Women’s Legal Service WA

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Articles from the Profession

This section of the handbook is a compilation of articles relating to the many areas of law. These articles have been written by a range of legal and non-legal professionals. The purpose of these articles is to highlight the various careers you may choose to enter after or during your law degree. For those with aspirations in certain areas of law, we hope these articles impart some valuable information which can aid you as your career progresses.

Life at a Global Law Firm

Sakura Kajimura

Graduate, Herbert Smith Freehills (Vacation Clerk 2019/20)

“The opportunity to work together with these incredibly smart, dedicated and compassionate people on complex legal matters is what motivates and excites me.”

Graduate program

The Graduate program at Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) consists of three six-month rotations, allowing you to try out different practice groups before choosing where you want to settle. I completed my first rotation in Corporate where I got to draft agreements, assist with writing legal advice, conduct market research and attend client meetings. I then did my second rotation in Disputes where I drafted court documents, conducted case research and assisted with the discovery process. The key difference that I noticed between the two groups is that Disputes matters tend to run for a longer period involving various stages leading up to a trial, whereas Corporate deals often have a shorter lifespan with different work streams moving simultaneously. I am now off to my third rotation in Banking and Finance. Whilst everything at HSF falls under the umbrella of “commercial law”, you may be surprised at how dynamic and diverse the work can be in each practice group. Rotations are a great way to learn different skill sets, meet new people and build a foundation to become a well-rounded lawyer.

What surprised me the most as a Graduate is the amount of trust the team gives you in taking responsibility in a matter. As daunting as it sounds, I never felt overwhelmed as I always had the ongoing guidance and mentorship of my supervisors who encouraged me to think independently. The opportunity to work together with these incredibly smart, dedicated and compassionate people on complex legal matters is what motivates and excites me. Being a Graduate at HSF comes with many perks, but I would say that my Graduate group has definitely been the best part. There are 13 of us in the 2020 Perth Graduate group and we are all unique – coming from different universities, age groups and professional backgrounds (such as former engineers and nurses). We all have something different to add to the table and complement each other in group discussions. Together, we got to share the same challenges, celebrate each other’s milestones and be admitted as solicitors. I feel very fortunate to have this amazing support network that I know I can always rely on.

Client Secondment

During my Graduate year, I had the opportunity to go on a short-term client secondment to a Japanese power generation company to assist with a new deal on an LNG project. As part of my role, I translated the key agreements from English into Japanese and assisted in preparing reports for their head office in Tokyo.

The language skill that I had from spending my childhood in Japan became useful not only for the translation purposes, but also to understand the subtle cultural nuances. It allowed me to better understand the client’s needs and tailor my work accordingly.

As an Australian-practicing lawyer, I would never have imagined that my language and cultural background could directly add value to a client until this experience. I guess this goes to show the many exciting ways in which people with diverse backgrounds and skill sets can make a meaningful impact at an international law firm like HSF.