A Day in the Life of an HSF Graduate

Each team takes a different approach to the mentoring check-ins, and my new coach has come prepared with a list of talking points. We chat a bit about each other and I learn more about how the team likes to work and communicate.

3.00 PM I see an email has come in from a probono client I was working for in my previous rotation through Corporate. This client is a national charity that I have been working for alongside one of the Corporate partners and our national pro-bono team to assist with reviewing funding agreements.

The client has sent us comments that the prospective donor has made on our revisions to their agreement. I review the comments and make some judgment calls about what we can agree to and what we need to hold our position on.

To ensure both our client and the partner supervising me on the task understand my approach, I include notes explaining the decision making on each comment before sending my draft to the partner for discussion and scheduling a time to discuss with the client.

5.00 PM I have one more task I want to work on today, researching recent decisions and commentary on the drafting of contract terms. I am looking into this for a senior associate in my team who is developing a presentation on the subject for our fellow transactional lawyers.

6.30 PM I decide to do some work for our Diversity and Inclusion Committee. I am a member of this Committee and the firm’s Social Committee. As a project for both, I have developed an event planning checklist for the Perth office.

This checklist aims to ensure that when we’re planning staff events, we take diverse cultural, religious and accessibility needs into consideration to make sure no one is left out or unable to attend.

The D&I Committee Chairs sent my checklist through to the national D&I team for review, who then asked me to review their global events checklist and make suggested amendments based on Perth’s approach. After sending that off, I pack up my laptop, and head home.

Q&A: Journey To Becoming a Barrister

Anthony Willinge

Commercial Barrister

What was life like at the Crown Solicitor’s Office?

It’s wonderful to have good mentors in life, including in the law - and the CSO was full of good mentors. I had the good fortune to be the PA to the Crown Counsel, Graeme Scott QC. This was just before the office of the DPP was created, so we worked together on everything from murder trials to Federal Court administrative law matters, to civil and criminal appeals.

One of the best things about the CSO was that you were able to appear in so many trials, inquests and other proceedings. There’s no better way to learn about advocacy than to do it.

Being a junior is a great way to start, then doing small trials, with supervision, and working your way up. You discover whether you like advocacy, and start what is a never ending opportunity to get better at it.

How was life as an Associate?

Fantastic! This is another job I’d highly recommend. To have the opportunity, when you’re just starting out, to work with people at the top of their profession is a privilege and an amazing learning experience.

I was especially lucky as I’d already worked with Justice Scott for a year and we knew each other and got on really well. So we’d sit down before each trial or appeal and discuss the case and how the advocates might go about it. Then we’d discuss the case and the advocacy afterwards. It was like a constant master class.

Why did you join Blake Dawson?

I went overseas to study a Masters of Law and it got me thinking it would be good to check out life in private practice.

What was life like at Blake Dawson (now Ashurst)?

I loved it. Top quality people and top quality work. I also loved being a Partner and helping more junior lawyers improve and advance. In fact, the thing I look back on most fondly was helping two or three other Partners be appointed.

Being at Blakes also involved briefing many of the best barristers, including Wayne Martin QC, Carmel McLure QC and Rene Le Miere QC, and having the opportunity to work with them.

Why did you join the Bar?

Two reasons: to have a crack at it; and to check out the life-style.

I’d always loved advocacy and there came a time, much as I loved being at Ashurst, when I thought I’d like to have a go at full time advocacy.

There was also something that a QC in London had said to me once that stuck out. I was sitting next to him at a dinner, he was a top QC and of course worked really hard - but also said that he had 8-10 weeks off in a year!

I’m crazily in love with my wife, and kids, and love being able to spend time together. The idea that I could work hard, but also sometimes just take a day off after a big case finished; or take some extra time off during school holidays was really appealing.

What is life like at the Bar?

Challenging and rewarding! You certainly know you’re alive. There are days when you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing; and days when you feel like you’ve done a great job!

One of the things I really like is the variety. You work with different firms, and different people on different cases for different clients.

Why do I find it so enjoyable? I love learning about something new, and trying to understand how it all works. I also really like the challenge of preparing and presenting - thinking and communicating.