Lawyer Employer of Choice 2019.

A truly unique offering for which we are well-known is our weekly morning tea – bringing together the entire firm to reflect on what we have achieved in the past week and what we can look forward to in the following week. This is a great way for us at twobirds to celebrate birthdays and special events, share stories and hear global updates directly from our Managing Partner and international guests and our many visitors from other Bird & Bird offices.

Find out more about a Bird & Bird clerkship via https://www. twobirds.com/en/careers/graduates/australia

Day in the Life 5.30am – My ‘optimistic’ alarm goes off in the hopes I might get up early and do something productive before work; it’s quickly snoozed before my much more realistic alarm goes off at 6.30 and my day starts.

8.30am – I jump off the train at St James station and start the short walk to work (a perk of being in the CBD). Usually on my walk I’ll start to think about the tasks I have for the day and prepare a mental to do list.

8.40am – I like being in the office a little earlier so I can settle in for the day ahead, I read through any emails I received overnight and check the daily Birdtalk newsletter which has all the major updates from our teams around the globe. I also spend some time chatting with the team and catching up on the latest news in the office.

9.00am – I start the morning off working on a piece of research I’m hoping to finish today, it was an unique topic about secondhand dealers so there was lots of work involved in pulling it together and it’s quite satisfying to have a the final product almost ready to go.

10.30am – All work stops, the whole office heads to the kitchen for our end of the week morning tea. Shane, our Managing Partner, runs through some notices and important mentions (there are some birthdays this week) and we all have some time to catch up.

11.30am – I sit down with the special counsel (we have both snuck in an extra brownie from morning tea) and Shane to discuss the second-hand dealer research and our response to the client.

12.00pm – A client from one of our international offices has sent us a table of questions relating to privacy and data regulations in Australia. I enjoy privacy law so I’m excited to get started.

1.00pm – We have a lunch time CPD on today, Sophie Dawson, one of the partners from Litigation is giving a talk on defamation law and there’s lunch provided which is always an added bonus.

2.00pm – Back to working on my research task, I have just discovered exactly what a biometric template entails and am looking into the use of sensitive information.

4.30pm – To close out the day, I sit down with an Associate, to discuss our privacy research task, joined by the Special Counsel in charge of the matter. She walks us through her review of client’s privacy policy in relation to the questions we’ve been working on and points out where Australian Privacy law differs to European.

6pm - I’m on my way home! I’ll take the dogs for a walk before settling down with a Netflix session to end the week.

Madeleine Clift, 2019/2020 Summer Clerk

Clifford Chance How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Across our two Australian offices we have 10 partners and around 90 lawyers. Globally, our expansive network of 6,000 team members (including approximately 550 partners and 3,000 lawyers) is spread across 32 offices in 21 countries.

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

We have made it a strategic objective to support our people in developing their resilience. One way in which we are doing this is through our global Employee Assistance Programme, which provides individual support from trained counsellors as well as fast access to a range of services, including life management advice.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

We realise that working in a law firm can be a pressurised and demanding environment. Our wellbeing agenda aims to ensure our people are able to recognise and appreciate the importance of maintaining good mental health and in building their resilience and ability to operate healthily and successfully. Promoting a healthy lifestyle is another focus. We support our people in making healthier choices and encourage them to view exercise as social activity.

In 2020 we welcome 11 graduates across our two Australian offices.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

What makes Clifford Chance lawyers different? Firstly, our collaborative and adaptable culture. We work together across borders, languages and legal systems, sharing insights and expertise to achieve our clients’ commercial goals. Secondly, we’re pioneers, working on many ‘first of a kind’ deals. Finally, it’s the nature of our people. Highly professional and self-assured, with an entrepreneurial streak, they embrace our culture of learning and are more than happy to share their expertise and knowledge.

We are intending to take on between 6 – 8 clerks in our Sydney summer program and 4 – 6 clerks in our Perth summer program.

We are committed to inspiring the trust of our stakeholders by making Responsible Business a central part of our strategy.

We have over 6,000 people working for the firm, hugely talented and with a fantastic range of valuable skills and experience. Together, we can really make an impact. There’s also an important point here about individual development.

Our people who are involved in this type of activity – whether it’s pro bono advice, mentoring local students, or working alongside clients on an environmental initiative – all have a much broader, more considered view of business life, and develop a wider range of really valuable life skills and business skills. For our lawyers, it’s a great way for them to understand the context beyond the immediate confines of the transaction or case.

Feeling that you can have a positive impact on some of the more pressing issues facing society is also hugely motivating, and that’s an important aspect of ensuring that everyone here feels that Clifford Chance is a really great place to work.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

As a Responsible Business, we support our people in developing resilience and managing their wellbeing. We believe these are fundamental blocks in building a sustainable business and providing excellent service to all our clients.

We are committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best team to deliver the very highest level of service to our clients. As part of this commitment, we invest in our people’s wellbeing so that they can perform at their full potential. This means caring for their physical and mental health.

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Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

Our extensive international network and the global nature of our business mean that it is both possible and beneficial for graduates to take one of their seats in one of our overseas offices. Secondments are an opportunity for them to acquire new skills and experiences, develop language skills and provide a valuable international perspective in a new business and cultural environment.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

If global law firms are competing to provide the same kind of professional services, you might think we would all end up the same. The fact is, firms vary in spirit, culture and atmosphere. We’re one of the world’s largest law firms, but it often doesn’t feel like that. We have a professional, cando culture. Partners are hands on with the work and newly qualified lawyers are expected to demonstrate leadership behaviour from a very early stage. Every single person is critical to the success of the team.

GET TO KNOW US What areas of law do we practice?

How many graduate jobs do we offer?

Across Australia, our core areas of focus are Corporate, Banking & Finance, Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Antitrust & Competition.

Sydney: 4 – 6

Why are we different?

Firstly, our collaborative and adaptable culture. We work together across borders, languages and legal systems, sharing insights and expertise to achieve our clients’ commercial goals. Secondly, we’re pioneers, working on many ‘first of a kind’ deals. Finally, it’s the nature of our people. Highly professional and self-assured, with an entrepreneurial streak, they embrace our culture of learning and are more than happy to share their expertise and knowledge.

Your contacts Kelly Byrnes, National HR Manager & Melissa Urquhart, HR Advisor Grads.Australia@CliffordChance.com

Clerkships Students must be at least penultimate year and eligible to participate in the 2022 Graduate Program

When are our clerkships held?

Our Clerkship program in Sydney runs in Summer; in 2020, it will run from 30 November, 2020 – 12 February, 2021.

Our Clerkship program in Perth runs in Summer; in 2020 it will run from 30 November – 18 December.

How many clerks do you take?

Sydney: 4 – 6 Perth: 4 – 6

Perth: 2 – 4

Do we make graduate offers to the open market, or just through clerkships?

Graduate offers are primarily made from the clerkship pool however applications from students unable to complete a clerkship program are still accepted and considered.

How / when should students apply?

Sydney

Perth

Applications open: 9 June, 2020

Applications open: 13 July, 2020

Applications close: 5 July, 2020

Applications close: 2 August, 2020

What kind of work can a clerk expect to do?

Our clerkship program is designed to provide you with a real insight to life at Clifford Chance in Australia.

Throughout the program, you will work alongside all levels of lawyers, including partners, while you assist with real-time matters.

You will have two seat rotations, allowing you to experience two different teams.

Throughout the clerkship you will hear from various departments across the region, helping you to develop a comprehensive understanding of life in a magic circle law-firm.

Applications should be submitted online at https://careers.cliffordchance.com/apac/locations/australia.html

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Clayton Utz How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

165 partners and over 1,400 employees across six offices How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

30 - 40 in Sydney How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

37 in Sydney How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

The law is what we do, but our community is part of who we are.

As part of the wider Australian community and legal profession, we have serious ambitions to improve our local communities. We want to address disadvantage and support access to justice in the communities in which we live and work.

Partners and employees have direct involvement with charities across Australia by volunteering and fundraising through our Community program, Community Connect.

Through this program the firm and our people participate in numerous activities, with our Community Partners, including climbing mountains with children with Cerebral Palsy, readying students for job interviews in schools and setting up mobile libraries for people living on the streets.

We have financially supported our charity partners through the Clayton Utz Foundation, distributing over $10million since 2003.

Our work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is reflected in our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Through the RAP we continue our development of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, charities and businesses.

Since then we have worked to progress these relationships by strengthening and formalising our approaches through our Pro Bono work, community partnerships, procurement practices, and the Clayton Utz Foundation.

We promote Environmental Sustainability through initiatives that assist us to understand our impacts and incorporate sustainability into our decision-making.

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How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

Clayton Utz offers a vibrant and supportive work environment. We recognise the need for our people to stay true to themselves by maintaining balance in their lives. That’s why we have a range of flexible work options and health and wellbeing initiatives, as well as social and sporting activities and community volunteering opportunities.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

Clayton Utz was named among the ten leading pro bono firms in the world in the inaugural Who’s Who Legal Global Pro Bono Survey.

The survey recognises firms that are leading the way in its pro bono contributions, levels of participation and efforts to institutionalise pro bono work.

Pro bono is a fundamental part of Clayton Utz. Clayton Utz is serious about pro bono best practice. We were the first large Australian law firm to establish an inhouse pro bono practice; the first to appoint a full-time pro bono partner; and the first to sign the National Pro Bono Target. Since 1997, our commitment to pro bono has helped to shape what it means to be a leading Australian law firm.

In 2015, we became the first law firm in Australia to provide 500,000 hours of pro bono assistance (and counting).

We have achieved this by focusing on our clients’ needs; collaborating with the legal assistance sector and other pro bono colleagues; and making pro bono work part of each of our lawyers’ everyday practice.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

CU Abroad provides our people with the opportunity to live and work overseas for up to two years.

This allows our people to gain exposure to new ways of working, different markets and legal systems. It offers unparalleled insights and a greater appreciation not only of clients’ needs, but also of the priorities of lawyers working in other jurisdictions.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

At Clayton Utz, our culture is based of trust, respect and co-operation. These are the fundamental relationship values which we all rely on in our day-to-day lives and relationships with family, friends and, importantly, with colleagues. And we stay true to them.

STAY TRUE.

Staying true to your direction is what defines Clayton Utz. We’ve built a culture that’s unlike any other law firm, but don’t just take our word for it. A good lawyer needs compelling evidence so meet our people and judge for yourself. claytonutz.com/graduates

Academic brilliance certainly counts, but graduates who thrive here have something extra – a natural passion for connecting with people and a strong sense of self. That’s what staying true is all about. If you have these qualities, Clayton Utz is for you.

CLERKSHIP PROGRAM If you’re a law student in your penultimate year, our Clerkship Programs will expose you to the fast pace of a full-service commercial law firm and show you the law in action.

You’ll be working under the guidance of some of the sharpest legal minds in Australia, on challenging, complex and high-profile transactions and matters. You’ll be mentored by partners and lawyers who are leaders in their fields, in a firm where individuality is embraced and innovation actively encouraged.

GRADUATE PROGRAM It’s not just about wearing a suit.

There’s always a gap between theory and practice, and post-university prospects can be daunting. How do you make the leap to working in the industry?

That’s where we come in.

Once you’ve completed your studies, 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 rotations will help you discover different areas and find the right fit. From day one you’ll be working on complex and sophisticated legal issues, and with our innovative learning and development approach, you’ll get the support to become the best you can be.

You’ll get…

• Three rotations of six months in our national practice groups • continuing legal education programs and professional development support • mentoring from some of the best lawyers in the country • a buddy who’ll give you the inside information

• the chance to participate in our Community Connect and Pro Bono programs and really give back

• meaningful performance feedback so you know you’re on • social and sporting activities, because we know it’s not the right track all work and no play.

We hire most of our Graduates from our Clerkship Programs. Occasionally, additional opportunities may arise. These opportunities will be listed on our website.

As a junior lawyer, your enthusiasm is in overdrive. Everything is interesting. You have a million questions for everyone. You want to be the best. And for me, I wanted to be the best lawyer and leader I could be.

Right now I’m a corporate and tax lawyer, buying and selling companies, structuring investments and having the occasional battle with the ATO.

STAY TRUE.

So, a little while after I started at Clayton Utz, I joined the social committee. A powerful assembly fuelled by lunchtime pizzawielding lawyers making important decisions like choosing the Christmas party theme. They knew I liked pizza, but had no idea I was gay. You see, I wasn’t out at work yet and this became a genuine source of anxiety for a good two years.

But In May 2015 this all changed...

To listen to Luke’s full story, go to: claytonutz.com/graduates Academic brilliance certainly counts, but graduates who thrive here have something extra – a natural passion for connecting with people and a strong sense of self. That’s what staying true is all about. If you have these qualities, Clayton Utz is for you.

Experiencing new cities and cultures has always been a passion of mine and working with Clayton Utz has helped fuel that passion. I was lucky enough to be selected as the Clayton Utz graduate to participate in the year long legal traineeship at a Japanese firm. I ate way too much sushi and ramen and was exposed to a wide range of matters, clients and also areas of law before returning to the Canberra office in early 2015.

STAY TRUE.

The graduate program is well structured and I have been particularly impressed with the level and quality of mentoring.

My Clayton Utz mentors have all remained true to balancing expert guidance with the freedom of autonomy, giving me the motivation and knowledge to become a better lawyer…

To listen to Isobelle’s full story, go to: claytonutz.com/graduates Academic brilliance certainly counts, but graduates who thrive here have something extra – a natural passion for connecting with people and a strong sense of self. That’s what staying true is all about. If you have these qualities, Clayton Utz is for you.

Corrs Chambers Westgarth

Number of lawyers and partners Corrs have 120 partners and 500 lawyers.

Sydney 2020 Clerkship Intake 20 Summer Clerks In July 2020 we will advise if Corrs Spring Clerkship program will be able to go ahead this year. At this time we are unsure if our Corrs’ team will be back working in the office for the commencement of the program.

Number of Graduates in Corrs 2020 Intake 24 Sydney graduates How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We provide opportunities for professional and personal growth for both legal and business services staff.

We take our work seriously but we also recognise the importance of looking after ourselves and having fun.

We encourage staff to be socially active and participate in social and sporting events as well as learning and development activities.

Some of our activities include mixed netball, pilates and yoga, touch football, cricket day, Friday night drinks, family days, trivia nights, End of Financial Year party and Christmas Party. Corrs also provides flexible work arrangements, paid study leave, salary sacrificing and opportunities to give back to the community.

Corrs recognises the importance of health and wellbeing and is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace through a range of programs and policies. Our wellbeing program provides a range of initiatives to assist people in maintaining good overall health. Importantly, we also recognise the role a person’s manager plays in their wellbeing and we place emphasis on effective ‘everyday leadership’ and have processes in place to monitor a person’s welfare and workload.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

A unique offering in Corrs’ summer clerkship program is the opportunity to complete a pro-bono project over the summer which the cohort will present to the client at the end of the program. Corrs’ Summer Clerks will

also undertake a rotation in three different practice groups during the clerkship.

If post-graduate study at Oxford, Cambridge (or a US equivalent) is in a clerk’s future plan then our International Study Scholarship may be of interest. Financial support for the completion of full-time study at one of these prestigious universities is a unique offering by Corrs.

Does Corrs offer any opportunities to work overseas?

We have offices across Australia and in Papua New Guinea, as well as a leading network of strategic alliances across the globe.

We send and have sent lawyers on international secondments to the following firms: Amsterdam – De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek; Chile – Carey; Dusseldorf – Gleiss Lutz; Frankfurt – Hengeler Mueller; Hong Kong – Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Jakarta – Soemadipradja & Taher; London – Slaughter & May, Macfarlanes, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and CMS; Madrid – Uría Menéndez; Milan – BonelliErede; Mumbai – AZB & Partners; New York – Cravath Swaine & Moore and Skadden; Paris – Bredin Prat; Singapore – Allen & Gledhill; Tokyo – Nishimura & Asahi.

What is unique about Corrs’ culture?

At Corrs, our culture is defined by excellence, collaboration, commitment and respect.

Corrs lawyers are known for their strategic approach with clients. We don’t just focus on legal advice, we provide our clients with strategic guidance to help them mitigate risks and achieve their business goals.

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.

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Corrs Chambers Westgarth Be exceptional.

Your journey from outstanding graduate to exceptional lawyer begins at Corrs.

corrs.com.au/graduates

Who are we and what do we do?

Corrs Chambers Westgarth is Australia’s leading independent Australian law firm. We’re known and respected for delivering legal excellence, exceptional client service and outstanding results.

Through our long-term relationships with leading law firms across the world, we advise on the most significant global matters and connect with the best lawyers internationally to provide our clients with the right team for every engagement.

Ranked as the leading law firm in the Asia-Pacific by The Legal 500.

At Corrs, you’ll enjoy the benefits of working alongside a high-performing team with a shared commitment to our culture of excellence, collaboration, commitment and respect.

For almost two centuries, we’ve been advising our clients on their most complex challenges. We’re the firm of choice for many of the world’s most significant organisations – from large corporations to governments, banks and financial sponsors.

Areas of practice Nationally, we have 17 practice groups. In the Sydney office, we specialise in the following areas of law: Arbitration; Banking & Finance; Class Actions; Commercial Litigation; Competition; Corporate; Employment & Labour; Environment & Planning; Financial Sponsors; Intellectual Property; Projects; Property & Real Estate; Restructuring, Insolvency & Special Situations (RISS); Tax; Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT).

Your time as a Clerk at Corrs The majority of our graduates join us after experiencing a seasonal clerkship program. Our summer clerkship gives you the opportunity to rotate through three practice groups where you will 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 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.

You’ll be exposed to a broad range of interesting matters.

You’ll also have the chance to complete a broad range of tasks, such as conducting research, reviewing and presenting documents, attending client meetings, court hearings, mediations and settlements, as well as shadowing partners and lawyers in client meetings and business development activities.

As a clerk you will also undertake a pro bono project for the duration of the summer which you will present to one of our pro-bono clients as a cohort.

Your time as a Graduate with Corrs The reason we continue to attract exceptional graduates and lawyers is simple: we provide you with the opportunity to work with great people; to work on career-defining matters from the start of your career; and to work and/or study internationally.

From your first day at Corrs, you will have the opportunity to accelerate your career in a high-performing and supportive environment.

Graduate Development Program

Our work

Our graduate development program is your first step towards a successful career. As part of our 18-month program, you will have access to:

We let our work speak for itself. We’re proud to work with some of the biggest organisations in the world on their most important matters.

•

on-the-job training as you work directly with partners and senior lawyers;

•

structured learning;

•

mentoring; and

Our clients include more than half of the top fifty ASX-listed companies, some of the largest privately owned companies in Australia and a number of global Fortune five hundred companies.

•

regular feedback.

During this time, you’ll complete three six-month rotations through a variety of our practice areas and you’ll also be involved in pro bono opportunities.

The program begins with our Graduate Academy – a highlight for our graduates every year. We bring all our graduates together for a multi-day learning experience, giving you the chance to meet with your peers, learn and have fun. Then it’s on to your Practical Legal Training (PLT) studies and your local orientation before you dive into the program.

What does Corrs look for in a Clerk/Graduate?

We look for graduates who can make a positive contribution to the firm and help us in delivering legal excellence and outstanding client service. In exchange for your energy and commitment we’ll provide extraordinary learning and work opportunities here and internationally.

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.

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.

At Corrs, you’ll enjoy the benefits of working alongside a high-performing team with a shared commitment to our culture of excellence, collaboration, commitment and respect.

International opportunities (work and study) We invest in international experiences that help our lawyers grow their skills, cultural understanding and relationships worldwide.

Our International Study Scholarship supports the continuing professional development of exceptional legal staff. The Scholarship provides financial support for the completion of further study at Oxford, Cambridge or a US equivalent (full-time on campus).

We have sent our lawyers on secondment to some of the world’s leading firms in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, China, Spain, France, India, Germany, Brazil, Indonesia and Hong Kong.

We work with well-known organisations like AGL, Amazon, BP, Blackstone, CBA, Coles, EBay, Google, Johnson & Johnson, McDonalds, NAB, PayPal, Vodafone and Wesfarmers.

We also work with governments, Federal and State, as well as on major transactions that make the news.

Pro bono and community From local schools to global organisations, we have a long and proud history of helping those in need.

As a graduate lawyer, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to pro bono matters. We perform around 20,000 hours of pro bono and volunteer work each year, helping those who need it most.

Corrs specifically provides pro bono legal services for disadvantaged individuals who might not otherwise have access to legal representation.

We are the principal legal partner for the United Nations Refugee Agency in Australia. Other organisations we work with and support as part of our pro bono and community program include Hagar Australia, Justice Connect, The Salvation Army, The Big Issue, Very Special Kids, Oxfam and more.

In Sydney, our work with Justice Connect and the Homeless Persons Legal Clinics we run in Newtown and Bondi Beach sees graduates helping people facing disadvantage who are ineligible for legal aid and cannot afford a lawyer.

Diversity and inclusion Our success relies upon attracting, retaining and providing development opportunities to talented people with diverse ideas, backgrounds and experiences.

Ranked #1 – AU & NZ M&A deals by deal count (Bloomberg Global M&A League Tables 2019)

We want everyone to feel connected, valued and supported, so that every individual can succeed and can contribute to our firm and client success.

We strongly believe that diversity in all its forms should be embraced and celebrated. This benefits our people, our clients, our firm and the industry at large.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is woven through all aspects of our firm – from our recruitment and people development strategies through to our wellbeing initiatives.

Ranked #1 amongst major Australian law firms – PE deals by value (Mergermarket Global M&A League Tables 2019)

For almost 15 years, we’ve been recognised as an Employer of Choice by the WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation.

We have a strong and ongoing commitment to LGBTIQ+ inclusion amongst our people, our clients and the broader community.

Our CEO Gavin MacLaren is a member of the Leadership Council for Cultural Diversity, an initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), and we have signed a cultural diversity commitment with members of the Managing Partners Diversity Initiative to improve cultural diversity in leadership.

Corrs is also a member of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association (AALA), which promotes cultural diversity in the law, and supports the AHRC’s ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ campaign.

Sydney

Applications open – 9 June 2020 Applications close – 12 July 2020 Offers made – 30 September 2020 Contact:

Kimberly Howe People & Performance Consultant +61 2 9210 6044 kimberly.howe@corrs.com.au

corrs.com.au/graduates

Gilbert + Tobin

How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

+ 400 lawyers nationally across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. + 80 partners nationally across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. + 800 people nationally, legal and non-legal.

Aurora Project – Native Title Secondment Opportunity

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

Our summer clerk numbers are typically confirmed closer to time. In previous years our intake has ranged anywhere between 10 and 29 clerks.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

30 graduates nationally, including 16 in Sydney plus 10 graduates due to commence in August.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

We have always taken corporate citizenship seriously. Since our inception in 1988 we have made and kept a commitment to pro bono services for marginalised and disadvantaged people, Reconciliation for Australia’s Indigenous peoples and protecting the environment and reducing our environmental footprint.

We actively engage with the social and environmental impacts of our operations.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program specifically focuses on three streams – community, reconciliation and the environment. Through these programs we: •

Work to ensure the justice system is accessible to everyone by helping parts of the community who cannot afford legal assistance; Monitor, improve and report on our environmental performance to our key clients, and to the public; Commit with our suppliers of goods and services to achieve better environmental and social sustainability by managing our procurement processes; Maintain an open work place where staff are encouraged to commit to causes and provide the flexibility to enable them to do that.

• • •

We report on our CSR performance in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines. The GRI Guidelines report on sustainability performance in relation to economic, environmental and social performance outcomes.

We continue to look for ways to improve our contribution as a responsible corporate citizen.

Gilbert + Tobin has a proud community-conscious track record on environmental issues.

We are a National Carbon Offset Standard (NCOS) certified carbon neutral law firm – one of just two in Australia.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work/life balance?

G+T offers an informal and relaxed environment, approachable partners and lawyers, diverse teams, friendly people who care about the firm and the high performance contribution they make irrespective of their role. We have a range of flexible working arrangements and support structures available, including best-practice 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.

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Each year we offer two Sydney clerks the opportunity to gain work experience with a Native Title representative body through the Aurora Project, during the winter semester break. This unique initiative is fully funded by the firm and will help you build important personal and professional skills. In the past, our clerks have seconded to the Torres Strait Regional Authority on Thursday Island, Queensland and the Top End Women’s Legal Service in Darwin, Northern Territory.

Upskilling lawyers for the future In addition to legal expertise, we provide our lawyers with essential personal development which focuses on providing tools to be innovative future leaders of the firm.

All summer clerks have the chance work with our legal service innovation team, either as a rotation or via innovation projects. Graduates are also able to undertake a rotation in this area, alongside their commercial practice area of preference.

Development opportunities: Many of our lawyers choose to undertake postgraduate study. G+T offers funding assistance for masters’ degrees and other postgraduate courses as part of our ongoing commitment to your continuing education. While studying, you may also be offered study leave to study and attend exams.

Each year we award a number of 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.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

G+T offers secondment opportunities overseas (as well as in Australia).

These secondments are a great personal and professional development opportunity. Our lawyers tell us that their secondment experience has been an invaluable part of their career development. G+T has a “best friends” network with top tier firms internationally. We will support you in seeking opportunities to work abroad, which will expand your commercial skills in a global setting.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

As a young and independent firm we’re not constrained by tradition, so we are always open to change, new ideas and different perspectives on how to deliver the best outcomes to our clients. 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, as well as matters that will improve their skill sets and career prospects.

We offer an informal and relaxed environment, approachable partners and lawyers, diverse teams, friendly people who care about the firm and the high performance contribution they make irrespective of their role.

G+T presents 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.

“Our culture is quite unique, with its focus on innovation and change. It challenges you to do better, and to be bold and stand by the advice we give.

But one thing that surprised me when I joined is how caring it also is. It’s not just about getting the work done – there’s genuine empathy, and a lack of formality or bureaucracy.”

ARE YOU READY TO BE BOLD? Not all corporate law firms are the same. If you’re up for the challenge of working with Australia’s most innovative corporate law firm, learn more via gtlaw.com.au/bebold

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WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? The G+T clerkship experience is open to students in their penultimate year of study, as well as final year for our Sydney office. We’re not a prescriptive firm when it comes to our people; we invite individuality and diversity. We also hold ambition, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit in high regard. Our people are collaborative, passionate and dedicated – but most of all they enjoy what they do and never forget to have fun.

We seek clerks and graduates who will complement our practice groups and don’t feel the need to take themselves too seriously.

WHAT WILL YOU EXPERIENCE? Depending on your location, you’ll complete two, four-week rotations across the firm’s practice areas in summer, or a seasonal clerkship over a number of weeks in winter or summer. All clerks are assigned a supervising partner, mentor and buddy to assist with on-the-job training for each rotation - an immediate support network to help smooth the transition from university and assist with your professional development. While your main focus will be corporate work, everyone has the opportunity to assist on pro bono matters, innovation projects and participate in firm-wide activities.

HOW WILL YOU LEARN?

WE’RE BIG ON BOLD Standing up for what you believe in and standing out in the crowd. Having the confidence to take risks and the courage to say no. Trusting in the tradition of embracing innovation. Being adventurous, spirited and unexpected. At Gilbert + Tobin, we believe in being bold.

During the clerkship you’ll take part in our customised in-house training, and cover topics such as research, analysis, drafting, developing technical skills, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, business development and client orientation. As you progress through your rotations you’ll develop invaluable skills and knowledge and gain first-hand experience of our various practice groups. Understanding the mechanics of legal practice through research, drafting memos, attending court and meeting clients will all help to build your confidence. And we’ll encourage you to contribute ideas and your own fresh perspective.

GRADUATE PROGRAM Our summer clerk program is the primary pathway for graduates at G+T, however we also invite interest from graduating students who may have clerked elsewhere or taken up other opportunities in their penultimate or final year of studies. Keep an eye on our website for active graduate vacancies.

KEY DATES OFFICE

APPLICATIONS OPEN

APPLICATIONS CLOSE

Sydney

9 June

12 July

Melbourne

6 July

16 August

Perth

13 July

2 August

CONTACT KRISTIE BARTON

Clerk + Graduate Program Manager

+61 2 9263 4575 | kbarton@gtlaw.com.au

gtlaw.com.au/bebold

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BE BOLD BE PART OF THE ACTION Gilbert + Tobin is a leading transactions, regulatory and disputes law firm, committed to outstanding citizenship.

We guide our clients through defining moments in their business and are renowned for our ability to get things done.

We employ a diverse mix of talented and ambitious people who are attracted to the firm because of its entrepreneurial spirit, creative approach and capacity for change. These are the reasons we enjoy a reputation as the most successful corporate law firm to emerge in Australia in many years.

We advise many of Australia’s and the world’s leading organisations and focus on the most dynamic sectors. Our clients and projects span Australia, Asia and emerging African markets.

Located in the heart of the CBD, the partners and lawyers in our Sydney office include some of Australia’s leading practitioners in: + Banking + Infrastructure

+ Disputes + Investigations

+ Competition + Regulation

+ Pro Bono

+ Corporate Advisory

+ Real Estate + Projects

+ Energy + Resources

+ Technology + Digital

+ Intellectual Property If you want to challenge your thinking and stretch your abilities, this is the firm for you. There has never been a better time to be a part of our story and enjoy the stimulating challenge of working with Australia’s most innovative corporate law firm.

Find out more at www.gtlaw.com.au/bebold

WE DELIVER ON OUR PROMISE TO PROVIDE REAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER. WE PROVIDE THE CHANCE TO BE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN INTERESTING, CHALLENGING WORK MUCH EARLIER IN YOUR CAREER, ACCELERATING YOUR OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCE. DANNY GILBERT, MANAGING PARTNER

I CAME INTO DAY ONE OF MY CLERKSHIP AT GILBERT + TOBIN WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. TEN WEEKS LATER, I CAN SAFELY SAY MY EXPECTATIONS WERE WELL-EXCEEDED.

All firms throughout the clerkship recruitment process pitch a glossy image of life at their firm to potential candidates. What I loved most about G+T was it not only acknowledged all the pros it had to offer, including working for big-name clients on the most challenging and interesting legal work with the brightest legal minds in the country. It was also candid about the not-so-glossy aspects of the industry. At our first clerk cocktail night, Danny Gilbert openly discussed current issues affecting graduates in the profession. His willingness to be so transparent and keep us aware of how the firm was addressing these was a key factor in my decision to clerk at G+T over other firms. It gave me the sense that the firm truly did champion, and believe in, the importance of its people.

This was confirmed to me during my clerkship experience. I felt immediately welcome at the office, thanks to the friendliness and approachability of the lawyers I worked with and the HR and Knowledge staff who ran training and review sessions. In both my Corporate Advisory and Intellectual Property rotations, lawyers and partners took it upon themselves to initiate coffee catch ups and involved me in as much work as possible.

With an open plan office, there is a real sense of collegiality among teams from the top-down, as partners and senior lawyers are sitting amongst juniors. I learnt so much about professionalism and the client-facing aspect of legal work simply by absorbing how the experienced lawyers sitting around me were conducting day-to-day business. I also did a substantial amount of work directly for partners, which was extremely valuable, and I received frequent feedback in response to each task that I submitted - a huge learning opportunity!

The work I completed during both my IP and Corporate rotations was stimulating and varied. I worked on a range of matters that gave me an invaluable insight into what each team actually does, both day-to-day and in a ‘bigger picture’ sense.

In Corporate, I worked for one of the biggest private equity firms in the country, assisting them with assessing the legal risks of new business acquisitions. This demanded an eye for detail and aptitude for interpreting contracts. In IP, I was involved on several patent litigation matters which gave me a wonderful taste of life as a litigant. Regular opportunities to attend court and see Australia’s best IP barristers in action, advocating on issues that are at the very forefront of IP law was a highlight. I was also tasked with some interesting research tasks, including looking into a famous YouTube influencer and innovation in the coffee machine industry.

As well as work from our practice teams, we completed pro bono and innovation projects over the course of ten weeks. Both provided wonderful opportunities to contribute towards two core tenants of G+T’s culture, namely its sense of responsibility towards addressing social inequities and its market-leading aptitude for innovation. My pro-bono group submitted a report on an impactful litigation strategy that G+T could adopt to tackle reforming the NDIS, which was extremely rewarding. My innovation team created a chat bot for corporate lawyers to determine what reporting requirements applied to a client company.

The design process was collaborative, creative and a lot of fun.

Lastly, the social aspect of my clerkship experience was my favourite of all. I didn’t anticipate that I would form so many genuine friendships in ten weeks.

With G+T facilitating weekly clerk sports games, clerk pasta making, social drinks, numerous Christmas party events and more, it was inevitable that our cohort would end up a tight-knit group.

Ultimately, my clerkship was the ideal launchpad into an exciting legal career and I couldn’t be happier with my choice to start that journey at G+T. TAYLOR JONES, 2019 SUMMER CLERK, UNSW

GTL AW.COM.AU/BEBOLD

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Herbert Smith Freehills

Areas of Legal Practice

Sydney Clerkship Intake

At Herbert Smith Freehills, you’ll be given the opportunity to develop the skills you need to help solve our clients’ most complex challenges in thoughtful and innovative ways. Here’s a breakdown on our areas of expertise, many of which you can get exposure to both as a vacation clerk and a graduate.

• Alternative legal services • Business and human rights • Capital markets • Climate Change • Competition, regulation and trade • Corporate M&A • Corporate crime and investigations • Crisis prevention and management • Cyber security • Data protection and privacy • Dispute resolution • Employment, pensions and incentives • Environment, planning and communities • Finance • Financial services regulatory • Impact Investment • Intellectual property • International arbitration • Real estate • Tax • Technology, Media and Entertainment, and Telecom munication

Projected intake for the Sydney 2020/21 Vacation Clerk Program: 30-35 clerks

Number of lawyers & partners We have +140 Partners and +780 Solicitors in Australia. We have +940 Partners and +5740 Solicitors Globally.

What specific qualities does your firm look for in a potential Clerk?

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 focussed 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.

What kind of responsibilities/tasks can a Clerk expect at your firm?

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’ll truly discover what it’s like to work at Herbert Smith Freehills, working alongside lawyers and partners. We’ll support you throughout your time with us with extensive training, touching on all aspects of the firm. We’ll also invite you to an exciting range of workshops and events, giving you the opportunity to network with people across the firm and the diverse groups we engage with. This is your unique opportunity to show us who you are.

After becoming a clerk, what are the prospects of obtaining a graduate role?

We select many of our graduates through our vacation clerkships.

How does your firm value Corporate Responsibility?

Whether we’re supporting a charity through fundraising, or providing mentoring or scholarship opportunities for disadvantaged high school students, we offer multiple ways to facilitate and support the relationships our people develop with community partners. Our practice groups provide many of our long-standing clients with a range of advice including partnership agreements, structuring, property, employment issues and governance. These include: Canteen, CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program, Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, Foodbank Victoria, McIntyre Centre, Médecins Sans Frontières, Mission Australia, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, Save The Children Australia, Starlight Foundation, St Vincent de Paul, The Big Issue, Yalari and Youngcare.

What is unique about your firm’s culture?

We’re proud of our culture. It’s supportive and it’s non-hierarchical. When you join us as a graduate, you’ll find that your growth is supported at all levels across the firm – whether you’re working on a high-profile takeover, catching up with an overseas client or taking on some challenging pro bono work.

It’s an environment that will give you the skills you need to become a brilliant lawyer. And it’s an environment in which your perspective, ideas and experiences will make a real difference.

What is your firm doing about gender equality in the workplace?

We have a range of global networks focussed on Gender Equality Matters (GEM). Gender diversity is a critical component of our firm’s past, present and future. We are proud that Herbert Smith Freehills was the first major Australian law firm to appoint a woman partner. We have public targets in relation to our women in partnership and leadership positions, ensuring we have a full and robust pipeline of women.

Is there support for the LGBTI community at your firm?

We want you to bring your whole self when you come to Herbert Smith Freehills. We place great value in our people’s life experience and we’re hiring more graduates from diverse backgrounds than ever before.

Working this way, we’re able to attract and retain the very best talent and provide our clients with the most considered and innovative advice. Our approach to diversity encompasses gender, ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability and social inclusion.

“Our vision is that we are a world class firm bringing together the best people to achieve the best results. Fundamental to our vision is embedding a culture where we are truly inclusive – diverse people, perspectives, ways of thinking and skill sets – and where this diversity permeates throughout all levels.”

Danielle Kelly, Head of Diversity & Inclusion

Clerkship Applications Opening and Closing Dates Open: 9 June 2020 Close: 12 July 2020

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We're looking for those who see things differently, the kind of people who bring new ideas and create innovative opportunities for our clients.

ABOUT US With over 25 offices spanning Asia, Europe, Australasia, and the Middle east, we can show you exactly what a world class commercial law firm has to offer, giving you the chance to work as part of an international team, on high-profile matters, for some of the most significant organisations in the market.

Our focus is on the future: the future needs of existing and new clients, the future of the legal profession and investing in our future lawyers.

That’s why we aim to attract the best talent from a broad range of backgrounds, ensuring we are optimising our position as a progressive, forward thinking professional services business. At Herbert Smith Freehills, you’ll be given the opportunity to develop the skills you need to help solve our clients’ most complex challenges in thoughtful and innovative ways.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

CLERKSHIP PROGRAM

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.

SYDNEY Approximate number of positions

30-35

Clerkship programs

1 Summer

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 include the opportunity to:

Applications for all 2019/20 programs open

9 June 2020

• Sit within a specific team, delivering real work for key clients

Applications for all 2019/20 programs close

12 July 2020

• Before you join, submit a preference for a team to tailor your experience

Offers made

16 September 2020

• Navigate the first step of your career with partner and graduate mentoring support • Attend workshops and presentations covering all our practice areas • Contribute to our pro bono practice

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?

• Work with cutting edge technology through our innovation projects

There’s no single path to becoming an exceptional commercial lawyer. We look beyond your academic record and your technical aptitude.

We’re focussed 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.

JOINING US

HERBERTSMITHFREEHILLS.COM

KEY DATES/DEADLINES

• Networking opportunities to meet people across the firm

We offer a range of summer and winter clerkships across our Australian offices. If you have queries about graduate or vacation clerk positions, please visit our website: careers.herbertsmithfreehills.com/au/grads/ vacation-clerkships or contact one of our graduate recruitment consultants.

Please note: An application should only be submitted to the office where you intend to start your career as a graduate.

Multiple applications will not be considered.

Our global practice groups • Alternative Legal Services (ALT) • Competition, Regulation and Trade • Corporate • Dispute Resolution • Employment, Industrial Relations and Safety • Finance • Projects and Infrastructure • Real Estate

Contacts James Keane Graduate Recruitment Manager T +61 2 9322 4313 james.keane@hsf.com

© Herbert Smith Freehills 2020 NOF186936_A4_Advertorials v /170220

TOP TIPS WE ARE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS We recognise and value the differences that make us unique. By embracing diverse views, we can provide our clients with innovative solutions. Be yourself throughout the application process and emphasise the qualities that make you stand out.

If you are invited to a first round interview, we will also ask you to complete our online psychometric assessment beforehand.

There are no right or wrong answers to the questions – your responses simply provide insight into where your likely strengths lie.

PERSONALISE YOUR APPLICATION Tailor your application by conducting thorough research. Our brochure, website and social media channels are good places to start. You can then think about what stands out about us. The more you learn about us, our values and our areas of expertise, the more helpful it will be for your application: this proactive approach will demonstrate your motivation.

REMEMBER, IT'S A TWO WAY PROCESS Meet us at events, online and get to know our people. Think about who you will be meeting in advance and what you would like to ask them. Our lawyers can give you a real insight into who we are, what we do and how we do it. This is your chance to get to know us in a more informal environment and find out whether we are right for you.

LINK EXPERIENCE TO LAW

HOW TO APPLY You can apply online by visiting careers.herbertsmithfreehills.com/au/grads

When talking about your experience, explain how the skills you have gained are relevant to a career in law – and to Herbert Smith Freehills specifically.

Consider the way we work and the skills and abilities we look for to deliver high-quality services to our clients.

Tell us about your academic credentials, the skills you have gained from extra-curricular activities and work experience, and why you have the motivation and potential to become a great Herbert Smith Freehills lawyer.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS

We’re committed to working with all candidates to enable them to demonstrate their potential throughout our process.

We recognise and value the differences that make us unique. By embracing diverse views, we can provide our clients with innovative solutions. Be yourself throughout the application process and emphasise the qualities that make you stand out.

If you have any disability-related queries or would like to have a conversation with our team about adjustments, please contact your local Recruitment Contact.

SHOW YOUR POTENTIAL 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.

CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK Before you apply, don’t forget to double-check your application for typos.

HERBERTSMITHFREEHILLS.COM

Contacts James Keane Graduate Recruitment Manager T +61 2 9322 4313 james.keane@hsf.com

© Herbert Smith Freehills 2020 NOF186936_A4 Adverts /300320

MY VACATION CLERKSHIP EXPERIENCE My pathway is also long in the literal sense as I came from New Zealand. I am currently studying at the University of Auckland where I am set to finish my degree at the end of this year. I ended up applying to HSF due to its exceptional litigation practice. In addition, it made sense as I loved Sydney and was tempted by the bigger cases across the ditch. Over my nearly three months at the firm, I was surprised at how much the firm valued kiwis. I was constantly being barraged with recommendations of the best day trips and the incredible cheap eats that Sydney has to offer.

A typical day at the office Jane Wang Vacation Clerk 2019/20

My name is Jane Wang and I was a 2019/2020 Vacation Clerk at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF). I am currently a student at the University of Auckland studying a LLB(Hons)/ BA majoring in Economics and Politics and International Relations.

My pathway to HSF was a lot longer than most other students’. I left high school wanting to be a film producer but quickly realised that I preferred an academic over a creative challenge. I found my way to law school almost by accident and have never looked back since.

HERBERTSMITHFREEHILLS.COM

s_spread mockup

A typical day as an HSF clerk would begin at 9am in the office. You would come in and check in with your buddy or coach who was in charge of assigning work. Shortly after, the morning often involved a coffee with the team or fellow clerks before getting launched into the work. We would normally have a clerk presentation during the day. This gave us an opportunity to explore different practice groups at the firm as well as various pro-bono and innovation programs. At lunch, it was standard for all the clerks to meet at 12:30pm to eat together.

Aside from the work from my team, I was also lucky enough to work on an innovation project around wellbeing and even present it to a member of the Australian regional executive. I also had a graduate in my first team who was proactive in getting me involved with the work HSF does with Shopfront. The day would also include coffee catch-ups with my buddy or coach. As I was not from Sydney, they were very proactive in arranging coffees with solicitors from other teams so I could get an idea of graduate rotations. The day would normally end between 5 and 6pm. If we didn’t have clerk sports on, more likely than not, you would find the clerk group at a local pub or restaurant debriefing about our day!

Expectations before joining I didn’t really know anything about HSF before starting in November. I expected the classic corporate environment where people were only interested in getting the job done and where the standard was 80 hour weeks. I quickly learnt this was not the case. Everyone made it clear that HSF was somewhere where you could be yourself at work. Excellence was clearly valued, but people were not afraid to have a laugh along the way. It felt like an environment where people were genuinely interested in your life and wanted to form real friendships. For someone who came to Sydney without any friends or foundation, this helped me settle and helped form my support base in a new city.

The most interesting thing I learnt during the clerkship The most interesting thing I learnt was how diverse the occupation was. At law school, the primary skills you learn are research and applying law to fact scenarios. I found these skills to be most relevant within litigation. But even within that practice, I found that questions with carefully selected answers (like those in law school) were far too convenient for actual practice. The reality of research was that there was often no answer. I found this to be an incredibly interesting and challenging introduction to the legal practice.

When I did my corporate rotation, the skills required and the work that we were doing was unlike anything I had ever done in law school.

Research was scarce, legal knowledge was relevant but it was business acumen which dominated. During my time in private equity, I worked on a restructure, private M&A deals and even sat in on client calls. This helped me realise that law school is only fractionally representative of a career in a diverse industry.

© Herbert Smith Freehills 2020 NOF186936_A4_Grad Profile_(Jane Wang)/260320

K&L Gates How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

We have 63 partners nationally, 20 of those are based in our Sydney office. Nationally we have around 230 lawyers with approximately 85 of those working in Sydney.

We have nine core practice areas across the firm and here in Australia. As part of your clerkship you will complete rotations within at least one of these. You’ll be embedded into the practice areas and be involved in real legal work right from the start, giving you in-depth experience and real insight into life as a commercial lawyer at K&L Gates.

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

We are looking for around 10 clerks for our 2020 Sydney Clerkship Program.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

We have 11 graduates taking part in our 2020 Sydney Graduate Program, with 27 graduates nationally. All of our 2020 graduates have previously completed our clerkship program.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility is more than a management imperative at K&L Gates, its woven into the DNA of our firm. We actively encourage our lawyers to provide pro bono legal representation and to participate in other charitable, community, educational, and professional activities. The goal of our annual Global Day of Service Program is to help foster and strengthen connections across the firm’s global platform and promote, recognise, and celebrate our commitment to community service around the world.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We expect you to work hard, but we don’t want you to be a robot! We encourage our employees to look after their health and wellbeing through a number of initiatives such as our global vitality program and various sporting and social events that we host throughout the year. We also support flexible working practices to ensure that employees can balance work and other responsibilities.

We truly believe that working together is better. Your supervisor 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 develop and thrive.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

K&L Gates is about more than practicing law or making a living. It’s about building something amazing - creating a legacy for you, the firm, our clients and the communities we serve.

We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces our diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals, an approach that ultimately enables us to serve clients more effectively. Here you can make a difference, lead the way, and let your innovation shine. We are all in it together. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done.

We are a global community of entrepreneurs and self-starters.

We are nimble and ambitious with a high level of integrity, resolve, and strength of character. Although we take pride in our willingness to run through walls for clients, we also value the importance of laughing with clients, colleagues, or friends. We genuinely enjoy working with each other and for our clients.

DISCOVER Looking for a law firm that really is different?

Where you can be empowered to DISCOVER quality work and clients, DEVELOP through opportunities to learn more while growing your career, and THRIVE in a diverse and inclusive culture?

Then join our global community of talented visionaries.

To learn more about how you can discover, develop, and thrive in a dynamic global law firm, visit klgates.com/careers.

THE K&L GATES EXPERIENCE. K&L Gates LLP. Global legal counsel across five continents.

Learn more at klgates.com.

King & Wood Mallesons

How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

500+ partners and more than 2,000 lawyers How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

Our summer clerkship intake for Sydney is usually 30 – 35.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

King & Wood Mallesons is proud of the ongoing contribution that we make to the community. ‘KWM Community Impact’ is the name of our pro bono and community program. It is a multi-faceted, national integrated strategy that uses the skills of our lawyers and non-lawyers. We give back to the communities in which we live and work through financial contributions, pro bono support and volunteering, and everyone in the firm is encouraged to get involved. Some examples of pro bono work our graduates have been involved in include attending the Street Law Clinic one day per week, and involvement with the National Children’s and Youth Law Centre. Our summer clerks are also able to get involved in pro bono initiatives, including volunteering at the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Sydney Children’s Hospital.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

At King & Wood Mallesons we have a range of practices and policies in place to support our people in integrating their personal and professional commitments. Central to that is maintaining a flexible approach to work patterns which allows our people to adjust their work days, hours or location. We recognise that flexible working will mean different things to different people and, for that reason, flexibility is discussed regularly between individuals and in team meetings so changing needs can be addressed.

Our graduates are given multiple levels of support to not only ensure they are kept motivated and engaged, but also to assist them with managing their workload. Each graduate has a supervising partner, development coach and buddy per rotation, and the People and Development Graduate Team also act as a support network for the graduates throughout the Graduate Program.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

Our ability to connect Asia to the world and the world to Asia, is our key differentiator. With all the facets of a world-class law firm and unique Asia perspective, we act as a bridge between East and West and help our clients cut through the cultural, regulatory and technical complexities of getting deals done in new markets.

King & Wood Mallesons is a unique employer for a number of reasons. As the only global law firm that can practice Chinese, Hong Kong, UK, European and Australian law, we offer real depth and local connections in China.

Our Australian practice spans international, local and regional clients. With an ambition to help clients to shape their business for the future – we can help you to shape your world too. That’s because our people are our future and a significant source of pride to us at KWM. We have a legacy of excellence spanning more than 200 years, but we know that our future is in the hands of the next generation of lawyers. As such, at KWM we make your development our priority, and encourage our lawyers to be innovative and creative in meeting our clients’ challenges.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

The graduate program promotes and supports the mobility of our staff across our offices by giving you the opportunity to apply to go on exchange to one of our interstate or overseas offices. Similarly, as part of the program we also provide you with the opportunity to apply for various client and pro bono secondments. Through this, you can access a greater choice and variety of destinations and on-the-job experience.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

King & Wood Mallesons is a firm with a community feel with room for everyone to make their mark. Our people are the difference and we believe the power of together delivers the best results for our people, our clients, and the firm. We are committed to supporting a culture that encourages and embeds diversity and inclusion, both within the firm and across the broader legal sector.

We are results orientated and have a track record of high achievement and performance in life, not just in our professional and academic careers. We also have a strong focus on recognising and acknowledging our staff ’s contribution. We are client centric and work in our clients’ worlds, partnering with each client to help them to achieve their business goals.

Many graduates tell us one of the main reasons they joined the firm was the people. We work hard together but we also enjoy spending time with each other outside the office. Each centre has social and sporting committees to help organise a wide range of activities for staff to enjoy, from themed Friday night drinks to free gym memberships. We also have a multitude of sporting teams including soccer, basketball, netball and cricket.

Welcome to a new dimension of Law careers.kwm.com/en/graduates-australia

As an elite international law firm headquartered in Asia, we are reshaping the legal market by challenging our people and our clients to think differently about what a law firm can be today, tomorrow and beyond. We thrive on exceeding the expectations of our clients, and as such the world’s leading organisations turn to us to unlock their biggest opportunities and deliver clever solutions to their most vexing challenges. Where others see limitations, we see possibility.

With ambitious thinking and innovation in our DNA, we partner with our clients to bring to life pioneering solutions which will help them to adapt, reinvent and grow. We believe innovation comes from giving our people room to grow, and as such actively encourage input and ideas from all levels of the firm.

Our people are encouraged to shape their own career path, supported at every step of the way, with world-class training, coaching and hands-on experience. There is no ‘one size fits all’ career model, and we offer multiple opportunities for our lawyers to gain experience and thrive.

KEY STATISTICS • #1 ranked law firm in Australia and China* • Top 15 global elite brand** • 28 international offices; • One of the largest international legal networks in the Asia region with 500+ partners and more than 2000 lawyers; • Our clients range from a mix of global financial and corporate powerhouses through to new industry-makers and all levels of government • With an unmatched ability to practise Chinese, Hong Kong, Australian, English, US and a significant range of European laws under one integrated legal brand, we are connecting Asia to the world, and the world to Asia. *Source: Chambers and Partners 2020 **Source: 2020 Acritas Global Elite Law Firm Brand Index GLOBAL REACH The King & Wood Mallesons network extends across the following regions: • Asia Pacific (Australia, Mainland China including Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore) • Europe • Middle East

• North America

OUR PROGRAMS SEASONAL CLERKSHIP PROGRAM Applications open: 9 June 2020 Applications close: 12 July 2020 How to apply: Via our online application system at kwm.com/careers We offer clerkships to give you a clear picture of what it’s like to be a lawyer at King & Wood Mallesons. You’ll get to know our people, the way we like to work, our culture, practice areas, clients and more.

During your clerkship, you’ll learn: • The day-to-day skills to get you started – taking instructions, meeting with clients, drafting memos and documents, managing your practice and professional relationships.

Your role Clerks are allocated a practice group and may also have the opportunity to work across other teams of interest throughout their clerkship.

You’ll be allocated a supervisor in each of your practice groups and you’ll work closely with the partners, senior associates and solicitors in that team. It’s a hands-on role, so you won’t just be watching from the sidelines.

GRADUATE PROGRAM We offer a unique future-focused training experience and invest heavily in development to support you to fulfil your potential. You will benefit from a bespoke comprehensive learning and development program tailored specifically for our graduates.

As a graduate you will take part in graduate technology bootcamps. These bootcamps will provide you with exposure to the many different types of emerging legal technologies, which are available at our firm. These skills will help prepare you for the future and ensure that we continue to evolve to meet our clients’ changing needs.

We also offer a Practical Legal Training (PLT) course with the College of Law to our Australian Law graduates, ensuring that you meet the requirements for admission to legal practice.

The program also promotes and supports the mobility of our staff across our offices by giving you the opportunity to apply to go on exchange in one of our interstate or overseas offices. Through this, you can access a greater choice and variety of destinations and on-the-job experience.

VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAM Wherever you are in the world you can now experience what it is really like to be a lawyer at KWM with our Australian-first legal virtual work experience program (VEP). Originally launched in 2017, the platform features two programs – ‘Intro to Law’ and ‘Advanced Law’ – which each include five learning modules curated by KWM based on real life firm matters and activities. Through this program you can build real skills and the confidence to excel in a commercial law career before you even step into one of our offices.

• The core practice teams at King & Wood Mallesons – who they are, what they do, how they’re structured, the clients they work for, and of course, your role within them.

• Our culture – working within your team, you’ll be exposed to (and encouraged) to get actively involved in the many activities and events that help create our unique culture.

• Our people – you’ll find that people from every part of the business will help you by sharing their knowledge and ensuring you have everything you need to succeed.

KELLIE MILDRED People & Development Advisor, Sydney +61 2 9296 3592 kellie.mildred@au.kwm.com

Clerkship Profile careers.kwm.com/en/graduates-australia

ZAK VIDOR STAUB SUMMER CLERK KING & WOOD MALLESONS

SUMMER CLERK INTAKE: 2019/20 AREAS OF ROTATION: Projects & Real Estate and Dispute Resolution UNIVERSITY: University of New South Wales DEGREE: Arts / Law THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCESS: The practical nature of the KWM application meant that I was able to communicate who I was as an applicant and learn about the firm in a genuine way. The video interview, practical exercise and the ‘Inside a Deal’ evening were all great examples of this. The KWM team put a lot of effort into ensuring the process was as comfortable as possible. The second round format, which comprised of a lunch, office tour and coffee with a partner, felt like a particularly good opportunity to make sure that the firm was a good fit for both parties.

THE CULTURE: While each team at KWM is unique, the firm has an overarching culture of inclusivity, support and collegiality. As KWM is a fast paced commercial law firm, you can expect to work hard and learn quickly, but this will always be done with the help of professional mentors who are genuinely invested in your success. The group dynamic in each team was genuine, and it was exciting to work towards common goals.

THE WORK:

THE SOCIAL LIFE:

The teams in both of my rotations ensured I was able to get involved in diverse and dynamic work that gave me a great overview of what it might be like to work at KWM as a graduate. They always took time to contextualise my tasks and explain how they fit into the broader strategies of the matter. I got to work with lawyers at all levels, providing invaluable opportunities for growth and feedback.

The social aspect of the clerkship was great. The firm organised events including bowling, karaoke and the amazing race.

These events were a great way to break the ice and get to know the other clerks.

Over the summer, the clerks bonded with each other, the graduate cohort and their teams through Friday afternoon drinks, breakfast at the KWM Café and lunches in the city. I know I have made friends for life through the clerkship!

THE SUPPORT: I always felt supported throughout the clerkship.

My dedicated buddy, development coach and partner were always there for me when I had questions and always took the time to explain what I was supposed to do and why I was doing it. This made me feel included and a part of the team. KWM also has a focus on support for mental health and physical health. The mental health support services were highlighted throughout the clerkship and we had access to a gym membership should we want it.

PRO BONO AND COMMUNITY: There were consistent opportunities to get involved in pro bono and community work. These included a day at the Red Cross, the ‘Change Challenge’, which focused on innovation and creative thinking, broader research tasks focused on Indigenous communities, and various other research tasks. It was clear this work was very valued throughout the firm, as we were encouraged to make it a priority and get involved as much as possible.

WHY I CHOSE KING & WOOD MALLESONS: I chose KWM because not only is the firm a top-tier commercial law firm known for legal excellence, it is full of impressive, supportive and friendly individuals who are a pleasure to learn from and work with everyday. This was the sense that I got throughout the interview process and I was delighted to have it confirmed during the clerkship.

MY CLERKSHIP VS. MY EXPECTATIONS: My clerkship surpassed my expectations in every sense. The professional, personal and social aspects were outstanding. The commercial and pro bono work I was able to get involved in was professionally and personally fulfilling. I expect that the friendships I made and mentors I met along the way will last a life time.

WHO WOULD I RECOMMEND A KWM CLERKSHIP TO: I would recommend a KWM clerkship to anyone who wants to experience working in a fast paced commercial law firm in a supportive and friendly environment. So long as you have an interest in commercial law and a love of learning you will have a great time at KWM.

What is the Insight Program?

As the name suggests, the Insight Program will give you a high level overview of how King & Wood Mallesons is structured, what areas of law we practice and the type of clients we work with.

What sessions can I expect to attend?

1.

September 2020 – The Global Legal Market – This session will provide an introduction into the ever-changing global legal market.

2.

October 2020 – Networking at King & Wood Mallesons – Ever been speed dating? Come and meet our lawyers from each of our practice groups. This is a networking session in the format of a “group speed dating”!

3.

November 2020 – Skills Based Session – This session will provide you with practical skills to assist you now and in your legal career.

4.

March/April 2020 – Shadow a Lawyer – What is it really like to work in commercial law? Gain some real insight into the type of work we do by spending time with one of our lawyers!

As part of Insight we will give you: • A high level overview of how King & Wood Mallesons is structured, what areas of law we practice and the type of clients we work with.

• An in-depth look at particular matters in the firm.

• A chance to listen to some of our staff talk about their experiences supporting our community programs including pro bono legal services, charitable giving, volunteering initiatives and community partnerships.

• Plus the opportunity to shadow one of our lawyers.

The Insight Program is aimed at law students who are not yet able to apply for a summer clerkship i.e. pre-penultimate, and who are keen to gain some further knowledge and experience to assist them in the clerkship recruitment process. However, if you are eligible for a clerkship this year but are unable to participate (e.g. overseas exchange), and would like to participate in Insight please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions HOW DO I APPLY? Applications open on 17 June 2020 (9.00am) are made via our careers website kwm.com/careers.

Applications will close on 9 July 2020 (11.59pm)

Do you have any tips for my application?

Unlike our clerkship recruitment process, there are no interviews involved in the Insight Program so your written application is very important. Please therefore ensure you take the time to review your application prior to submitting it.

If I am unsuccessful for Insight, does that mean I will automatically be unsuccessful for a clerkship at KWM? Absolutely not. The Insight Program is a highly competitive process due to the limited spots available. Even if you are unsuccessful for a place on the Insight Program we fully encourage you to apply for a summer clerkship with us and would like to assure you that an unsuccessful outcome for the Insight Program should not be taken as an indication of unsuitability for a clerkship.

Sydney

Melbourne

Brisbane

Perth

Kellie Mildred People & Development Advisor T +61 2 9296 3592 kellie.mildred@au.kwm.com

Sofija Jovic People & Development Advisor T +61 3 9643 5105 sofija.jovic@au.kwm.com

Megan Chalmers People & Development Advisor T +61 7 3244 8704 megan.chalmers@au.kwm.com

Shenae Djulbic People & Development Advisor T +61 8 9269 7643 shenae.djulbic@au.kwm.com

Are you interested to know what life is like working at one of the world's leading corporate law firms? Try out the Global Virtual Experience Program and test your understanding of law across various countries, while building real skills and confidence that will allow you to explore the world of commercial law.

Check it out here! https://www.insidesherpa.com/kwm

Welcome to a new of law.

Immerse yourself in the KWM virtual experience.

landing.kwm.com/vr-vep

Jones Day How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Jones Day is a global law firm with approximately 2,500 lawyers and 960 partners. In Australia we have 20 partners and 40 lawyers.

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

We will not compromise on the quality of candidates and as such we will only make offers to those students who we believe meet the standards for success at Jones Day. As such, we do not have a specific target number for offers for our Clerkship program. In 2019/2020 we took on 6 clerks to the program in Sydney.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

We had 8 graduates start with us in Australia in February 2020.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Jones Day has a strong commitment towards social responsibility. Activities extend well beyond assisting charities and community legal centres to include representing clients in civil rights cases and immigration and asylum matters. See www.jonesdayprobono.com for more information.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We take the responsibility for protecting and promoting all staff ’s mental health very seriously and this starts from the moment you join us. All junior lawyers have a mentor that they can speak to about their workload and due to the small nature of our teams in Australia partners are easily able to ensure that lawyers aren’t overworked.

We also encourage all of our lawyers to take part in all of our regular social and sporting events both in and outside the office, as we believe that well-rounded individuals make better lawyers and better teammates.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

We offer a unique opportunity to gain exposure to a range of Australian, regional and international work while based in Australia and you are more likely to work on cross-border work with Jones Day than any other firm with Australian offices.

You will also have access to the resources and opportunities of a successful US firm with a long-established global network, while at the same time enjoying the benefits of a tight knit office environment. This means you will work directly with Partners and senior lawyers from the outset band be exposed to a large variety of work.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

Jones Day is “One Firm Worldwide”; this means one partnership and integrated offices. As such, all our lawyers, including Summer Clerks, Graduates and Junior Associates work on a regular basis with global colleagues on cross border matters involving lawyers from a number of offices working in multi-jurisdictional teams.

Our lawyers in Australia have multiple opportunities to work overseas; recent examples of opportunities in the last couple of years for Australian staff have included transfers and secondments to the London office, the New York office, the Tokyo office, the Madrid office and two client secondments to Singapore.

All of our Graduates join our global New Lawyers Group and attend the New Lawyers Academy in Washington every year with their global graduate colleagues.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

Jones Day’s key differentiator is that we are “One Firm Worldwide”. This means shared values, shared methodologies and a shared commitment to superior client service.

Teamwork, respect for and from colleagues and shared credit are essential and form the Firm’s core values.

Every facet of the Firm is structured to promote an environment that’s client-focused and team-oriented.

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Working at Jones Day… One Firm WorldwideSM Jones Day is a global law firm with more than 2,500 lawyers in 43 offices across five continents. The Firm is distinguished by: a singular tradition of client service; the mutual commitment to, and the seamless collaboration of, a true partnership; formidable legal talent across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions; and shared professional values that focus on client needs.

The Firm’s 125 years of sustained growth—in experience, reputation and successful client interaction—have been built by its dedication to a ‘One Firm Worldwide’ philosophy, which fosters the creation of interoffice and cross-practice teams, assembled to ensure that clients receive the best possible guidance and representation, without regard to barriers conventionally imposed by geography, borders, time zones or language.

Australia Jones Day’s presence in Australia has grown significantly.

The Firm has added new offices in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane over the last five years in addition to our office in Sydney, reflecting our commitment to expanding our service to the Australian market.

Our lawyers work in a dynamic and stimulating multidisciplinary environment by collaborating with colleagues from different practices and different offices worldwide.

We continue to attract many of the legal industry’s most highly regarded and sought-after lawyers while maintaining our focus on promoting internal talent through the ranks.

The New Lawyers Group Jones Day recognizes that many law students leave law school not knowing which practice they want to enter. We also believe that a more well-rounded lawyer is a better lawyer and that a wide range of experience is valuable to a new lawyer. Accordingly, many years ago Jones Day created the New Law yers Group, which allows new associates to gain exposure to different practice areas and lawyering styles at the Firm before making a commitment to a specific-practice.

We provide extensive training through the New Lawyers program. Each November, we bring together new associates from across the Firm at the “New Lawyers Academy” in Washington for three days of hands-on training and meetings with Firm leaders. In addition to helping them understand Jones Day’s culture, organization and operation, the Academy gives our new lawyers the opportunity to meet their peers in the Firm’s other offices.

Graduate and Summer Clerkship Program We run a summer clerkship program at Jones Day across our offices in Australia that offers selected positions to talented students who are at their penultimate year at university. We give our summer clerks real work for real clients, to provide them an opportunity to learn what the practice of law at a large firm is all about. Providing challenging assignments also allows us to assess summer clerks’ potential to deliver first-rate legal services and to flourish in Jones Day’s culture. We aim for summer clerks to be become future graduates of the Firm.

A Culture of Client Service and Collaboration Jones Day’s commitment to client service means our lawyers work together in a collaborative atmosphere where teamwork is essential, respect for and from colleagues is the norm, and credit is shared for a job well done.

In fact, every facet of the Firm is structured to promote an environment that’s client-focused, but also professionally fulfilling for lawyers at any career stage. We expect our lawyers to focus completely on a client’s needs, with the full support and encouragement of their peers. We recognize that partners and associates alike contribute to the Firm in a variety of ways, and we reward lawyers for their overall contributions to the Firm and for promoting the Firm’s values.

Applications must be made online. Please visit us at www.jonesdaycareers.com/australia.

JONES DAY AUSTRALIA THE FACTS Jones Day’s Australian offices, an integral part of the worldwide Firm, are seeking highly skilled graduates and lawyers who are interested in working as part of an integrated team on a truly global scale. Joining Jones Day means starting your career in a dynamic global law firm, in which you will find ample opportunity to acquire the full array of skills and experience necessary to meet the legal-services needs of sophisticated clients on a worldwide basis.

FIRM OVERVIEW LAWYERS WORLDWIDE

AUSTRALIAN OFFICES

OFFICES

2500 4 Detroit Chicago Minneapolis San Francisco Silicon Valley Los Angeles Irvine San Diego Dallas

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Amsterdam Brussels

Cleveland Pittsburgh Boston New York Washington

London Paris Madrid

Columbus Atlanta Miami

COUNTRIES

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Moscow Düsseldorf Frankfurt Munich Milan

Beijing Shanghai Tokyo

Taipei

Saudi Arabia

Hong Kong

Dubai

Mexico City

Singapore

Houston

Brisbane Sydney São Paulo

Perth Melbourne

AUSTRALIA MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE

Applications must be made online.

Antitrust & Competition Law

Please visit us at www.jonesdaycareers.com/australia and follow the links to the relevant page.

Banking, Finance & Securities Business Restructuring & Reorganization CapitalMarkets Energy Environment

Global Disputes Intellectual Property Labor & Employment Mergers & Acquisitions New Lawyers Group Private Equity Pro Bono Financial Markets

For further information regarding our recruitment programs, the application process or the interview process, please visit our website at www.jonesday.com.

Lander & Rogers How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Partners: • National: 68 • Melbourne: 45 • Sydney: 22 • Brisbane: 1 Lawyers: • National: 296 • Melbourne: 191 • Sydney: 91 • Brisbane: 14 How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

We do not offer a clerkship program in Sydney.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

6 How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Lander & Rogers is committed to developing a culture and business that supports the undertaking of pro bono work and other similar initiatives in the community. We have a market leading pro bono program in place which focuses on matters of access to justice, social inclusion and community service work.

that opportunities for physical activity are easily available, such as offering weekly boot camp and yoga classes. We also make time for people to connect on a social level through our weekly staff drinks and other events.

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

As a medium sized firm, we’re big enough to attract great clients with fantastic work; but small enough to be focussed on the important things like learning and development, opportunities for our people to progress, mentoring our junior lawyers and maintaining a happy workplace.

Our graduate program is built on four practice group rotations, each of three months in duration, and covering commercial and litigious areas of practice. You’ll also participate in a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice with the College of Law, as well as a comprehensive internal learning and development program to broaden your knowledge.

Career and professional development is a feature of life at Lander & Rogers. We invest heavily in the development of our people through internal and external seminars, workshops and learning programs, and post graduate study. All employees have a learning and development plan, supported by a peer program which addresses key learning and development competencies and is clearly aligned to the individual’s role profile and the firm’s goals.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

We have a pro bono partner appointed to drive the practice of pro bono at the firm and we treat pro bono work as equally important to the firm as paid work. Everyone in the firm is encouraged to participate in and engage with our pro bono work.

Lander & Rogers is an Australian law firm, however, we do provide our lawyers the opportunity to work with international clients. Our goal is to be the independent firm of choice for international companies seeking to do business in Australia. We provide a complete suite of transactional support and commercial law services.

Our pro bono practice is focused on how we can enable access to justice through our legal work, enhance social inclusion of marginalised Australians by providing opportunities to others, and serve our community through engagement of staff. We aim to prioritise our legal work to the areas where indigenous Australians or those marginalised by mental health, socio-economic status or age can be assisted, as well as matters concerning Human Rights. Our work often involves taking on matters in the public interest.

Our partners regularly travel to the UK, Europe, US and throughout the Asia-Pacific to develop and build on our relationships with international clients and leading independent law firms with whom we have cross-referral relationships. We seek out firms which are “best of breed” and which share our commitment to excellence and our service ethic. We work with firms that reflect our distinctive “Lander & Rogers culture”. This is very important to us and to our clients.

Our program includes: • Pro bono legal work; • Volunteering and secondment opportunities; • Fundraising campaigns and educational forums; and • Work place giving.

Lander & Rogers is also a proud member of Terralex - one of the largest global networks of independent law firms comprising more than 19,000 lawyers from 155 leading independent law firms based in 100 countries. TerraLex members are leading business law firms in their countries with strong local practices and connections. They are experienced in working with international clients on cross-border matters and teams of TerraLex firms regularly handle multi-jurisdiction cross-border transactions for sophisticated clients.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We genuinely care about our people in a way that most law firms don’t.

Our belief is that you can produce great work and enjoy yourself in the process. We’re a close-knit and collegiate team that enjoys each other’s company and relishes the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Our work is often fast-paced, but our lawyers look after each other and benefit from award-winning wellbeing programs.

Lander & Rogers offers a range of benefits to assist with career development, staying healthy and contributing to the community. We value our people and understand the importance of our staff maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. In particular we make sure

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What makes your firm’s culture unique?

At Lander & Rogers, we pride ourselves on being known for our friendly and down-to-earth culture.

We believe that legal services are much more than just the law - they are about great people, sustained excellence and exceptional client service. We have a distinctively happy workplace, achieved through selectively recruiting people who think and act collaboratively and will strengthen our culture.

Expand Understand Firsthand Brand Wonderland When you join Lander & Rogers, you’ll have the opportunity to grow into a great lawyer. But that’s just the start. Working alongside some of Australia's leading experts and one of Australia's most highly regarded pro bono practices, you’ll acquire the real world skills demanded of the very best lawyers.

Here you’ll become a lawyer and more.

Discover your and at landers.com.au/graduates

Expand When you join Lander & Rogers, you’ll have the opportunity to grow into a great lawyer. But that’s just the start. Working alongside some of Australia's leading experts and one of Australia's most highly regarded pro bono practices, you’ll acquire the real world skills demanded of the very best lawyers.

Here you’ll become a lawyer and more.

Discover your and at landers.com.au/graduates

Maddocks How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Maddocks has over 80 partners, who work alongside more than 550 people across our offices in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

We are looking to recruit 8-10 clerks for this years’ intake.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

We recruit our graduates for our summer clerk programs.

In 2020 we have 8 graduates starting with Maddocks.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Our mission is to make a difference for our clients, each other and the community. This means we highly value the role corporate social responsibility initiatives can play in providing support to individuals and organisations in need.

In FY19, we conducted more than 9,113 hours of pro bono work, provided about $240,000 in financial support to community organisations and implemented a range of programs and initiatives to embed diversity and inclusion at our firm and lessen our environmental footprint. You can find out more about our CSR initiatives at https:// www.maddocks.com.au/about/corporate-social-responsibility/.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

• • • •

• • •

Friday summer time – finish at 4pm December to February Maddocks leave day Purchased Annual Leave program Flexible working policy which is open to all partners and staff to support personal priorities outside of work whether it’s carer responsibilities, volunteering, sporting commitments or other hobbies Social committees in Melbourne and Sydney Volunteering leave through our CSR program Support for sporting teams, fun runs and other charity sporting events/initiative

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

tion (CLE) sessions at a team and office level, through to attending practice management and professional skills training for specific roles, leadership programs for senior lawyers and off-site team retreats that build on themes that support our core values and firm strategy. We also encourage our lawyers to participate in our ASPIRE program where they can develop their networking skills, become buddies or mentors for others and present at internal CLE or external client presentations.

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

We offer client secondment opportunities through all our offices and clients. Client secondments are a wonderful opportunity to gain valuable experience and learnings.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

We are very proud of our culture, where all of our people have a vital contribution to make towards the success of the firm and are given opportunities to get the most out of their careers.

Clients are at the heart of everything we do. At Maddocks, we champion true collaboration between our lawyers, our secretaries and our shared services teams.

Unified, skilled teams mean stronger outcomes for our clients.

We recognise that the legal profession is changing, and we’re committed to providing more innovative services to meet our clients’ needs. We support innovative thinking by training our people in design thinking and providing year-round opportunities to generate and implement ideas.

Flexible working practices have long been a part of our culture. We recognise that work is what people do, not a place where you go. As an employee you will have access to market-leading working and parental leave arrangements.

Our Maddocks Women program was formed in 1997 to assist our women to develop their careers. Our Maddocks Pride Committee drives initiatives at Maddocks for our LGBTIQ colleagues and allies.

Maddocks provides plenty of learning and development opportunities. From attending Continuing Legal Educa-

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maddockslawyers maddockslawyers maddockslawyers company/maddocks maddocks.com.au

From Day One you will experience what it’s like to work at Maddocks This means you will have challenging, meaningful work, gain exposure to clients, be given a good level of responsibility, work in a supportive and collaborative team and have regular access to our partners.

The training you receive throughout your clerkship will ensure you are thoroughly prepared and ready to get involved in and contribute to client work straight away.

The program begins with a comprehensive orientation which includes training and development activities.

Join our clerkship program and become part of a firm where you’re involved from Day One.

MinterEllison

tion. We’re investing in adjacent consulting capabilities that enable us to provide seamlessly integrated solutions to our clients. And our people are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities they live and work in.

Areas of legal practice

What are some interesting cases that your firm has worked on?

• • • • • • • • •

Our work with clients delivers real impact. In a fast-paced, fast-changing business environment, our focus on building authentic and enduring relationships across industries and sectors enabled us to help our clients embrace the opportunities and navigate the challenges in the market throughout FY19. Read about some of our 2019 cases in our annual report https://www.minterellison.com/annual-report-2019/client-impact

Human Resources & Industrial Relations Infrastructure, Construction & Property Corporate M&A Energy & Resources Finance Dispute Resolution Insurance & Corporate Risk Tax Intellectual Property and Information Technology

Number of lawyers & partners (Australia and Global) We have 268 partners and 1375 lawyers.

What specific qualities does your firm look for in a potential Clerk?

At MinterEllison we are not looking for people to fit a mould. Academics are just one piece of the puzzle and we recognise the strength that diversity can bring to a team.

Work experience, extra-curricular activities, sporting participation, music and travel are all important criteria to us. At MinterEllison we want you to bring your whole self to work - individual strengths and diversity are what build our teams up to be the successes they are.

What kind of responsibilities/tasks can a Clerk expect at your firm?

Our clerkship program offers meaningful work experience, structured by a comprehensive orientation program and learning on the job to build both technical skills and commercial knowhow.

During our program you will: • Work closely with partners and lawyers on active matters to meet deadlines • Produce quality and meaningful work • Participate in tangible learning & development activities and • Attend social and networking events

How does the firm encourage a work-life balance?

We support a range of flexible and agile working arrangements including part-time, job-sharing, variable start and finish times and working from home. We also offer unpaid leave opportunities for special requirements not covered by our usual leave policies. Typically this may cover study, overseas work experience and judges associateships.

What training and development opportunities does your firm offer?

The graduate program gives you the opportunity to rotate through multiple practice groups.

You will gain practical experience in different areas of the law which are of interest to you.

We boast one of the largest service offerings, providing you with the opportunity to rotate through various transactional, advisory and litigious practice groups.

Our structured development program includes: • The MinterEllison Practical Legal Training program in partnership with the College of Law • Ongoing technical legal skills sessions to ensure you develop your technical excellence • A strengths-based program focusing on developing behaviours, such as business acumen and communication styles When you start your career with us, you receive tailored learning in both technical and commercial skills such as client interaction, business development and interpersonal dynamics.

Our program provides everything you’ll need to build a successful, long-term legal career.

Are there any international secondment opportunities at your firm?

9 June 2020 – 12 July 2020

Opportunities do arise in our international offices. Our Hong Kong office is always a popular choice but most recently one of our junior lawyers spent 6 months working in our Mongolia office.

Sydney Clerkship Intake

What is your firm doing about gender equality in the workplace?

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At MinterEllison diversity and inclusion is about creating a high-performance culture that values individual contribution, teamwork, innovation and productivity regardless of background, race, ethnicity, disability, gender, faith, sexual orientation or family structures.

Inclusion is at the core of our values and we firmly believe our people will be more successful and happier in their careers if they are able to bring their whole selves to work. We are committed to leveraging the advantage of a diverse and inclusive workforce through our Pride Respect & Inclusion at MinterEllison (PRiME) network, and our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. In 2019 MinterEllison was proud to be a WGEA Employer of Choice for Women for the 10th year in a row. We were also awarded a Gold AWEI Employer for the LGBTI+ community and recognised as a Top 3 Employer in Australia at the LGBTI Inclusion Awards.

Clerkship opening and closing dates

After becoming a clerk, what are the prospects of obtaining a graduate role?

The prospects of obtaining a graduate role at MinterEllison after completing a successful clerkship with us are very high.

How does your firm value Corporate Responsibility?

Here at MinterEllison, our impact in the community sits at the heart of who we are. We work alongside community organisations and partner with our clients to provide transformative outcomes for individuals, our community partners and social enterprises.

Throughout FY19, our Community Investment Program supported more than 100 organisations, breaking cycles of disadvantage in the community through partnership and collaboration.

We worked to improve access to justice and support Homeless Persons Legal Services with organisations such as Justice Connect, StreetLaw ACT, Law Access WA and LawRight.

We were proud to make a meaningful difference to the lives of thousands of students across Australia, and our longstanding collaboration with Australia’s CEO Challenge is just one of the ways we worked to support those impacted by domestic and family violence.

Is there support for the LGBTI community at your firm?

Our LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts are led by our PRiME (Pride, Respect and Inclusion at MinterEllison) Committee and our Diversity and Inclusion team. In May 2019, we were proud to be named an AWEI Gold Employer and recognised as Top 3 Employer in Australia at the LGBTI Inclusion Awards. In 2020 we were the first law firm to have a float in the Sydney Mardi Gras!

In FY19, we: • •

And we promoted economic participation through our Social Procurement Policy, with goods and services sourced from social enterprises including The Bread and Butter Project, Yaru Water and Orana Commercial Relocations.

•

What is unique about your firm’s culture?

•

At MinterEllison, we’re driven by a strong sense of purpose. We create lasting impacts with our clients, our people and our communities.

•

We know, in a world of relentless disruption, we also need to think beyond the law.

We’re driving digital transformation and embedding a culture of curiosity and innova-

Partnered with Pride in Diversity to deliver face-to-face LGBTQ+ Awareness & Engaging Allies development sessions (available to all of our people) Launched our new Transitioning in the Workplace Policy, which supports our gender diverse and transgender colleagues who are affirming their gender identity.

The policy provides 5 additional days of paid leave, as well as other vital support and resources Celebrated LGBTQ+ dates of significance with national events across the firm including IDAHOBIT Day, Mardi Gras and Wear it Purple Day Provided pro bono legal advice to our long-standing client Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Raised funds for LGBTQ+ charities including The Pinnacle Foundation and Minus18

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MinterEllison has given me great exposure to different teams and access to a diverse range of experiences – from transactional, to advisory, to litigious work. That has allowed me to find out what type of law I want to do and where I want to settle.�

William Vu Lawyer

MinterEllison is a leading law firm.

But we think beyond the law.

Why? Because we have big ambitions to grow our firm in a world of relentless disruption. Because now is the time to reimagine the future so that we can create lasting impacts with our clients, our people and our communities.

Never underestimate the power in you to make an impact.

Your future. Your choice.

Choose to make an impact.

graduates.minterellison.com

Your future. Your choice.

Choose to make an impact.

Our clerks and graduates become well-rounded, technically excellent lawyers who help to solve some of our clients’ most complex challenges.

But we’ll empower you to be so much more.

Never underestimate the power in you to make an impact We’re driven by a strong sense of purpose: to create lasting impacts with our clients, our people and our communities.

As one of Asia Pacific’s leading law firms, our clients look to us to help them address their most complex legal challenges. But we know, in a world of relentless disruption, we also need to think beyond the law.

We’re driving digital transformation and embedding a culture of curiosity and innovation.

We’re investing in adjacent consulting capabilities that enable us to provide seamlessly integrated solutions to our clients. And our people are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities they live and work in.

We support you to succeed Our award-winning clerk and graduate programs will expose you to a wide variety of business areas, skills, teams and challenges, helping you to understand where your strengths and interests lie.

You’ll accelerate your legal and business acumen by working alongside high-performing partners, lawyers and professionals in a diverse, collaborative and innovative environment.

Your success is our success We celebrate and invest in our people.

We’re committed to helping our people achieve their best and progress in their careers.

Our development programs and initiatives are second to none. We’ll work with you to provide you with challenging and career-building experiences, and we’re always working to open more doors for you.

“The biggest impact I want to have as a lawyer is working with our clients to deliver a solution that not only meets their goals now, but also creates long-term, meaningful impacts for the future.”

Emily Hill Lawyer

For information and to apply visit graduates.minterellison.com

You’ll have the opportunity to gain international exposure through our broad network of offices and industry partnerships.

MinterEllison Virtual Internship Want to experience a true-to-life day of a MinterEllison lawyer? Our interactive virtual internship offers you an insight into the commercial work we undertake here at MinterEllison. Curious?

graduates.minterellison.com

Norton Rose Fulbright How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

Approximately 130 partners and 430 lawyers How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

Around 70 nationally How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

35 – 40 nationally How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

At Norton Rose Fulbright Australia 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 aim to create an environment which: educates, encourages and supports our staff 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. We focus our CSR efforts in support of human rights, Indigenous rights, rights of the LGBTI community, rights of women and children, rights of homeless people, and rights of those in the community who are otherwise less fortunate.

Through our CSR program we demonstrate our commitment to strong corporate citizenship and live our values of Quality, Unity and Integrity.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We appreciate that maintaining a work life balance is an important aspect for all our employees. We encourage all our people to balance flexible working in their everyday work with work and client commitments to ensure they don’t compromise on what is important to them – whether its maintaining some form of exercise, undertaking carers responsibilities or other social activities. We encourage our people to take advantage of our formal flexible work arrangements including part time work, remote working and job share arrangements as well as a combination of all. In addition to this, we launched a formal agile working program for those wanting to incorporate ad-hoc and less formal flexible work practices into their day to day work schedule.

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What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

Our summer clerkship program offers a real taste of life as a Graduate, including: attending clients meetings and teleconferences, visits to court, research, preparation of court documents, drafting deeds/contracts, discovery and much more.

There will also be additional activities for you to take advantage of including: • • • •

Key skills training with our Learning and Development team Q&A sessions with our leaders Presentations about practice areas and deals Networking and social events

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

Norton Rose Fulbright’s Graduates are provided with the opportunity to complete a six month secondment in one of our international offices around the world. So far, our Graduates have done secondments in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, South America and the United States of America.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

Norton Rose Fulbright vision is to be a world class business, profitable, ambitious, cooperative and considerate, supporting our clients and people through our global business principles of Quality, Unity and Integrity. We apply our business principles to all our activities world-wide.

They describe our culture and personality both internally and externally, the way we work and what we stand for.

Quality – We’re a team of the highest calibre, providing consistently high quality work, because our clients always come first.

Unity – We share our knowledge and we work to support one another across teams and borders, because our team culture makes us who we are.

Integrity – We’re trustworthy, open and fair. We respect colleagues and clients deeply, and we work to the highest ethical, professional and business standards.

Nina is a change navigator When you’re playing futsal, you attune to a pace that’s fast.

Fast and critical thinking as part of a team comes naturally to Nina. Currently on our graduate program, she’s putting her speed of thought to good use on secondment, walking – or running – in the shoes of our client.

We’re providing the next generation of lawyers like Nina with the knowledge, skills and understanding to help our clients achieve their goals on the global stage – always staying one step ahead of the competition.

We don’t simply adapt to change. We thrive on it.

Law around the world nortonrosefulbright.com

Thomson Geer

Areas of legal practice • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Advertising & Marketing Agribusiness Banking & Finance Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical Capital Markets Class Actions Competition & Regulation Construction & Projects Corporate & Advisory Education Employment, Workplace Relations & Safety Energy & Resources Environment & Planning Franchising Funds Management & Financial Services Gaming & Leisure Government Health, Aged Care & Retirement Villages Insurance Intellectual Property Litigation & Dispute Resolution Media, Broadcasting & Entertainment Mergers & Acquisitions Property Restructuring & Insolvency Sports Law Superannuation & Wealth Management Tax Technology Telecommunications Transport & Logistics

Number of lawyers & partners (Australia and Global) We have more than 560 people in total, including 116 partners and 300 other legal staff, operating out of our offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

What specific qualities does your firm look for in a potential Clerk?

We are looking for hard-working and motivated law students who have excelled academically, are customer focused, commercially minded, work well in a team environment and are enthusiastic about commencing their career with a dynamic law firm.

We are especially keen to talk to students who have, or are working towards, a second degree in fields such as commerce, engineering, science and other technical fields.

Our clerks are curious, hungry to learn and committed to constant innovation and improvement.

When we receive a clerkship application, these are the things that make you stand out from the crowd: • • •

•

A genuine interest in the areas of law in which we practice.

Demonstrating an understanding of, and interest in, the commercial environment, as this helps our clerks contribute to the success of our clients.

Demonstrating a dedication to pursuits outside of your university studies. Whether it be in work or community interests, being able to show that you constantly seek opportunities to contribute more than is expected – in both your personal and professional pursuits. We hold in high regard a commitment to continuous self-improvement.

We look for a strong work ethic in our clerks, so we look for an application that is able to demonstrate that.

And importantly, be yourself. A diverse range of people is important to our success and we love to see your personality in your application.

All of our clerks are viewed as potential graduates, and all of our graduates as potential leaders. We therefore look for the same qualities in our clerks and graduates that our lawyers need to possess.

What kind of responsibilities/tasks can a Clerk expect at your firm?

We offered a structured program where clerks learn through a combination of hands-on experience, training and coaching and observation.

During your clerkship with us, you will: • • • •

Participate in a structured program Undertake meaningful work for real clients, including opportunities to attend client meetings, observe court proceedings, conduct legal research, draft correspondence and court documents and develop technical skills in areas such as drafting, due diligence and disclosure Have the assistance and support of a supervising partner as well as a junior lawyer who remembers what it was like to be a new clerk and can act as a buddy and mentor Participate in a formal performance review process with your supervising partner and mentor to reflect on your development and capture feedback from your colleagues.

Sydney Clerkship Intake (number) Approximately 8 to 10 clerks, dependent on business needs After becoming a clerk, what are the prospects of obtaining a graduate role?

We select our graduates from those who have done a clerkship with us, putting those who have completed a clerkship in an excellent position to secure a graduate role.

How does your firm value Corporate Responsibility?

We understand the importance of giving back to our community. This involves helping to ensure that all members of that community have access to legal representation and advice, and seeking opportunities to provide support for worthwhile causes.

An initiative our firm is committed to is the provision of pro bono legal advice to marginalised and disadvantaged groups across the States in which we operate.

Thomson Geer is a signatory to the National Pro Bono Resource Centre’s aspirational target of 35 hours of pro bono legal work per practitioner per year (in fact, our lawyers can spend up to 50 hours per year on approved pro bono matters and receive financial credit for this time). We are constantly looking for ways that we can connect our lawyers with pro bono opportunities that will utilise their skills to make a meaningful contribution to our local communities.

Engaging in pro bono work is rewarding for both our communities and our lawyers. Those who engage in these activities are often exposed to experiences, clients, areas of law, and procedures that are not accessible in their everyday job.

We provide pro bono services to many clients aligned with the firm’s priorities and positioning, and also work with a number of structured pro bono referral programs such as Justice Connect and Homeless Persons Legal Service.

What is unique about your firm’s culture?

We are not the only large law firm in Australia that: • •

Is retained for similar quality work by similar client classes; and Has a deep cultural commitment to the highest ethical standards and strong independent Australian legal counsel.

We do, however, believe we are amongst a select class of large Australian law firms that offer a depth of quality legal skills and know how across Australia coupled with strong value driven standards and settings.

We have access to high quality work for major institutional clients in sectors such as banking, construction, energy, health, telecommunications, property development and gaming & leisure.

This provides our lawyers exposure to excellent work while maintaining small teams where each lawyer gets to develop and learn from senior lawyers, including Partners. These smaller teams and flat structures mean that our junior lawyers get involved in the bigger picture of matters and can see their meaningful contribution to our clients.

Our clients are at the center of everything we do; so it is not only the openness we demonstrate in our dealings with each other, but also the well-established and trusting relationships we have with our clients, which makes Thomson Geer a great place to work.

We also have made a strategic investment in TG Endeavour Public Affairs, a Canberra-based Government Relations Consultancy, giving our people the ability to work with a team with specialist knowledge and experience of government and the public sector at the highest levels How does the firm encourage a work-life balance?

The law is an incredibly rewarding profession, but we recognise it can be demanding. For this reason we create an environment that is flexible, friendly, personable, collegiate & 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 & professionally.

Our wellbeing@work program supports employees to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Our employees love to get involved in activities such as mixed sporting teams and they enjoy healthy breakfasts and snacks. We also provide support for your health through the provision of flu vaccinations, skin checks and an independently provided Employee Assistance Program.

We also have an active social committee, providing lots of opportunities to develop close relationships with your colleagues.

What training and development opportunities does your firm offer?

Students who complete a clerkship with us will be eligible to be considered for a position in our next graduate program, commencing 2022. Our graduate program runs for 12 months and includes rotation among different practice areas to expand your skills across a range of practice areas, and help determine the area of law which best suits you.

All Thomson Geer graduates complete comprehensive training in-house which will support them to become well-rounded and technically competent practitioners.

Our lawyers are genuinely interested in our clients and their businesses. They need a critical and curious mind and are passionate about developing solutions in their commercial context. Our lawyers work collaboratively in diverse teams with both senior and junior practitioners across legal disciplines and jurisdictions.

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 will be mentored by senior lawyers and supported by junior staff.

Clerkship opening and closing dates

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.

Applications open 9 June 2020 and close 12 July 2020

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Connect with us... tglaw.com.au Thomson Geer

ADVICE | TRANSACTIONS | DISPUTES Domestic & Cross Border

@ThomsonGeer

www.tglaw.com.au Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Adelaide

ARRIVE... at a large Australian corporate law firm

Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Perth Adelaide FINALIST

Some of our recent Summer Clerks talk about their time with us...

Most popular clerkship employer award

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I applied with Thomson Geer because it is a large Australian corporate law firm that is continuing to develop even further.

I very much wanted to be a part of that growth and development. The depth and nature of work was also significant.

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I felt included and part of the team from day one which made me feel like I could be comfortable being myself, and made it a pleasure to come to work.

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The application/recruitment process interested me. It seemed like a fresh and interesting process as opposed to a stock standard interview, especially the networking night, which allowed me to speak to multiple members of the firm and learn about different practice areas.

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AFR 2019

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What I most valued about my clerkship with Thomson Geer was the people.

Everyone was fantastic to get along with and were always happy to engage in conversation at any point.

The other clerks were fantastic too and I have enjoyed my time at the firm immensely. Thank you for the opportunity!

White & Case

• •

How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

•

• •

In Australia, we have 50 lawyers and 17 partners across Sydney and Melbourne Globally we have over 2000 lawyers

How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

• •

We offer winter clerkships in our Sydney office, dates adjusted for trimesters We offer Hong Kong winter internships in December and summer internships in July 2021 for students interested in being considered for a Hong Kong training contract in 2023

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

• •

10 across Melbourne & Sydney 3 trainees in Hong Kong

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World Bank - Benchmarking Infrastructure project Creating a disaster risk management law index for the International Red Cross Corporate and structuring advice for charities operating in Australia such as the Motor Neurone Disease Association of NSW Reviewing and updating legal compliance registers for the Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault

What is the Firm’s stance on diversity and inclusion?

We say that diversity is in our DNA. Diversity and inclusion are inherent core values for us, embedded in all we do in our offices around the world.

We are naturally diverse because of the work we do, the locations we’re in and the type of people and clients we attract. At White & Case, we promote equality at work and an inclusive culture by supporting employee-led diversity networks, flexible working and an open office environment.

Our Australia offices host a number of events each year for employees and clients that support our Global Women’s Initiative and other global affinity groups such as LGBT+.

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective graduates?

Global Citizenship describes our role—as a business and as individuals—as active participants in the global community.

Most of our clients are multinational organisations, so almost everything you’ll work on will cover more than one jurisdiction. To help develop a taste for global thinking, we guarantee a six-month overseas seat in our offices across Asia-Pacific and the wider network, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Tokyo. Graduates describe this overseas seat as ’career changing’, as they gain valuable insight into the working practices of another jurisdiction and build professional contacts that will have a lasting impact throughout their careers.

White & Case is committed to fair and ethical operations that respect the interests of our stakeholders and recognise the importance of our natural environment. All of our global citizenship activities, which include our pro bono work and environmental sustainability, are closely aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Our global Pro Bono practice is the centerpiece of our community engagement activities. Last year, lawyers in all our offices and in every practice devoted nearly 120,000 hours to pro bono matters.

As a graduate in Australia, you will have unparalleled opportunities to do cutting-edge pro bono work on the issues that matter most to you—both locally and cross-border— with many of the world’s leading NGOs. Approximately 60 percent of our pro bono matters help strengthen human rights around the world. We expect every lawyer to complete a minimum of 20 pro bono hours each year.

Examples of Australia pro bono projects: • Justice Connect – Support for Domestic Building Legal Service • Structuring advice for foreign not-for-prowwfit organisations entering Australia

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What is the Firm’s approach to innovation?

We devote significant resources to organising and sharing information across our global platform through sophisticated knowledge management practices and integrating the latest legal technologies into our work. Investing in this area improves the quality of the services we provide, reduces risk and generates cost savings for clients.

We have a dedicated Practice Innovation team of lawyers and technologists who focus on new legal technology for transactional work, such as due diligence, document automation, closing-activity management and contract analysis and negotiation. Our team use AI-enabled due diligence review platforms, contract analysis technology, eDiscovery, Contract Generation software and Legal Project Management technology.

Together we make a mark

Kevin’s White & Case Story Was the prospect of overseas opportunities an important factor for you when applying to White & Case?

The prospect of overseas opportunities offered at White & Case, including during its graduate program, was an exciting proposition that played an important factor in my decision to apply for the Firm.

The opportunity to go overseas is rarely offered to graduates and junior lawyers, and the Firm’s commitment to invest in their development through opportunities like these had, in my view, distinctly set the Firm apart from its competitors. To highlight this, most of my 2018 graduate cohort at White & Case have, or are currently undertaking, an overseas rotation as a part of our graduate program. I was fortunate enough to have spent my second rotation in our Tokyo office as a part of the Project Finance team.

What was most exciting about your work when overseas? How was it different from what you had previously worked on?

The profile, scale and complexity of the international financing transactions that I worked on in Tokyo were particularly exciting, and often involved working with parties, legal counsel and Firm colleagues spanning several jurisdictions. I found that most of the work I was involved with in Tokyo were outbound transactions where we would advise Japanese clients on their investments or financings into companies or projects based outside of Japan. This

provided a unique opportunity to learn more about the different market practices across regions and industries.

What was unexpected about the office, work culture or projects in your overseas office?

I found that as English was widely spoken within the Tokyo office, it was instead adapting to the Japanese business culture and etiquette that was most challenging.

I quickly found myself learning to follow a certain protocol for the exchange of business cards (meishi), learning how to bow in a business context, and learning to appropriately introduce or address Japanese names in communications.

Tell us the top-three highlights of your overseas experience, both professional and personal.

My top-three highlights would be coordinating a Firm craft beer event, hiking in the Nagano prefecture and skiing in Japan.

Kevin Chen Associate, Sydney

Apart from work, what did you most enjoy about living abroad?

Outside of work, I quite enjoyed exploring Tokyo as well as travelling around the country, including driving to the Fuji Five Lakes and catching the famous bullet trains to cities such as Kyoto and Osaka.

Living abroad in Tokyo also gave me the opportunity to learn more about the Japanese culture and history, as well as to learn and practice a new language.

How do you think that the overseas seat will benefit your career?

Working overseas provided me with the opportunity to expand my network, as I met clients and colleagues within our Tokyo office with whom I hope to work in the future. It also provided me with a valuable perspective into Japanese culture, attitudes and way of conducting business which will be useful to keep in mind when liaising with Japanese clients in the future.

Internationa

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al law firms

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InternationaL admission Requirements

Hong Kong Qualifying as a Solicitor There are two avenues to qualifying as a solicitor in Hong Kong: as a trainee solicitor, or via the overseas lawyer route.

The Trainee Solicitor Route This is the easiest pathway to qualification for university graduates. To be admitted, prospective solicitors are required to complete the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or a Juris Doctor ( JD) from a common law jurisdiction, the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) in Hong Kong, and a two-year training contract with a law firm.

Students must complete a law degree including the Priestly 11 units a. Land Law b. Business Associations c. Commerical Law d. Constitutional Law e. Criminal Law f. Criminal Procedure g. Equity h. Torts i. Civil Procedure j. Evidence k. Contract Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) The PCLL is a one year full-time legal education programme provided by three universities: Hong Kong University, City University and Chinese University of Hong Kong. Other than securing a training contract, the requirements for admission into the PCLL are the most challenging barriers to admission in Hong Kong. These are:

- Completion of your LLB/JD before PCLL commencement - Demonstration of competence in 11 core and 3 top-up subjects - A score of at least 7 from the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test Moreover, competition for places in the PCLL programme is intense and usually based only on academic merit. A high credit or distinction average in your law degree is generally recommended.

Training Contracts Training contracts are special employment contracts with law firms. During the twoyear period, trainee solicitors are exposed to work from at least three practice areas.

Many top-tier firms send their trainees to their overseas office as part of the training programme. Internships are generally for penultimate year students and last between two weeks to a month. They are available in June, July, December, January and February, although not all firms run schemes in these months. Please note that due to trimesters, some internship dates will run through the Term 2 and Term 3 study periods. In order to complete midyear internships running through June/ July, students will have to take Term 2 off.

Interns at top-tier firms can be expected to be remunerated at the market rate and may even receive a living allowance. For Australian students, interviews for internships in Hong Kong are conducted over the phone or Skype, on-campus during the Hong Kong Law Fair, or through the firms’ Sydney or Melbourne offices.

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The Overseas Lawyer Route Practising solicitors in an overseas common law jurisdiction (including Australian states) with at least 2 years post-qualification experience can seek admission through this route. In order to be admitted, the solicitor must sit and pass five Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examinations (four written and one oral). There are also additional certain residency requirements that must be satisfied. An overseas lawyer, pending qualification, can also be registered as a foreign lawyer with the Law Society of Hong Kong. Experience gained as a registered foreign lawyer can count towards the 2 years post qualification experience requirement.

However, registered foreign lawyers must work from within a law firm.

The formal requirements are: 1. Have at least two years of post-admissions experience 2. Pass tthe Overseas Lawyers Qualifications Examinations as well as either; a. Lived in Hong Kong for three months prior to the application for admission b. Be a resident of Hong Kong for at least 3 years prior to admission c. Be in Hong Kong for at least 180 days in each of the last 7 years Qualifying as a barrister The pathways to admission as a barrister are largely similar to that of a solicitor.

Prospective barristers in Hong Kong can either seek ad hoc admission, if they have been admitted overseas, or general admission after completion of the PCLL. For those who elect to take the PCLL, certain electives must be taken within the PCLL programme

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and you should check with the relevant Hong Kong universities. Instead of a training contract, a pupillage is required.

General admission is also available to practising solicitors in Hong Kong or overseas practising lawyers, provided they have completed a pupillage. For more information regarding admission requirements it is strongly recommended that those interested in qualifying as a barrister in Hong Kong visit the website of the Hong Kong Bar Association at http://www.hkba.org/.

Frequently asked questions about the PCLL and the Hong Kong conversion exams What is it?

The Hong Kong Conversion Examinations are preparatory exams for non-Hong Kong students to meet requirements for admission to Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) in Hong Kong.

Entry requirements for PCLL require demonstration of competence in 11 core subjects: Australian students with nonHong Kong law qualifications must also demonstrate competence in three top-up subjects for the purpose of PCLL admission, namely: 1. Hong Kong Constitutional Law; 2. Hong Kong Legal System; and 3. Hong Kong Land Law. How do I get exemptions for the 11 core subjects that have been already complete or will be completed at a university overseas?

To apply for exemption from any Conversion Examination(s), students must submit an Application for Evaluation to the Conversion Examinations Board.

Do any of my UNSW courses exempt me

from any of the PCLL exams?

The UNSW LLB/JD programme, when completed, will exempt you from at least 10 of the 11 core subjects required for the PCLL conversion exams. You will need to complete the 3 top up subjects and commercial law (you may be exempt from a part of the exam if you take commercial law as an elective). For more information please visit www.pcea.com.hk.

When are Conversion examinations offered?

Conversion exams are usually offered in January and in June/July. Students should check the PCLL Conversion Examination website www.pcea.com.hk for specific dates.

What if my law degree does not involve a cour listed above or if I do not get an exemption?

You must satisfy all 14 subjects before you begin the PCLL programme, which is a necessary step to qualifying as a solicitor in Hong Kong. If your law degree does not require you to complete certain subjects listed above or PCEA does not grant you an exemption, you must sit the Conversion examinations. These are administered by PCEA and obtaining a pass in these examinations demonstrates ‘competence’ in the relevant subject. Another way of demonstrating competence is to complete the relevant subjects as a visiting ‘internal’ student at either the University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong, or the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

(PCLL) can be completed in 1 year full time or 2 years part time study.

Do I need to have any Chinese language skills?

Having Chinese language skills is definitely an advantage. Whether it is a requirement will depend on the firm itself. If you do not have the prerequisite Chinese language skills, it is important that you are able to demonstrate that you are willing to learn as it is becoming a stronger focus.

Vacation work and pupillages/training contracts Recruitment practices vary between employers. Generally, applications should be made for vacation work should be submitted several months in advance and for pupillages about 1 to 2 years beforehand.

Training contracts with large law firms should be sought over 2 years in advance of your desired start date, while the Department of Justice normally conducts its legal trainee recruitment shortly after the commencement of the PCLL year.

Most law firms have one intake of trainee solicitors each year (in August/September) and will interview all their vacation students for training contracts. When you apply for a vacation placement depends on when you will join as a trainee solicitor.

How long does the PCLL course take?

The Postgraduate Certification in Laws

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China To become a practicing attorney in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) you must have: - PRC, Taiwan, or Hong Kong/Macau citizenship; - Completed an undergraduate degree in any field; - Passed the National Judicial Examination; Completed a one-year internship in a law firm; and - Proof of recruitment by a law firm The National Judicial Examination The National Judicial Examination is administered by the Ministry of Justice. It is a unified legal examination and unlike judicial examinations of most other countries, candidates sit the 17 subjects at the same time. Usually, the exam is scheduled for a weekend in September.

The Examination is a closed book exam mainly designed to test the legal knowledge of the candidates and their suitability to join the legal profession. Questions are divided into four categories: 1. Theoretical legal science 2. Applied legal science 3. Provisions in current laws 4. Legal practice and ethics Hong Kong/Macao Residents Since 2004, the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), has allowed permanent residents of Hong Kong and Macau, with Chinese nationality, to take the National Judicial

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Examination and register to practice on the mainland. The practice areas are limited to non-litigation issues and litigations in marriage and succession relating to Hong Kong and Macau.

However, a Hong Kong or Macau permanent resident who is a practicing barrister or solicitor in their respective jurisdictions, can be hired as ‘of counsel’ in a mainland law firm to provide legal advice relating to practice in Hong Kong, Macau or other foreign jurisdictions.

Non-Chinese Citizens Foreigners may obtain LLM or other graduate degrees and work in Chinese law firms as long as they are not interpreting Chinese law. Likewise, Chinese lawyers may work in foreign firms operating in China, but may only work as assistants due to restrictions on foreign law firms.

Foreign law firms are able to establish representative offices and can: - Provide legal advice concerning the legislation in its admitted jurisdiction and the application of international treaties and practices; and - Represent clients from their admitted jurisdiction in transnational cases.

The chief representative, the representative and the resident foreign lawyers of the firm all need to register with the All China Lawyers Association (ACLA).

United States Whilst there is a large legal market in the US, New York has traditionally been the most receptive state to lawyers who have qualified in Australia. This is common for lawyers who practice in areas such as mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, and banking and finance.

California is also quite a receptive state, but in a more narrow sense. Australian lawyers who move to California tend to practice in areas such as project financing, intellectual property, and technology.

Washington DC is another possible location, but it is harder for Australian qualified lawyers to break into practice in this area because the Washington legal market has a significant US government focus. Those interested in working here are advised to enter through New York and then move after gaining US experience and a US Bar qualification or Masters.

These are currently the only three US jurisdictions in which Australian lawyers can work. This because in the US, being admitted to a state Bar only permits the barrister to practice in one state - i.e. being admitted to the New York Bar only permits the barrister to practice in the state of New York. Only these three Bars do not require certain units of study which can only be taken in the US. US firms do not usually recruit out of Australia at graduate level as they traditionally take their first year lawyers from the US university JD programs. It is important to note that in firms in practice areas that are able to be translated across borders. The lateral hire

move is usually around the two to four year level. Many Australian lawyers who move over to the US also practice Australian law for clients with a US presence. Most US firms do not require Australian lawyers to already have US Bar qualifications. However, they will require Australian lawyers to sit the Bar Exams within 12 months to become fully qualified US Attorneys.

US firms will generally provide assistance in the preparation for Bar Exams. This includes giving lawyers study leave as the pass mark is 75%. Please note that the information provided above is by no means definitive, and is meant to provide some general information. We advise students to do their own research.

Please find below, a list of useful resources and links: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS: http://www. utexas.edu/law/career/LLM_ Licensure. pdf/ AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW: http://www.asil.org/ AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION: http://www.americanbar.org/ CALIFORNIA BAR WEBSITE: http:// www.calbar.ca.gov/ NEW YORK BAR WEBSITE: https:// www.nysba.org/ the US, the LLB is not offered; US graduates are from a JD program.

Students who wish to work in the US as lawyers are advised to first gain experience with the larger Australian

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United Kingdom The Steps If you have a law degree from an overseas institution, you can apply to the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority for a Certificate of Academic Standing. This will qualify you to apply for entry into the Legal Practice Course (LPC) (if you want to become a solicitor) or the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) (if you want to be a barrister).

Legal Practice Course LPC is not an academic course – it is vocational and requires good time management, organisation and preparation.

There are many providers so look around.

Bar Professional Training Course The full-time course lasts for a year, while the part-time option is spread over two.

The Training Contract You must complete this training with a law firm for two years. Most training contracts are taken on a full-time basis and last two years.

What types of firms recruit our students?

Major UK firms, in particular the Magic Circle firms, actively recruit students from overseas.

Admission as a Solicitor You must be willing to undertake further

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training and study if you wish to become an accredited solicitor in the UK. As a law graduate, training will take at least three years.

This includes studying for and passing further exams beyond law school. The Solicitors Regulation Board oversees the requirements of becoming a solicitor, known in the UK as being admitted to the roll of solicitors.

As a law graduate, there are four components to being admitted to the roll of solicitors in the UK: - A Law Degree (LLB or JD) – including successful completion of Contract, Restitution, Torts, Criminal Law, Equity and Trusts, Property Law, Public Law, Constitutional Law, and Administrative Law; - Legal Practice Course (LPC) (1 year) – similar to Australia’s College of Law; - Practice-based training contract incorporating Professional Skills Course (2 years full time); and - Admission to the roll of solicitors As an overseas applicant, there is an alternative pathway to becoming an accredited solicitor that avoids the difficulties of using Australian University law courses to satisfy UK requirements (for example, European Union Law, one of the requirements, is not taught here at UNSW). This involves becoming accredited in Australia through the College of Law, applying for a Certificate of Eligibility from the UK’s Solicitors Regulation Authority, applying for the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme, and thus becoming a qualified lawyer in England and Wales.as a The first step to becoming a barrister in the UK is to satisfy the academic requirements.

This means a law degree (LLB or JD) followed by a Graduate Diploma in Law. Questions of transfer eligibility of Australian degrees to satisfy LLB/ JD requirements should be directed to the Barrister Standards Board (BSB). While LLB/ JD and GDL are prerequisites for moving onto the next stage - vocational stage - they do not guarantee admission.

paperwork and observe him or her in conferences and in court. During the second six, pupils can take on some work of their own, under supervision. For more information visit this website: http:// www. barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-abarrister/ how-to-become-abarrister/

The second stage of training to become a barrister is the vocational stage. This takes the form of the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), which can either be taken over one-year full time or two years part time; the latter of which allows time for students to carry out paid work and gain useful legal experience. Prospective barristers must also pass the Bar Course Aptitude Test: https://www.barprofessionaltraining.org. uk/ s4/oa/candidates/start.asp

Chambers Student UK

The final stage of training to become a barrister is a one-year pupillage. This is usually undertaken in a set of barristers’ chambers, although it can also be undertaken with certain other organisations. Being a pupil is similar to being an apprentice where you will gain practical training under the supervision of an experienced barrister or barristers. At the end of the year you will be a fully qualified barrister.

To find out more about becoming a qualified solicitor in the United Kingdom, please contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority, which oversees the requirements for admissions. http://www.sra.org.uk/

Pupillage is divided into two parts: the “first six” which is a non-practising six months and the “second six” which is a practising six months. During the first six, pupils generally shadow their pupil supervisor, do legal research, draft opinions and other court documents, read their pupil supervisor’s

Further Information

This website is for anyone considering a law career in the UK. There are thousands of interviews with trainees, pupils and market sources, as well as interesting and informative articles. There is also a newsletter which you can sign up to for free. http://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/ Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Law Society of the UK The Law Society of the UK also offers support for those working towards becoming a qualified solicitor or other legal professional in the United Kingdom. http://www.lawsociety.org. uk/

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Singapore Singapore is a common law jurisdiction but the legal profession is fused, meaning that lawyers can act as both a solicitor and a barrister. To qualify as a lawyer in Singapore, one must fulfil the requirements of being a ‘qualified person’ and then sit the Singapore Bar Examinations, which is divided into Part A (for overseas graduates) and Part B (a five month practical course).

Applicants must: • • • •

•

Have attained the age of 21 years; Be of good character; Have satisfactorily served the practice training period applicable to you; Have attended and satisfactorilycompleted such courses of instruction as the Board of Directors of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) may prescribe; and Have passed such examinations as the Board of Directors of the Institute SILE may prescribe.

Qualifying Under Rule 9 (1) of the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules, you are a “qualified person” if you fulfil ALL the following requirements: (a) That person is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore; (b) That institution of higher learning is an institution of higher learning in Australia or New Zealand specified in the First

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Schedule; (c) That degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws or degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified for that institution of higher learning in the First Schedule; (d) that person —

i) commenced reading on or after 1 January 1994 a course of study as a candidate for that degree, if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws; or

ii) is conferred that degree on or after 1 December 2017, if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence; (e) that person has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst

i) the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees of Bachelor of Laws specified in the First Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; or

ii) the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the First Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; (f ) that person has passed Part A of the Singapore Bar Examinations; and

(g) after that person has passed the final examination for that degree, for a period of not less than 6 months within a continuous period of 8 months, that person has received relevant legal training, has been engaged in relevant legal practice or work, or has received relevant legal training and been engaged in relevant legal practice or work.

The Singapore Bar Examinations Part A Part A is a conversion examination for eligible overseas graduates from overseas universities. These examinations are held in November each year and applicants are able to take Part A even if they have not fulfilled all the “qualified person” requirements.

Part B A compulsory 5-month practical law course and examination for both local and overseas graduates.

Alternative Paths to Legal Practice in Singapore

in Singapore under Part IXA of the Legal Profession Act. Applicants will not need to take any courses or examinations.

Foreign Practitioner Examinations (FPE) The Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) conducts the Foreign Practitioner Examinations (FPE). Lawyers admitted to practice in other jurisdictions who pass the FPE can apply for a Foreign Practitioner Certificate from the Attorney-General. This certificate permits them to practice in limited areas of Singapore law. Areas permitted include intellectual property law, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions.

Foreign lawyers must have at least three years of relevant legal experience (either in Singapore or overseas) before they can apply to sit for the FPE. For more information, please visit: http://www.sile.edu. sg/eligibility-to-register-to-sit-for-the-fpe Practicing as In-House Counsel Individuals may be able to practice as inhouse counsel at an organisation in Singapore. Please visit the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association website for more information. www.scca.org.sg

Practicing as a Foreign Lawyer Individuals who are admitted to practice in another jurisdiction can apply to the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ Legal Profession (International Services) Secretariat to work as a ‘Foreign Lawyer’

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FIRM PROFILES

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Freshfields How many partners and lawyers does your firm have?

What opportunities does your firm uniquely offer that may be of interest to prospective clerks?

June-July: 16, January: 8

Most law firms offer four seats of six months each.

At Freshfields, our trainees benefit from a much broader experience. The firm wants your training to be as broad as possible. You will spend six months in corporate, three months in finance, three months in dispute resolution and three months in either antitrust, competition and trade or IP/IT. You will also do a six month seat in London and three months seat in either Shanghai or Beijing.

How many graduate lawyers did you take on this year?

Does your firm offer any opportunities to work overseas?

6-8 trainees peryear

Freshfields helps clients cross borders with confidence – you’ll learn to do the same. You will have the opportunity to go on a secondment in our extensive global network of offices (including six months in London and three months in Shanghai or Beijing).

You can also apply for a client secondment after your qualification.

Hong Kong - Partners: 21, other fee earners: 89 How many clerks are you intending to take on this summer?

How does your firm embody the notions of social and corporate responsibility?

Responsible business sits at the heart of our firm. It aligns our diversity and inclusion aspirations with our pro bono work, community investment programmes, and environmental and human rights commitments.

We consider responsible business at every decision point, from client advice and mandate acceptance to the impact we choose to make on the society and environment around us.

Everybody in the firm is encouraged to do some pro bono work, which spans all our legal practice areas.

We work for a wide range of pro bono clients from individual victims of trafficking to some of the world’s largest NGOs. Last year, our trainees were involved in over 200 pro bono projects.

How does your firm strive to protect its junior lawyers’ work-life balance?

We recognise that there will be circumstances where alternative working arrangements may be beneficial to our colleagues and the firm, and we will seek to accommodate these arrangements where possible. Our agile working policy offers our colleagues the opportunity to flex their work location or timing on an ad hoc basis.

We believe it can enable a better work-life flexibility and optimise productivity.

What makes your firm’s culture unique?

As our statement of who we are declares, “our people make our firm”. That means you’ll be valued and treated with respect, consideration and courtesy.

We see diversity as strength and value fresh perspectives, creative ideas and connections. That means we want you to bring your best self to work. Of course, you can expect a heavy workload, but we try to play as hard as we work so we’ll encourage you be a rounded person with other interests.

No single person can take on the work we do alone.

That’s why we have a ‘one-firm mindset’, encouraging and sharing in the success of all our colleagues. Our training and support are designed to help you be the best lawyer – and person – you can be.

You’ll need to be creative and innovative to solve the world’s most difficult problems. And you’ll have to be able to explain your ideas clearly and simply.

Lastly, we want you to make a positive contribution to the world around us through our many pro bono and responsible working initiatives.

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is what you make of it We’re looking for our next generation of lawyers to join our ambitious team and help shape an exciting future.

freshfields.com/chinarecruiting

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Together we make a mark

“This is a Firm that cares about the people who work here.”

Annie Wan, Trainee Solicitor, Hong Kong

Annie is a trainee lawyer in Hong Kong. She tells us about her experience so far and why White & Case is a great place to start your career.

lets us meet a diverse group of people from different types of backgrounds, all finding new ways of working together. As a trainee, you also get exposure to senior lawyers who were trained under different systems.”

“I decided to join White & Case Rotating between seats after completing an internship in the and learning new skills Hong Kong office. I honestly had such a great time here. I went in with the Tell us a bit about the work you do. expectation that I was going to be worked “For my first seat, I was in Bank Finance. very hard, and that people might not care This was a very fast-paced transactional much about the interns. To my surprise, seat, where I learned a lot about project I realized that the Firm places a great deal management and the importance of of time, effort and resources into keeping my inbox well managed, as our recruitment process.”

I would receive more than 100 emails a day. Now I have rotated into a seat So what were Annie’s first impressions? in Disputes. Here the pace is much “My first impression of the Firm was how slower, but one task might take you a lovely the people are. This is a Firm whole day to do properly. There is a lot that cares about the people who work of research involved, so my university here, including at an intern level.” research skills have really come in handy.”

International and diverse

For Annie, the prospect of working at a truly global firm was a definite plus.

“If you are someone who is interested in starting at a firm, with true international prospects (one that does not just say that they are ‘international’ because they have an office somewhere else) and challenges people to be diverse, then I think this is the best place for you to start your career.”

That goes for working in Hong Kong too: “This location not only allows for us to deal with different types of clients from various parts of the world, but also

Annie reflects on how White & Case is different from other law firms. “I think our difference lies in the people. We spend a lot of time making sure that we are hiring the right people, people who are not only good at their jobs, but also can get along well with others and have a sense of team spirit.”

Annie Wan Trainee Solicitor, Hong Kong

Hard work and team spirit One highlight of Annie’s time so far was celebrating the close of a deal with her team: “After many long hours working together towards a closing, finally being able to get there and then celebrate—that was a great feeling.”

What’s next for Annie at White & Case?

She’s keen to keep developing her skills. “I am most looking forward to just learning and improving my everyday skillsets at work. It’s a fastpaced learning environment, so people expect you to be agile and adapt quickly to the working environment.”

Finally, how would Annie sum up working at White & Case so far?

Her answers: “Forward-thinking, team-building and “One Firm.”

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Testim

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onials

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Alumni How did you transition into your current position?

I started at my firm as a Summer Clerk as a part of the 2017/18 cohort. Following that, I was Paralegal for about 9 months, before commencing as a Graduate in 2020 in the Finance team.

What is a typical work day like for you?

Nikita Harlalka Law Firm in Sydney

A typical work day as Summer Clerk varies depending on the practice area you are rotating through. However, there was no one typical day I had, every day was different and there was always something new to learn!

As a Clerk, I rotated through three groups - Finance Solutions, Real Estate and Transaction Solutions. The work ranged from researching commercial and legal problems and summarising my findings in a memo to the Partner to drafting and reviewing documents to attending settlements and client meetings. As a Summer Clerk, we had the opportunity to partake in ‘Clerk Projects’, giving you exposure to an additional practice area that you did not rotate through. Outside of work, we participated in inter-firm clerkship sports competitions, which is a lot of fun! And at my firm, the Clerks have an exciting mission to put together a fun video which the rest of the firm comes together to watch on the last day of the clerkship.

What do you enjoy most about your role? What are the biggest challenges?

I particularly enjoyed understanding how the commercial rationale for a transaction is reflected in the legal documents. I also enjoyed researching and writing memos for senior lawyers. I was lucky enough to be rotating through the M&A team during the Banking Royal Commission and it was very exciting to contribute to high profile matters featured on the front pages on the Australian Financial Review.

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Profile The biggest challenge is working with limited context. I would highly recommend asking lots of questions (as you are not expected to know anything) to understand how the task you are completing fits into the broader transaction.

What did you get involved in when you were at university?

At university, I was involved in student societies and participated in several competitions.

I was the Co-President of UNSW Law Society in 2018, Coordinator of the Student Legal Education Group and a Law Revue cast member. I enjoyed these experiences and felt they were invaluable in equipping me with essential skills directly transferable into the workforce.

I was interested in negotiation competitions and along with competing at the Australian Law Student Association Conferences, I was on the UNSW team for the CDRC Vienna Negotiation and Mediation Competition and ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition (Paris). I was also a Law Clerk at the Kingsford Legal Centre.

Outside of Law, I was involved in 180 Degrees Consulting as a Project Leader and the United Nations Society through which I attended the National Model United Nations Conference held in New York. I also participated in Business case competitions, like the Cornell International Real Estate Competition.

What advice do you have for university students?

Be yourself ! You will hear this a lot and it’s because it’s the most important advice. Second, the selection process is a two-way street, you are being interviewed and you are interviewing the firm too. Take time to learn more about the firm as this will help you in making an informed decision, when you have to choose. Third, if corporate law is where you want to be, there are several paths to getting there, clerkships is just one of those! So, don’t stress and give the process your best shot. You should also try to enjoy the process as it’s a great opportunity to meet students from other universities and professionals within the legal industry.

In saying that, applying for clerkships can be tough and you may have to deal with rejections.

Try to have a support network (could be a few close friends and family) you can share your concerns with.

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Student Profiles Stephanie Blancquart Sydney

from my first day, I was very well supported by the firm. The clerkship started with extensive training providing an overview of how the firm worked and all the systems we needed to use. Once I arrived at my desk, I had a buddy who was always happy to answer my questions, no matter how silly they were.

What advice would you have for future students?

What was the most interesting part of your experience?

I really enjoyed that no two days were the same. One day I would be preparing documents to finalise a deal, and the next I was doing legal research for an advice. It was rewarding to see how my work contributed to the final product for the client. Being able to do two rotations in the firm meant that I gained experience with two different teams kept the work varied and in areas of law that I had never learnt at uni before.

What did you find most challenging and/or rewarding about working at your chosen firm?

Before my clerkship, I had no prior legal experience. I didn’t know what to expect and it was a little bit of a learning curve. However,

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I think it’s important to keep an open mind throughout the entire process. You will probably have some initial ideas about what the firms that you’re applying for, but don’t let these influence your final decision too much.

It’s important to make sure that you feel comfortable at the firm you finally decide on. While interviews can be nerve-racking, I actually really enjoyed meeting my interviewers and found that it was so much better to try and enjoy the process.

Sam Lee Sydney

Why did you choose to work at your chosen firm?

My firm was the standout option for me because I felt that the firm best embodied the dual focus on professional excellence and a positive culture that I prized. I was already well-aware of the firm’s reputation as a top-tier firm with an excellent commercial reputation and I knew that I would be working with some of the best commercial lawyers, receiving the best training and working on some of the highest-profile matters if I chose the firm. My experiences interacting with P&D, staff and lawyers through the Insight Program and clerkship process also made a big difference. I found everyone to be quite down-to-earth, able to have a laugh and genuine. Putting the two factors together, I felt that I really couldn’t go wrong in picking the firm.

What kind of work did you do?

I was involved in a very diverse range of tasks including proofing complex Project Fi-

nance contracts, writing casenotes on active professional negligence litigation, attending the signing of a major banking transaction and drafting documents directly for a client.

A hallmark of all the work I conducted was that it was well-balanced toward maximising my professional development – it was always challenging enough to be interesting and deep, but also diverse enough for me to broaden the skills and experiences I developed. I ended my clerkship with the strong sense that I had not only developed technical skills, but also gained genuine commercial insights and acumen upon which I could build a future career as a commercial lawyer.

What was the transition from law school to practice like?

There are aspects that are both similar and different. Skills I had developed through my studies, such as the ability to conduct legal research and think critically were certainly important. However, skills I had developed through my extra-curricular experiences were arguably more important – teamwork, leadership, time management and communication being foremost among them. Additionally, I think the ability to manage expectations (of the team and the client), taking initiative (being proactive and thinking more expansively than your particular task might require) and considering the commercial, as well as legal implications, of any decision were key differences.

What are some difficulties you encountered in your work environment and how did you overcome them?

I think there are aspects of working at a top-tier commercial law firm to which many

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students will be unfamiliar without prior experience in a professional commercial working environment. Making decisions such as when to ask questions of the partner and when to recognise that they are busy, how and when to notify people that you have no capacity for additional work, how to take instructions in an efficient manner, and how to conduct yourself in a client meeting were initial challenges I faced. While I was significantly helped by my prior experience as a paralegal at a boutique commercial law firm, I also found that asking questions and communicating openly were especially helpful. You’ll find that most of your colleagues will be happy to help, and will have had similar experiences when they were junior lawyers. One of the strategies I adopted was to arrange for a sit-down chat with my development coach before each of my clerkship rotations, so that I could ask questions and get a sense of the team’s expectations. I also took the opportunity to get to know the team, develop professional relationships, ask lots of questions and learn as much as I could by observing more experienced lawyers. I found that these strategies were very helpful in helping me navigate some of the challenges of working in a professional commercial environment.

Krushaal Vyas Sydney

Why did you choose to work at your chosen firm?

Broadly, I can split it up into two reasons: Firstly, after attending the interviews and events associated with the Clerkship, I found that the dynamic of the Firm was one where every team member was valued. For me, I felt like the senior partners right to the graduates all wanted you to succeed and were there looking out for you. It meant that new starters like myself had excellent access to experienced mentors who were at the top of their respective fields. Secondly, I found my firm to be particularly unique in its domestic and international standing. Its domestic and international influence meant that as a clerk you were exposed to both major domestic matters as well as cross-border work.

What kind of work did you do?

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I rotated through the IP/TCC and Disputes teams respectively. In IP/TCC I was working on cyberpiracy matters and the blocking of online pirated content which included several court proceedings. I also spent some time working with the Singapore office on matters

relating to data breaches. The Disputes team exposed me to the way large matters are brought to court and included various issues in the fields of competition & consumer law, health & medical law, property as well as pro bono matters.

Mariam Jaber Sydney

What was the most interesting part of your experience?

Having never been exposed to the work I was involved with, most things I came across were inevitably very new and interesting. Perhaps what was especially unique was the client secondment experience that the firm organises for all its Clerks. I was lucky enough to spend a week at a global e-commerce company which exposed me to client needs and expectations.

It definitely gave a very new perspective on the whole Clerkship experience.

What was the transition from law school to practice like?

Very straightforward. The firm understands that we’re still at university and are also at the firm to learn and develop. The transition is nothing to worry about and you will be trained by the Firm as well as guided on how to make the most of your experience as a Summer Clerk.

What did you find most rewarding about working at your chosen firm?

The firm was very supportive and enthusiastic about a new pro bono/community service project I had pitched to them, which will be actioned later

Why you chose your firm I chose my firm for two main reasons, the people and the reach of the firm. For a long time, I had known that I would enjoy the flexibility of taking my career internationally, in particular to the EMEA, and understood that in order to do that, I needed to find the right firm that could facilitate this transition early on. My second reason was the people. Before the clerkship application period commenced, I had the chance to meet representatives from different firms during their cocktail nights and information sessions. I was able to form an instant connection with some firms and that gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to work at the firm. I have a strong passion for Intellectual Property and Technology (IPT) and I found that my interest in the field synergised really well with the IPT team at my firm.

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What kind of work did you do?

I rotated in two teams over the summer, IPT and Real Estate (RE). Both teams were quite different in terms of the style and nature of work. In IPT, I was able to assist on some matters by conducting legal research, helping with project management and preparing business development articles.

I was able to do a variety of work both in the tech space and a little bit of work with the IP litigation team. In Real Estate, the work was a lot more transactional and I was able to sit through client negotiations, help prepare lease and contract agreements, help with settlements and anything that fell in between. Suffice to say, I learned a lot this summer!

Any difficulties you faced on the job and how you overcame it; During your clerkship, there are many things that come to play and you need to be mindful that you’re there for quite a short period of time. My biggest difficulty was getting a quick hang of the how the different systems (i.e. case management software) worked to be able to actually do the work assigned. I think the best way to overcome this is to ask for clarification instead of trying to figure it out for hours. I quickly came to learn that there were many people on the team that were always more than happy to help out.

Iinteresting parts of your job?

Being able to work with so many different people was a highlight for me. During my clerkship, I was able to assist the Corporate

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Team in Brisbane on a deal that spanned over APAC. Being able to work on complex matters that involved different teams and people reaffirmed my vision of working for a globally integrated firm.

Any advice for future students you have?

The best words of advice I have is to be patient, honest and well researched. A lot of people that will go through the clerkship process will hear a lot of things from people who’ve been through it before and assume that there’s a certain type of person they’ll need to mould themselves into to be successful.

What you need to understand is that the industry is changing quickly and this notion of perfect ‘fit’ no longer stands. I can 100% attest to that from the people I know who clerked over the past year. Firms are truly looking for people of all backgrounds, skillsets and passions and your best bet is to be prepared to find the firm that is looking for you. You need to start looking for the right people and teams that you would see yourself working with. I for one knew that I wanted to work within the TMT industry and that was reflective in my applications and the firms I dedicated a lot of time to. Leading up to the process, you should be prepared to get out there and meet as many people from different firms as you can to see where you might see yourself in the next 5 years.

Hot tip 1: follow all the firms you’re interested in on LinkedIn and save articles that spark an interest. This will save a lot of time and effort before the process commences and can help you come across incredibly well researched.

Johnson Man Hong Kong

our mainland Chinese client had purchased in Denmark and the Marshall Islands – I had to liaise directly with the client and the ship registries, and managed the process throughout until the end of my clerkship!

What was the best part of your experience?

Why did you choose your chosen firm?

I chose my firm because it has a strong presence in both the Australian and Hong Kong legal markets. Even though I grew up in Australia, I’ve always been interested in pursuing a career in Hong Kong. In fact, my sister already works in Hong Kong as a government lawyer and my parents have always talked about going back, so the option of returning to Hong Kong has always appealed to me. There’s definitely a real appeal to working in Hong Kong – from the “LKF” party life, the excessively high salaries (and exceedingly low tax…), to being at the centre of Asia during the rise of China this century.

What kind of work did you do?

I was in the Banking & Finance practice group, and my team specialised in aviation and shipping asset financing. Asset financing is when a client wants to buy a big “asset” (e.g. a plane or a ship), and they need a loan from a bank for it – our role as lawyers is to draw up the paperwork, advise on legal matters and effect the transaction. The coolest thing that I did was to take sole responsibility for re-registering ships that

The Christmas Party for sure. It was at a night club in Macau with all expenses paid.

They paid for the ferry ride from Hong Kong to Macau, food, drinks (even spirits were on the bar tab) – for the solicitors, they even paid for hotel rooms for the whole weekend. Let’s just say that the corporate culture in Hong Kong (and mainland China) is certainly along the lines of “work hard, play hard”… it was wild.

What advice would you have for future students?

Apply for everything! If you come across anything that slightly interests you, just put in an application and see how it goes.

For students interested in a career in Hong Kong (or Asia) specifically, I definitely recommend doing a clerkship at a law firm in Hong Kong. Keep in mind however that if you wanted to do your graduate program in Australia, you will not automatically be considered for graduate roles here – you’ll need to negotiate with the Sydney office separately. Beware that in order to practise as a solicitor in Hong Kong, you need to do one year of PCLL and then a two year training contract first.

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Natasha Hartanto London

sessions with the graduates in your teams so you can see what training is like for them.

What was the most interesting part of work?

Honestly, just seeing what commercial law looks like in a different country and how firms do things differently. The market in London is quite different to that in Sydney so the work can take on a different nature and the firm is much larger than any of their Australian counterparts which I found to be a big adjustment.

Why did you choose your firm?

If you’re wanting an international career in commercial law, it’s a pretty perfect place to start out. The firm has an office or partner office in every country you’d want one so there are really good international opportunities for travel (and the firm pays for weekend trips away with your global team so you have the opportunity to meet people from other offices). There’s also a wide variety of work since the firm (and its clients) are so big so you’ll get to work on some challenging stuff.

What kind of work might you do?

As a clerk, it really depends on the team you’re in and what they have on. Typically, you can expect drafting and research tasks though there might be scope for bigger things like going to court (one of the other clerks in my cohort went to the Court of Appeal on his second day which was, apparently, a great time). You’ll also be invited to any training

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What advice would you have for future students?

Definitely be open-minded and never be scared to voice your opinion – always back yourself! Given that you’re (probably) a very smart and capable person, you will (probably) be surrounded by other very smart and capable people, remember not to be intimidated by those around you – run your own race and seize all the learning opportunities that come your way. Lastly, if you don’t end up getting into whatever you want to do after graduation, there’ll be another way to get there, don’t give up at the first hurdle!

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