programs such as Justice Connect and Homeless Persons Legal Service. 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.
CLERKSHIP INFORMATION During which periods do you offer clerkships? We offer two, four-week clerkships over the summer period. One in November/ December and one in January/ February. How many clerkship positions are available for 2021? Four to six positions are available. What tasks do clerks usually undertake? Clerks undertake a range of tasks depending on the practice area they work with. Common tasks include: • attending client meetings; • observing court proceedings; • conducting legal research; • drafting correspondence and court documents; • due diligence and disclosure. How can a clerk stand out or make a good impression? Clerks at Thomson Geer are provided with meaningful work for real client’s right from the start of their clerkship. The best way for clerks to stand out is to: • show a real interest in the work and our clients; • commit to producing high quality work; and • demonstrate excellent communication skills.
What are some things students should avoid doing in their clerkship applications? Devaluing their experiences. We have heard candidates say they have left non-legal work experience off their resume because they thought it was not relevant. But that part time job in retail or hospitality or somewhere else taught you valuable skills. Unfortunately we also see many spelling errors in applications. Attention to detail is very important and spelling errors can make an otherwise great application stand out for all the wrong reasons. Do you offer clerkships to non-penultimate year students? We accept applications from penultimate and final year students.
GRADUATE JOB INFORMATION What does your firm look for in a graduate? We look 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. How can students apply for a graduate position at your firm? First priority offers are made to those who completed a clerkship with us. If further graduate roles are available, they can be applied for through cvMail or our website.
While we have strong links to international firms, we do not have an international office and therefore do not offer international opportunities.
INTERVIEWS What does your firm like to see in a clerkship or graduate job interview? Our first round interviews are performed by video and applicants are provided with questions and given time to prepare their responses. We like to see well thought out responses that are relevant to the question and demonstrate an understanding of the work we do. We also enjoy getting to know a little bit about our applicants outside of what we might see on their CV! How can students best prepare for an interview with your firm? Setting aside time to review the questions and carefully considering the answers they wish to give. Researching the firm and understanding our approach and the work we do.
CASUAL/PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT Does your firm offer any casual or part-time employment? Yes, we offer casual or part time employment when needed. How can students apply for a position at your firm? Our vacancies are advertised on the careers section of our website.
How many graduate positions are available in 2021? Three to four positions are available. Does your firm offer any international opportunities for graduates or junior lawyers? 146
