BRIONY POLE My Path to Get Here
Government Academia Others
At Minters, we work flexibly and this is in step with most of our clients. While there is still an expectation people will be generally available most of the time during ‘traditional work hours,’ there is a greater ability for people to factor working from home days, sport, family commitments and leisure activities into their work week. Ultimately, if the work gets done within the timeframe and to the In 2016, I joined MinterEllison, where I now work standard required, people have greater autonomy in one of the largest Employment Law teams in as to how they achieve that. Perth. We have 2 partners, 5 senior lawyers and a number of associates and solicitors. MinterEllison Advice for Graduates has offices throughout Australia, as well as in New For those of you graduating this year, you are Zealand, China and London, and several lawyers fortunate enough to be graduating during an from the Perth office have had the opportunity employment ‘boom’ in Western Australia where to spend some time living and working in those there are plenty of jobs available. However, these different locations. things are cyclical, so I encourage you to think about how you can ensure your legal career is a The Work We Do long and stable one. Choose the firms you apply In addition to our local team, MinterEllison has for carefully based on how they treat their people one of the largest and most highly regarded (in good times and in bad), what development national Employment Law practices in Australia. programs they offer, their sustainability platform This provides the opportunity to work on national and the areas of law they practice in. matters for some of our large Australian and Don’t be disheartened if you don’t receive an offer global clients with Partners from our East Coast from your ‘preferred firm’ upfront. Instead, think offices. Technological improvements since about how you can invest time in developing your COVID have made it easier for us to collaborate technical expertise, research skills, plain English and work seamlessly on national industrial drafting and practice management, wherever you relations strategies. The employment law team end up. I can guarantee you will eventually find a at MinterEllison has worked on some ground- way into the firm or practice area you prefer.
Criminal
I graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Laws in 2009. Unfortunately, this was the exact point in time when the Global Financial Crisis hit Australia and, overnight, graduate offers became extremely rare. Fortunately, I had been working as a Paralegal in a mid-size firm throughout university and secured a graduate offer there. After a 6-month rotation in Property, I joined the Employment team and never looked back. Employment Law and industrial relations are fascinating and unique and I still find the matters I work on as interesting and diverse as ever.
Courts
Special Counsel (Employment and WHS)
Being a global law firm does mean many of our clients have international owners or operations. For example, we have clients with parent companies in Japan, the USA and South Africa, and others with operations in Indonesia, Russia, Africa and North Macedonia. This can introduce an interesting element to our work where we are dealing with not just the law but also ‘cultural norms’. While this can feel unsettling at first, it certainly keeps it interesting. Fortunately, I have only once in my 10year legal career had to wake up at 3am to take a witness statement from someone in Salt Lake City, so having global clients hasn’t yet presented too many challenges in terms of working across different time zones.
Commercial
LIFE AT A GLOBAL LAW FIRM: MINTERELLISON
breaking Employment Law disputes in recent years and it has been a privilege to be able to participate.
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