G+T Brochure 2018 by Gilbert + Tobin

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MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN

GILBERT + TOBIN IS A LEADING INDEPENDENT CORPORATE LAW FIRM AND A KEY PLAYER IN THE AUSTRALIAN LEGAL MARKET. WE ARE RENOWNED FOR OUR ABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE.

ESTABLISHED IN 1988

AWARDS IN 2017

70+ PARTNERS

600+ EMPLOYEES

LOCATIONS ACROSS AUSTRALIA

EQUAL GENDER SPLIT AT MANAGER LEVEL

BAND ONE RANKING FROM CHAMBERS ASIA PACIFIC AND LEGAL 500 RANKING IN CORPORATE/ M&A, EQUITY CAPITAL MARKETS, PRIVATE EQUITY, COMPETITION & ANTITRUST, ACQUISITION FINANCE, AND TMT.

NEW LAWYERS JOINED G+T IN 2017

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR ACCESS TO FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS

LAWYERS WEEKLY AUSTRALIAN LAW AWARDS

AVERAGE CLERK TO GRADUATE CONVERSION * AVERAGE OF DATA 2013-2017

MOST INNOVATIVE LAW FIRM WITH AN ASIA PACIFIC HQ FT INNOVATIVE LAWYERS ASIA-PACIFIC 2017

G+T PROMOTES DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND WELLBEING

G+T CONTRIBUTES TO AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY THROUGH OUR NATIONAL PRO BONO PRACTICE

BE PART OF THE MOMENTUM “

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 experience.

OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY occurred on 28 January 2018. As I reflect on these 30 years, I am reminded that our people, our clients, our work and our appetite for innovation and change have established Gilbert + Tobin as one of the leading corporate law firms in Australia. Of course no individual or organisation is particularly well placed to assess its own success. Whatever we have achieved, it has been our collective ambition and strong self-belief that we can always do better; that has been front and centre of who we are. The strong support of our clients and the market generally are due to the highly talented people who step out of our lifts every day. As you read through this insight into life at G+T, you’ll meet some of them. Working with G+T means working directly with recognised leaders in their fields, on meaningful and purposeful work. We have the freedom to be who we truly are, and the ability to thrive and adapt. We are intuitive and resilient, interested in the world and its challenges, and we always roll our sleeves up, whatever it is we are doing. If you want to challenge your thinking and stretch your abilities, this is the firm for you. You’ll also have the opportunity to work across borders and cultures, thanks to our growing network of international partner firms. Through our pro bono work and related initiatives, we demonstrate our commitment to making a positive impact on Australia and the lives of others – including some of Australia’s most disadvantaged and marginalised people. Our challenge is to continue our momentum and become the most successful, respected and innovative corporate law firm in Australia. If you’re interested in being part of that story, G+T is the place for you. Danny Gilbert Managing Partner

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SOLVING LAWTECH CHALLENGES AT HACK<2> Inspired by the tech world’s approach to agile development, we brought together G+T’s legal technology experts and lawyers with one of our key clients, Westpac, for an intense two days of problem solving. Different perspectives and skills are combined to co-create and prototype a tangible solution – within a 24-hour deadline.

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Coders, designers and content experts worked together to rapidly develop ideas into a viable prototype, demonstrating how it could resolve common legal requests or operational issues for Westpac’s in-house legal team by the close of day 2. Linda-Rose Daya Legal Project Manager

“There is unparalleled enthusiasm at G+T for innovation and doing things differently and our agenda continues to expand. We see technology as an enabler, and it means the quality of work junior lawyers get involved in is far more interesting. Clients expect us to do more with less, so we need to automate tasks to save time. We’ve developed tools internally to improve efficiency, but we’re also leading the way in exciting new areas like AI and blockchain.”

CARYN SANDLER Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer

BE PART OF LAW’S FUTURE INNOVATION IS DEEPLY embedded into the DNA of G+T. We increasingly use in-house technologies to automate the administrative aspects of legal work – and free more time for higher-value legal analysis. Not only does this offer the potential to improve the client experience and outcome, we’re now working with our clients’ in-house counsel and also providing them with useful resources such as our own knowledge app, Smart Counsel. g+t Our internal innovation unit, g+t continues to deliver in-house technology tools that provide ‘little bits of efficiency’ – saving thousands of legal hours on high-volume, low-complexity tasks. The g+t team includes software developers, process engineers, knowledge management, legal project managers and legal technology experts, working collaboratively across all areas of the business to bring our best ideas to life. “We encourage our lawyers to always challenge how things are done and tell us what we can improve and automate. We have the people and the skills to build these solutions and rapidly test them in the field,” says Sam Nickless, G+T’s Chief Operating Officer. “Having our own patented technology is quite rare in the legal sector. We’re now scaling the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in areas such as due diligence and eDiscovery, using predictive coding,” explains Caryn Sandler, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer. dd Almost all Merger and Acquisition (M&A) transactions require due diligence. As a leading M&A law firm, G+T conducts a significant amount of due diligence, so we developed dd in partnership with a US-based lawtech startup. It guides lawyers through the due diligence review, and collects their findings electronically – making the process much faster, more consistent and cost-effective.

Smart tools G+T’s in-house verification tool is ideal for the complex and labour-intensive task of preparing a prospectus for an IPO. Lawyers can quickly allocate statements for verification, track what has been verified and provide better information for the client – saving at least 80 hours on the average IPO. Our internally developed and patented Smart Search tools, including Smart Litigation search and Smart Domain search, are automating routine tasks. “Our Smart Search tools have already saved more than $1.5 million in legal hours in just over one year, and our recently developed Company Search tool has the potential to deliver the most efficiency across all our Smart Search tools,” says Caryn. Document automation Document automation technology produces a first draft of legal documents quickly and with less error, based on answers to a questionnaire. “We use Contract Express and Neota Logic internally. This is something our clients are also interested in, because it produces a draft document based on your answers to a few questions – everything is automated in the background, which is more efficient, particularly for high-volume legal documents like NDAs,” explains Caryn. HACK<2> Our Westpac hackathon brings G+T and Westpac’s in-house legal team together over an intensive 24 hours. For us, a hackathon is an opportunity to realise the full potential of divergence of thought – the more skill sets and perspectives in the room, the faster we can develop and test new ideas. Clerks and graduates are welcome to join our legal project managers, lawyers and technologists in the room. “We also run regular design jams with our clients – ranging from private equity firms to major corporates,” notes Caryn.

LegalVision Having made a strategic investment in LegalVision in 2015, G+T shares some of its due diligence work with the LegalVision team where appropriate. Using dd, LegalVision can work through large volumes of documents quickly and cost-effectively. “This is a partnership that provides efficient, cost-effective solutions for our larger commercial clients,” explains Sam. G+T lawyers may also spend time working at LegalVision to experience a start-up environment on secondment, supporting them with specialist legal knowledge for a specific client. Neota Logic at UNSW Working at the forefront of technological change in law, we recognise future lawyers will need quite different skill sets. So we partnered with AI software provider Neota Logic to provide students with hands-on experience in UNSW’s new course, Designing Technology Solutions for Access to Justice. “By understanding what technology can do, you’re better equipped to apply it to solve client problems,” explains Caryn. “For the same reason, many of our lawyers learn coding internally, so they can see its potential.”

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Our graduates and junior lawyers play a fundamental role in our innovation, because they already look at things differently. They see things through the lens of technology and bring a fresh perspective to traditional legal process. Caryn Sandler Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer

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10:45 02:45 23:45 01:15 FINALISING THE DEAL IN NEW YORK Before Ansell could complete the sale of its sexual wellness business, it needed to separate that from its retained businesses – which meant a global restructure. We worked closely with employees, consultants and foreign counsel across North America, South America, Asia, Australia and Europe. The key sale negotiation required face-to-face meetings in New York with the two potential purchasers – a London-based private equity ﬁrm and a Chinese strategic buyer.

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The G+T M&A and Corporate Advisory teams managed the global legal work from Melbourne, which involved many teleconferences at all hours. Given the magnitude of the deal, across many jurisdictions and a vast amount of documentation, this was definitely an opportunity to sharpen my project management skills. I travelled with two partners to New York for the final negotiations and document drafting, and was involved in the discussions on sale documentation. This was a complex deal that took over a year from inception to closing, so it was great to be there to see it achieve a successful outcome. Bridget Sutton Lawyer

BE PART OF THE ACTION We work on many of Australia’s most complex, high-stakes business deals. It’s a collaborative effort that involves the skills and expertise of many practice areas as well as our strong commercial acumen. Our people are recognised for bringing these skills to the table.

OUR CLIENTS include major ASX-listed companies and multinational corporations, global and Australian private equity firms, top tier banks and government departments. Here are just a few examples of the successful outcomes we’ve achieved for them. Competitive sale negotiations for Ansell We acted for Ansell Limited in its US$600 million sale of its sexual wellness business. Having negotiated approximately 40 confidentiality agreements with potential private equity and trade bidders across multiple jurisdictions, we assisted the client to narrow the field to two potential buyers by early 2017. The final sale documentation was negotiated in person in New York, and the deal was completed in September. Ansell’s sexual wellness business was one of its oldest divisions, making this a significant result.

A transformational acquisition for Beach Energy When Beach Energy acquired all issued shares in Lattice Energy Limited from Origin Energy Limited, it became a leading ASX-listed oil and gas company. We advised on its successful $1.585 billion bid for the conventional upstream oil and gas business, as well as the equity capital raising and debt financing to fund the acquisition. The competitive sale process ran concurrently with an IPO, and involved G+T’s corporate advisory, energy and resources and banking teams. Significant growth for IOOF IOOF will become Australia’s second-largest advice business following its acquisition of ANZ Banking Group’s OnePath Pensions and Investments and aligned dealer groups businesses for $975 million. We advised IOOF Holdings on this complex deal, which included the acquisition, long-term relationship arrangements and a $450 million capital raising. A high-profile play for TPG Consortium Although it didn’t eventuate in a deal, we advised TPG on its proposed $2.75 billion acquisition of Fairfax by scheme of arrangement. No agreement could be reached, and Fairfax has since spun off its most valuable asset, the Domain real estate business and platform. Timely transactions for Quadrant Private Equity Just two years after Quadrant Private Equity acquired The Real Pet Food Company, we advised on its sale to a consortium of investors including New Hope, Hosen and Temasek for $1 billion. This was the right time for Quadrant to realise its return on investment, and the consortium is well placed to capitalise on Real Pet Food’s growth upside in Asia. At the same time, we advised Quadrant on its strategic investment in Timezone Family Entertainment Centres.

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Yancoal’s US$2.45 billion acquisition of Coal & Allied Industries from Rio Tinto more than doubled Yancoal’s coal production and transformed it into Australia’s largest pure-play coal producer. We advised Yancoal’s independent directors on the acquisition and the capital raising required to fund the acquisition – the largest equity capital raising in Australia in 2017.

The world’s largest takeover for AB InBev As part of the world’s largest takeover in 2016, we advised AB InBev on the Australian aspects of its US$107 billion acquisition of SABMiller – including seeking Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval. We have since assisted AB InBev’s Australian business, Carlton & United Breweries, on strategically important acquisitions of craft brewers 4 Pines and Pirate Life. Resolving cross-border issues for iNova acquisition Acting for Pacific Equity Partners and The Carlyle Group on their $1.23 billion acquisition of iNova Pharmaceuticals from the Valeant Group really tested our due diligence processes. We needed to work through many complex multi-jurisdictional issues. Defending a hostile bid for Spotless We advised on the defence of an unsolicited $1.2 billion takeover bid by Downer EDI, the largest hostile bid of the year in Australia. We were involved in disputes before the Takeovers Panel, but Downer was eventually prevented from acquiring 100% by a shareholder taking control of 10.1%.

Shareholder support for SAI Global acquisition When risk service provider SAI Global was acquired by Baring Private Equity Asia by scheme of arrangement, shareholders overwhelmingly voted in favour of the transaction. The implied enterprise value of $1.237 billion made this the largest private equity backed public-to-private deal in Australia since 2010. Australia’s largest integrated logistics business for Qube As the lead adviser to the acquisition consortium for ACCC competition clearance, G+T also advised on the transaction and capital raising. This included a $306 million placement and $494 million fully underwritten accelerated nonrenounceable entitlement offer to fund Qube’s acquisition of Asciano’s Patrick Terminals business. Impressive IPOs We advised on the IPO of Convenience Retail REIT, one of the largest IPOs in 2017, as well as WiseTech Global’s $1 billion IPO. We also advised the joint lead managers: Credit Suisse, Macquarie Capital, UBS, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, on Ingham’s Group’s $1.5 billion IPO.

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We were thrilled to advise Yancoal’s independent directors on this highly complex transaction. The acquisition was a gamechanger for Yancoal and the Australian coal industry, and we are delighted to have helped guide the equity raising from start to finish, including surviving two legal challenges in the Takeovers Panel. Costas Condoleon, Co-head of Corporate Advisory

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M&A + CORPORATE ADVISORY

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Mergers and acquisitions are a big part of what we do, alongside private equity and capital markets work. It’s an exciting area and the atmosphere is busy, but very enthusiastic and friendly. John Williamson-Noble Partner

ACCORDING TO Partner Costas Condoleon, Corporate Advisory is a great place to work on a variety of transactions. “Our team truly leads the market, working on significant and transformational transactions for a wide range of clients. It’s so interesting and varied; no two days are ever the same.” Partner Neil Pathak adds, “Our mix of clients is compelling. We act for large listed global businesses on their ‘bet the farm’ deals and private equity firms on sophisticated acquisitions and divestments right through to rapidly growing corporates raising capital and doing deals.” What you’ll experience You’ll be exposed to a large and diverse client base that includes: listed companies, private equity firms; investment banks; institutional investors; government agencies; and large privately owned companies. To successfully facilitate major transactions, you will be part of a team that includes specialists from areas such as Competition + Regulation, Banking + Infrastructure, and Real Estate + Projects – giving you valuable insights into other parts of the firm. Cross-border networks Because Gilbert + Tobin is an independent firm, we attract referrals from major firms all over the world. Our international network includes top US law firms, UK Magic Circle firms and many other leading firms in key jurisdictions. Mergers + Acquisitions Our M&A partners and lawyers have a reputation for closing difficult and highly strategic transactions. They navigate regulatory and competition law, and financing and commercial restrictions to find a way for clients to achieve their objectives.

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Private Equity As Australia’s leading private equity practice, the team is known for its ability to effectively manage and close large complex deals and help clients get the best outcome in competitive sales processes. Equity Capital Markets A number of our partners are recognised as market leaders for their ability to combine technical skills with commercial insight, often advising on complex financial products and new structures. The team regularly acts for listed companies and global investment banks on equity capital markets transactions. Funds Management G+T’s funds management team provides advice to private equity, venture capital, and real estate and infrastructure funds managers, as well as large corporations, banks, underwriters and institutional investors. As a market leader in funds establishment in the mid-cap private equity and venture capital space, we’ve acted on almost all of these types of funds in recent years – as well as the majority of regulated M&A transactions for large listed funds. Tax Working collaboratively with lawyers across all practice groups, our tax specialists provide advice on all types of commercial transactions and develop tax-effective structures to minimise the risk of later disputes.

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I think Corporate Advisory is the most varied of practice groups. The class of work we do means you meet and work for a range of super successful, entrepreneurial, gamechanging and all-round formidable clients. Some deals I’ve worked on include a milestone trans-Tasman renewable energy demerger, and a $110 million capital raising for what will be one of the world’s largest graphite producers. Luca Del Ciotto Lawyer

LUCA DEL CIOTTO Lawyer

What is one thing that surprised you about working with G+T? How much responsibility, impact and presence you have at a junior level. G+T embraces your opinions and contributions, with very little hierarchy. Tell us about a typical day No one day is the same, and it’s not the kind of place that regiments when and how you work. For example, cross-jurisdictional work could mean starting late if your deal involves London or New York time zones. Coffee is always first on my to do list – regardless of how busy I am. What can’t you work without? My work mates (who are genuinely mates), the sparkling water tap in the G+T kitchen and some form of exercise. I run most days, and try to make time for yoga. What would you tell your 21-year-old self? Don’t sweat the small stuff. It will all work out in the end. Mistakes are human and (great) law firms are more forgiving than you think! What’s the most important non-legal skill you’ve acquired on the job? Confidence. G+T fosters an environment that encourages you to back yourself, at work and in life.

BANKING + INFRASTRUCTURE

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We work with our clients on some of the largest cutting-edge transactions taking place in the Australian market – from financing high-profile corporate M&A transactions, to largescale infrastructure projects and complex debt restructuring. John Schembri Partner OUR BANKING + INFRASTRUCTURE group advises many large Australian and international financial institutions, investment banks, project funders and sponsors, government entities, corporations, institutional and private equity funds and hedge funds. With a reputation for best-in-class advice, we work collaboratively across the whole firm to provide innovative and creative legal solutions to financing issues. We work especially closely with Corporate Advisory as a seamless team to help them close major M&A deals. What you’ll experience You’ll be encouraged to play an active role from day one – ensuring you progress quickly. Working on a wide range of transactions to broaden your experience, you can be involved in matters across corporate and leveraged finance, project finance, public-private partnerships (PPPs), structured finance, debt capital markets, insolvency and restructuring. Corporate + Leveraged Finance We advise major listed companies on corporate debt arrangements, as well as private equity firms and corporate and institutional clients on large and complex leveraged M&A transactions. We also advise Australia’s Big Four banks, and the major local and foreign investment banks as lenders for these transactions.

Project + Infrastructure Finance Working with our specialists in debt and equity financing arrangements, you’ll be involved in project formation, structuring and implementing PPPs and other projects. Our clients include leading Australian and foreign project finance firms and sovereign wealth funds investing in major infrastructure, property development, transport, power and energy, renewables, mining and resources, and oil and gas. Restructuring + Insolvency We advise banks, financial institutions, many leading insolvency practitioners and financially distressed debt funds and corporations about standstill arrangements, debt restructuring, security enforcement, intercreditor agreements and sales out of administration or receivership. In this area, you will work on Australia’s most high-profile insolvency situations. Structured Finance + Debt Capital Markets Our debt capital market specialists advise on securitisations, establishing note programs, credit-wrapped notes, US and domestic private placements, and Islamic bonds.

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The most important thing I’ve learnt is to work as collaboratively with the lawyers on the other side as possible. It’s in everybody’s interest to get the transaction over the line and it will allow you to ensure the process is seamless for your client. Stuart Cormack Lawyer

STUART CORMACK Lawyer

Why banking? When I started with G+T, the Banking team was growing rapidly and had several exciting, market-leading deals. It’s also one of the most transferable of the areas of law – and I wanted to travel with my work as much possible (which I’ve done). How did your experience in London shape you as a lawyer? Working at Linklaters in London, I had access to great training and matters – it gave me a lot of confidence as a lawyer. But I missed G+T’s flat structure and relaxed culture. What have you learned from some matters you’ve worked on? Seeing the International Convention Centre across the water from my desk, it’s nice to think I played a small part in it being there, having worked on the team advising its lenders. By managing key aspects of several major infrastructure deals, I’ve developed my legal, matter management and client relationship skills. What’s your day like? I like to get in between 8:30am and 9am, although G+T treats you as a ‘grown-up’ – as long as you get your work done there’s no issue with coming in a little later. I often run in from my place in Alexandria in the mornings, and take a walk around the headland at lunchtime.

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TECHNOLOGY + DIGITAL

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“Our clients are increasingly turning to cloud, mobility, the Internet of Things, robotic process automation and data analytics to stay competitive in today’s environment. It’s important for young lawyers to understand the implications of these technologies on our clients’ businesses. Sheila McGregor Partner AS AUSTRALIAN LEADERS in technology and digital law, Gilbert + Tobin’s Technology + Digital team works closely with its clients to maximise opportunities for digital transformation and enable them to become agile, intelligent digital businesses. What you’ll experience As disruption continues to drive change and innovation across the global economy, lawyers need to be nimble to stay competitive in today’s environment. Assisting on both local and international matters involving cloud technology, big data, online payment structures, regulatory compliance, procurement and data privacy, you’ll have the opportunity to quickly develop your skills and knowledge of many exciting industries and technologies. Transformation We are a passionate team of Technology + Digital specialists with a reputation across multiple industries for our ability to support transformation through innovation, excellence, agility and deep industry knowledge. For more than a decade we have ranked in the top tier of The Legal 500 Asia Pacific and Chambers Asia Pacific.

Client collaboration We don’t just deliver on the status quo – we work closely with our clients to identify how things need to work differently. Technological trends lead to the development of new strategies and commercial models, and see us working with clients to create new and innovative frameworks to accommodate a rapidly changing world. Commercial execution Our focus is always on the big picture – not just the legal issues, but also the strategic and commercial considerations, business requirements and how to execute in a fast and agile manner. We have deep expertise in regulatory and compliance – including privacy and security requirements and industry-specific regulations. This knowledge is critical to develop solutions that address these challenges in new digital and cloud-based environments. “Over the course of a year, we’ll ask many international experts to come in and talk with us, so we can build our domain expertise,” says Simon Burns, a Partner in the Technology + Digital team. “Our lawyers attend technology conferences and are encouraged to go to blockchain meetups.”

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Joining G+T has allowed me to work on some of the most interesting and cutting-edge matters in the technology space, and to learn from the best. That opportunity is invaluable. It’s a dynamic environment to work in – the absence of red tape really sets it apart. Stephanie Essey Lawyer

STEPHANIE ESSEY Lawyer

Why technology and digital? The variety of the work – evolving technologies constantly present new legal challenges. Plus, I’m a bit of a drafting nerd so I enjoy complex contracts and negotiations. What’s your day like? I often work late, so I generally begin at about 9 or 9.30am – I’ll deal with any urgent queries or drafting first. During the day, I’ll provide advice or negotiate agreements at client meetings or on calls. We often have coffee or lunch as a team – we’re working our way through Barangaroo’s venues. Once home, I’ll try to go for a run to unwind. What’s been the highlight of this working year? The adrenaline leading up to the signing of a major agreement. Having joined G+T recently, it was great to see how different teams across the firm worked seamlessly to achieve an excellent outcome for the client. What would you tell your 21-year-old self? Take up as many opportunities as possible. For me, that’s included a stint in London working in technology law, as well as a secondment to a major bank. What’s the one skill future lawyers really need? Both writing and people skills are very important – it’s essential to be able to draft and communicate effectively.

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COMPETITION + REGULATION

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We provide clients with critical transactional and regulatory advice that has shaped a broad range of industries. You can expect to assist on matters across sectors such as broadcasting and media, energy and utilities, financial services, retail, resources, telecommunications and transport. Luke Woodward Partner WITH SEVEN PARTNERS, two special counsel and more than 34 lawyers, Gilbert + Tobin’s competition practice is one of the largest in Australia with star talent across the board. Our focus on achieving results in highstakes transactions and litigation for our clients means we consistently win complex, pioneering projects that demand specialist expertise and leadership. What you’ll experience Our practice reaches across all areas of competition and regulation, including transactional matters, regulatory work, investigations and competition litigation, which means you will receive a well-rounded experience. Having advised on some of the largest, most contentious and complex merger clearance matters and authorisations for acquisitions and joint ventures in Australia and New Zealand, we offer broad exposure to exciting and engaging work and opportunities. This includes the largest merger clearance authorisation in recent times. We are also defending Australia’s first contested criminal cartel prosecution. Industry specialists We are leaders in several infrastructure sectors such as electricity, gas, water, ports, rail/logistics, aviation and telecommunications, as well as other regulated sectors like financial services and media. This gives you the opportunity to work on some of the most important infrastructure issues in our national economy, including the National Broadband Network, our national energy policy and Australia’s transport infrastructure.

Scope for growth Within our open and collaborative culture, you will work across the group and be encouraged to assist on a mix of competition and regulatory matters to help define your interests and focus over time. Our partners and lawyers are passionate mentors and our open plan environment encourages easy and open communication. They value the opportunity to shape the future talent of our firm, and to foster a nurturing and supportive environment, particularly for junior lawyers. Your contributions will be encouraged and valued, with many of our junior lawyers and graduates playing a pivotal role in matters. We also value your ideas for improving work practices and utilising technology to change how we work as lawyers, with the practice and business of the law undergoing fundamental transformation and disruption.

“The best competition/antitrust firm in Australia, with daylight second… They understand their clients’ drivers and needs and the team offers a consistent approach in delivering high-quality support.”

ANDREW LOW Lawyer

Why C+R? Our practice in C+R relates to how markets in Australia work. The complex intersection between the law, economics, and commercial decisions is highly engaging. How does G+T help you ‘be more’? My peers provide me support personally and professionally, and constantly challenge me to ‘be more’. There’s also a strong culture of social responsibility. Overall, it’s both challenging and very fulfilling – this is important to me, to have a richer life experience. What do you enjoy most about working here? The three Ps: inspiring, motivating, hilarious, compassionate and diligent People. The broad, complex and engaging Practice. Then a high-performing environment with diverse subject matters to suit my Personality.

Chambers Asia Pacific 2017 What have you worked on in the past year? Advising Caltex in an acquisition and acting for a major electricity supplier in the ACCC Retail Electricity Prices Inquiry. I also coordinated and chaired a leading competition law panel on whether or not robots can collude. What skill is most important for a future lawyer? To proactively navigate complex problems in the face of uncertainty, and listen carefully to diverse and constructive opinions – the two go hand in hand.

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INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

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Our lawyers are frequently dealing with issues that are first in market or where we are testing the boundaries of IP law in this country. Michael Williams Partner

AS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S leading intellectual property practices, Gilbert + Tobin has IP lawyers working on some of Australia’s most exciting and challenging copyright, trademark and patent matters, both in the courts and on IP transactions. Our IP litigation includes substantial appellate work in the Full Federal Court and the High Court. This is where IP law gets made. What you’ll experience Many of our cases are taught in university courses, so you’ll have the chance to work closely with partners and lawyers who are recognised thought leaders and active agents in the development of IP law in Australia. Our diverse range of work and clients spans all major industry sectors, leading us to work with multinationals, brand leaders, creators and innovators across media and entertainment, FMCG, healthcare services, mining and technology. “The work we do is always interesting and challenging. We are looking for highly motivated people with a creative mind and an ambition to be part of a team striving to achieve outstanding outcomes for our clients,” says Partner and Practice Group Leader Michael Williams. Advertising Working on a steady stream of major advertising challenges under Australian Consumer Law, the IP group works with categories and brands from beverages to razors, batteries and electronics. We also provide pre-publication advice and assistance to advertisers and their agencies in Australia and in New Zealand. Brand Protection + Trade Marks You’ll work alongside lawyers who manage significant brand portfolios and provide advice on all aspects of brand protection, enforcement and recovery. Our clients include some of the best-known companies in media, technology, retail, financial markets and consumer products – in Australia and overseas.

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Commercial IP A substantial part of our work supports the significant commercial transactions managed by G+T’s corporate group. These transactions frequently depend on assuring the ownership and validity of IP assets for valuations. Our lawyers have an eye for detail and the ability to spot any commercially relevant issues. Copyright No other practice can match our knowledge of copyright, experience in copyright litigation, and capacity to provide strategic advice on copyright works. Our matters define the cutting edge of copyright law, policy and practice. Patents Patent advice, enforcement and litigation form the basis of our patent practice. We work on Federal Court patent matters involving a wide range of industries including consumer electronics, biotech, gaming, telecommunications, online services and mining. From the technologies used in online retailing to drilling or computer systems, the value of these cases is often substantial – whether we are acting to recover or defend multi-million-dollar damages claims.

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Advising on the purchase of the iNova Pharmaceuticals business was an extremely complex and high-pressure transaction, as the multi-jurisdictional acquisition involved over 500 brands under different IP legal regimes. We lived and breathed that transaction for nearly a year, so it was hugely satisfying to see our client be the successful bidder and complete the deal. Anna Smyth Lawyer

ANNA SMYTH Lawyer

Why law? English was my favourite subject in school, and I have always enjoyed logic problems – law seemed like a career where I could really make the most of that! Tell us about a typical day I take Charlie (my Australian cattle dog) for a walk around 6am, then usually head to work for 8:30am. First, I catch up on overnight emails from international (or insomniac) clients. Days are busy with meetings, conference calls, preparing advice and drafting documents. I try to leave by 6:30pm most days. How does G+T help you be more? Remote working is fantastic and G+T has embraced it; I couldn’t do without it. What’s one thing that surprised you about working with G+T? It still has a small firm feel even though it’s now large – very different from the UK firms where I worked before. What would you tell your 21-year-old self? Don’t have a fixed idea about which area of practice you want to go into; try as many as possible to find your niche. What’s the most important non-legal skill you’ve acquired on the job? Without a doubt, project management. It’s almost as important as your legal skills!

ENERGY + RESOURCES OUR ENERGY + RESOURCES team is recognised for its contribution in shaping the market across Australia. We work across legal borders to support projects in emerging economies and other major resource, oil and gas producing countries. What you’ll experience A combination of corporate, regulatory and project experience will give you insight into the entire life cycle of a project – including exploration, finance, acquisitions and disposals, development, construction, regulation and operations. Some of Gilbert + Tobin’s partners have been non-executive directors of listed and unlisted exploration, mining and gas companies, making this the ideal environment in which to advance your career in Energy and Resources. Mining + Resources We regularly advise publicly listed and private Australian and international companies involved in resource exploration, development and operation. We also advise government, regulators and other stakeholders on mining legislation and regulation. Our lawyers have expertise in hard-rock mining, oil and gas, and resources projects in emerging economies – primarily in Africa. Oil + Gas Advising private and government clients across Australia and internationally on all aspects of oil and gas exploration and development, our lawyers are involved in mergers and acquisitions, developing and structuring joint ventures, implementing financing arrangements and providing operational and strategic legal advice. They also provide advice on international law – including international sanctions, trade restrictions, energy security, issues of sovereignty and cross-border or joint development of petroleum resources.

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We recently advised on a majority share acquisition in a greenfield iron ore project in West Africa, as well as working with the Sydney team on Beach Energy’s acquisition of Lattice Energy. I learned a lot about the complexities of drafting long-term gas sale agreements through that experience Julia Scott Lawyer

Energy, Utilities + Renewable Energy Our clients include energy retailers, electricity and gas transmission businesses, generation businesses, regulators, market managers and investment banks. We have also advised on many of Australia’s most important renewable energy projects, including hydropower, wind power, solar power and geothermal. Port + Rail Our Energy + Resources group includes leaders in commercial and regulatory design, financing and access arrangements across regulated and unregulated port and rail infrastructure. Native Title + Land Access This is an opportunity to work alongside lawyers who advise energy and resources companies, government and Indigenous groups. We assist our energy and resources clients with Native Title processes for tenure grants, and the construction of mines and associated infrastructure. We also help those clients with Indigenous cultural heritage protocols and ensure they develop a strong working relationship with traditional owners. We also act for significant Indigenous organisations in relation to internal governance, commercial arrangements and maintenance of community integrity. Our land access practice includes access arrangements with private landowners and leaseholders for exploration and mining, as well as access and land tenure arrangements under State Agreements.

JULIA SCOTT Lawyer

Tell us about a typical day I start anywhere between 8 and 9am – depending on how late I worked the night before – and finish around 6 or 7pm. Sometimes urgent emails will come through overnight, so that’s first on my to do list in the morning. I make time for netball, yoga, the gym and walks on Saturday morning. What 3 things can’t you work without? I couldn’t go a day without having a good laugh and a bit of fun, my morning coffee and our incredible team who support the lawyers. How does G+T help you be more? I love how, from day one, all lawyers are encouraged to network and get involved in business development as I enjoy meeting new people. I also appreciate the opportunity to work with fantastic not-for-profit clients such as the Telethon Kids Institute and Screenwest. One thing that surprised me is how friendly and approachable the whole team is while maintaining such a high-performing culture. What skill is most important for a future lawyer? You need to be adaptable to change, and constantly focusing on adding value by coming up with better ways of doing things. Your technical legal skills are presumed – it is what you do in addition that will make you an excellent lawyer.

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REAL ESTATE + PROJECTS OUR REAL ESTATE + PROJECTS group guides clients through the property, planning, environmental and construction aspects of many significant and complex corporate infrastructure projects, as well as a wide range of real estate transactions. We also advise on the property aspects of complex cross-practice matters. What you’ll experience As the work we do is largely transaction-based, you’ll follow transactions from inception through to completion, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the life cycle of complex transactions. Our client base is diverse and includes major investors, owners of key infrastructure, developers, construction companies, financiers, fund managers, renewable energy providers, communications and media operators, and government agencies. Our planning lawyers also conduct environment and planning litigation.

Construction G+T’s construction lawyers provide specialist legal advice on all aspects of construction law from the inception of a project through to completion. They advise clients on financing, constructing, connecting and operating biomass plants, wind farms and solar energy fields (thermal and photovoltaic), and on National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) and Green Star ratings. Planning + Environment Our lawyers advise on planning, contamination, climate change, water and renewable energy issues in areas such as coal mine and farm acquisitions, remediation of contaminated land, and renewable energy projects. Our specialist lawyers assist clients with development approvals and provide strategic advice on environmental assessments.

We collaborate closely with other practice groups across the firm – including corporate, finance, energy and resources, litigation and tax – to ensure property transactions run smoothly. According to Partner Amanda Hempel, “Working in the REP group gives lawyers skills at managing multiple competing transactions and the satisfaction of seeing completed buildings and infrastructure resulting from the matters they work on.” Property We advise clients on transactions across a broad range of developments, including mixed-use greenfields projects and redevelopments, and commercial, industrial and retail purchases, sales and leasing. We also work on infrastructure projects (including complex port and rail projects), renewable energy and resource projects, and telecommunications projects. Our property advice also encompasses data centres, Native Title issues, water rights and foreign investment advice.

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We recently advised on a successful bid to build and operate a $200 million water treatment plant in the Blue Mountains – important regional infrastructure with a positive environmental outcome as it will treat wastewater from mining operations and re-use it at the nearby power station. Seeing the deal to the end was very rewarding. Tanja Mikulic Lawyer

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TANJA MIKULIC Lawyer

Tell us about a typical day My day usually starts at 8am. Every day is different – I may be working on an advice concerning liability for contaminated land in NSW in the morning, and by the afternoon review environmental licensing requirements in South Australia. How does G+T help you be more? We’re lucky to have exceptionally talented and interesting people across our teams. I am always inspired by their ambition and pursuits outside work. G+T is not just a place of work, but one where you’re encouraged to be at your best and inspire others to do the same. What’s one thing that surprised you about working with G+T? The minimal hierarchy and red tape – things seem to get done quicker as a result. What’s the most important non-legal skill you’ve acquired on the job? Keep learning, and always be curious and observant. Tell stories. In the world of digital connectivity, keep the human connection. What are 3 things you can’t work without? Open and clear communication, time for a lunchtime walk or a gym class, and support and encouragement from my colleagues.

LITIGATION

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Specialising in this field requires strategic thinking. It’s not only about winning legal points, but also getting a result for your client that fits their commercial goals. Kate Harrison Partner WE ADVISE ON some of Australia’s most complex and ground-breaking commercial litigation matters, and our award-winning litigation group is independently recognised as one of the best dispute resolution teams in Australia. What you’ll experience Working at the coalface on some of the biggest litigation matters in Australia, you can expect to be involved in complex issues quickly, and to assist on sensitive and critical matters. This includes high-stakes litigation, matters involving competition and regulation issues, and investigations by industry watchdogs such as ASIC, the ACCC and the ACMA. You’ll be involved in court appearances and conferences with leading Australian counsel. It’s an environment that encourages entrepreneurialism and rewards passion and commitment. We will work with you to ensure you thrive, mentored by the best, to become a litigation specialist. Class actions Defending clients in large-scale and complex class actions, we work closely with them and regulators to proactively mitigate the risk of class actions arising or proceeding beyond a preliminary stage. Royal Commissions Our team is recognised as one of the leading firms in this area. We are currently advising Westpac on the Financial Services Royal Commission, and advised on both the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Corporate + Regulatory investigations Investigations and enforcement action can have enormous impact on a business – on its reputation, commercial relationships and (if listed) share price – not to mention the toll on management and the time spent dealing with those actions. We draw on the skills and expertise of our team to address key areas of concern. This can include working on our client’s response to the regulator and/or government entity, conducting internal investigations to support defences and mitigation opportunities, and helping clients improve their systems, processes, training and monitoring for the future. Employment Our Employment team advises on all aspects of the employment relationship, from commencement to termination, including executive contracts, workplace health and safety, workplace investigations, employee performance and employment litigation. New team members may be asked to attend a Fair Work Commission hearing or work on a significant matter, typically driven by an M&A transaction. Our approach We are renowned for our ability to stay nimble and think creatively, employing a strategic approach to fulfilling our clients’ needs. As a team that takes pride in offering creative and tailored solutions, we focus on providing the best outcomes in dispute resolution – from pre-litigation advice to using or responding to litigation. It’s an exciting space to work in and one that demands that we never stand still. Our willingness to embrace change, adapt as necessary and adopt innovation has earned us a reputation as the litigation firm to watch.

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The problem-solving aspect of litigation always appealed to me as well as the huge variety of the work that comes across your desk at any one time – at the moment I’m involved in matters ranging from significant mining disputes to Corporations Act related issues and Native Title trust matters.

PATRICK TYDDE Lawyer

Tell us about a typical day I’m in the office from around 8.15am to 6.15pm so I can get home to see the kids – if needed, I log on remotely from home later. I usually run or ride to work to get my exercise and clear my head before the day starts. My day might involve attending a court hearing or client meeting, making calls, drafting documents and correspondence, and mentoring junior lawyers. How does G+T help you be more? G+T is at the cutting edge of legal technology and the calibre of the partners speaks for itself – it’s a really strong platform. From a social perspective, G+T is a modern, forwardlooking firm that is prepared to take a stand on important social matters. What has been the highlight of this working year? Moving into our new offices; I love the social aspect of the open plan (and my standing desk), and it’s really added to the cohesiveness of the team. What would you tell your 21-year-old self? Learn as much as you can from many different people. And don’t compromise on finding a workplace with people you enjoy working with – you will know it when you find it.

Patrick Tydde Lawyer

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PRO BONO Our pro bono work includes:

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Sometimes just assisting on a very small matter can make a huge difference to someone’s life. Tamara Sims Pro Bono Lawyer WE BELIEVE lawyers have a responsibility to ensure that the law and the legal system are fair, equitable and accessible to all. In 1996, Gilbert + Tobin was the first law firm in Australia to appoint a full-time in-house pro bono lawyer. We now have two partners and three full-time lawyers working in the pro bono group as well as lawyers undertaking pro bono matters across the firm. We are proud advocates of social justice and focus on providing advice and support to marginalised and disadvantaged people and the organisations that work with them. Our pro bono practice covers many diverse areas of law including discrimination, administrative law, defamation and public international law – with a particular focus on issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, refugees, people with disabilities and the protection of human rights.

Judicial review Sometimes clients are adversely affected by unlawful government decisions. For example, from 2015 to 2017 we assisted the MachadoJoseph Disease Foundation to recover $10 million in funding, which had been granted by one government minister and then purportedly revoked by another. Estate planning Our lawyers regularly travel to regional and remote areas of NSW and Victoria to draft Wills, Powers of Attorney and Appointments of Enduring Guardian for parents and carers of people with cognitive disability and Indigenous clients. This could take you from Bourke to Brewarrina, Kempsey to Mildura, as well as to metropolitan locations such as La Perouse and Redfern. Homeless Persons’ Legal Service The Homeless Persons’ Legal Service provides free legal assistance to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Our lawyers attend the advice clinic at Matthew Talbot Hostel in Woolloomooloo weekly to provide one-off advice and ongoing assistance. Asylum Seeker Centre We have a weekly roster with clients at the Asylum Seekers Centre and Refugee Advice and Casework Service, helping refugee applicants pursue their claims for protection.

What you’ll experience We encourage all our clerks, graduates and lawyers to actively participate in pro bono work. Graduate lawyers and clerks in our Sydney office can apply for a rotation into the pro bono group. Clerks are also involved in a pro bono project as part of their clerkship. Junior lawyers can be involved in a range of matters as diverse as Native Title disputes in the High Court, researching constitutional law, or working with not-for-profit organisations to improve corporate governance.

21,695

In FY17 the firm completed more than 21,695 hours of pro bono work – an average of 68+ hours per lawyer – conservatively valued at over $9.76 million.

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MICHELLE HANNON Partner

What attracted you to work with the Pro Bono team? It’s what I always wanted to do as a lawyer – I want to use the skills I have to do something that contributes to those who need help in the community. It’s my chance to make a real contribution across different areas of law. How can junior lawyers get involved with pro bono cases? We encourage all new starters to join a roster, or let us know what types of matters they’d like to be involved in. In some cases, the commercial law skills already developed will be valuable – and we’ll help our people develop specialist skills such as wills and estate planning, tenancy actions, or asylum seeker law. What impact could our pro bono work have? If we’re able to achieve refugee status for someone, it’s impossible to imagine how we could make a bigger difference to an individual’s life. But we’re also working on systemic political change. For example, our work with the Wik and Wik Way people on Cape York has resulted in legislative change.

AWARDS 2017 Justice Awards –G +T won the Pro Bono Partnership Award Asialaw Asia-Pacific Dispute Resolution Awards – Disputes Star of the Year – Crispian Lynch Australasian Law Awards – Insolvency & Restructuring Deal of the Year for Arrium – Equity Market Deal of the Year for Viva Energy REIT IPO – M&A Deal of the Year and Australian Deal of the Year for the acquisition of Asciano by Brookfield and Qube – International Deal of the Year for ABI’s acquisition of SABMiller Best Lawyers – Competition Law & Private Equity Law Firm of the year

LAWYERS WEEKLY 30 UNDER 30 AWARDS Rob Scutella Louisa Mulquiney

LAWYERS WEEKLY AUSTRALIAN LAW AWARDS

LAWYER OF THE YEAR

LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR

Gina Cass-Gottlieb Competition Law

IP TEAM OF THE YEAR

John Schembri Banking and Finance Law John Williamson-Noble Financial Institutions Peter Cook Corporate Law Sheila McGregor Information Technology Law

FT Innovative Lawyers Asia-Pacific – Danny Gilbert received the first Asia Pacific Special Achievement Award. Gilbert + Tobin also won –M ost Innovative Law Firm Headquatered in the Asia Pacific

Neil Pathak Corporate/Governance Practice Simon Lynch Distressed Investing and Debt Trading

–M ost Innovative Law Firm in Australia – I nnovation in New Product and Services – Innovation in Expanding Clients’ business Global Competition Review Awards –M atter of the Year Janders Dean/LexisNexis Legal Innovation Index – Organisation Category Winner Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year Awards –D ominic Emmett – J ohn Lee Lawyers Weekly Women in Law –D ealmaker of the Year – Gina Cass-Gottlieb

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17:30 09:30 06:30 08:00 LEARNING FROM THE WORLD’S OLDEST CULTURE Every year, four lawyers who complete more than 50 hours of pro bono work get to experience the remote beauty and life-changing cultural immersion of three days in Bawaka in Arnhem Land. This year, Effie Kabourakis, who manages our Supply Nation Indigenous procurement, and HR Manager Mel Gavagna, who oversees our National Indigenous Cadetship program, joined them. The Yolngu experience broadens their awareness, mindfulness and respect for our Indigenous heritage, and forges new relationships with Yolngu people.

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This was the first time I’d experienced Indigenous culture first hand, and been somewhere so remote. One highlight was spending time weaving baskets with the women’s group – it expands your mind to realise how they source every aspect – food, medicine and art – from nature. I developed a much deeper awareness of the responsibility of extended clans and bloodlines, and the importance of identity. Melissa Gavagna HR Manager

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I really enjoy working with our Indigenous cadets… I was one myself at university, so I know the challenges. It’s wonderful to be involved in their development and see how they grow through our program. Eloise Schnierer Head of Corporate Social Responsibility

BE PURPOSEFUL “

As a mentor in the ABCN Goals program, I was assigned a Year 9 student from Monterey Secondary College. The six month program covered key skills like communication, job application and goal setting. It was very rewarding seeing their confidence grow. Bridget Sutton Lawyer

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Corporate Social Responsibility When you work with Gilbert + Tobin you’re part of a team that is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen, making a positive impact in our community. There are many ways to get involved with our reconciliation, community and environmental programs, and your time and energy can make many of these initiatives a success. As well as supporting or inspiring others, you’ll develop valuable leadership and communication skills, and build a lifelong network of future colleagues. “Throughout the year, you’ll be offered a range of volunteer opportunities – from mentoring students from disadvantaged high schools to Indigenous cultural awareness training, helping out with Christmas on the Block in Redfern or the UNSW Indigenous Pre-Law program mini moot,” says Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Eloise Schnierer. “It can also be as simple – but important – as taking responsibility for your use of office resources.”

Reconciliation

Community

Environment

Since the firm was established in 1988, we’ve been committed to promoting and supporting reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. As well as providing professional skills to this endeavour through our Pro Bono practice, we provide professional development programs, support Indigenous economic development and create cultural and engagement opportunities.

From financial and in-kind support to volunteering our time, we support the communities we work with in many ways.

As a reporting member of the Australian Legal Sector Alliance (AusLSA), we take a systematic approach to identifying and managing our most significant environmental impacts. Having made a commitment to be carbon neutral, in 2018 we will complete our first carbon footprint assessment and proactively offset the impact of our activities. We have also exceeded our target of reducing energy consumption by 5%, but are still working to reduce the firm’s reliance on paper.

“In 2017, we put our support behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This urged the government to put to referendum a proposal that would constitutionally enshrine an Indigenous voice to Parliament that would empower Indigenous peoples to have a voice on legislation and policy that affects them,” says Eloise. Indigenous traineeships Our highly successful Indigenous legal cadetship program enables Indigenous law students to complete their studies while working with us part-time. We also run a mentoring program for first-year Indigenous students and offer a full-time traineeship for an operational team member studying business administration. Supply chain diversity Managing partner Danny Gilbert was a founding director of Supply Nation, an organisation that proactively encourages procurement from Indigenous businesses. We purchase goods and services from Indigenous-owned business and also support Indigenous start-up businesses with advice through our Pro Bono practice. Cultural awareness training To enable all our people to take steps towards reconciliation, we help them better understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s aspirations, cultures and histories through a formal cultural awareness training program. Additionally, each year several lawyers who complete more than 50 hours of pro bono work participate in cultural immersion in Arnhem Land through Lirrwi Yolngu Tourism.

School mentoring partnerships Through the Australian Business and Community Network (ABCN), our staff volunteer in programs for young people in disadvantaged public schools in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. This includes Monterey Secondary College, 40km outside Melbourne, and a school in Mount Annan in Western Sydney. Popular mentoring programs include Focus, a three-week program that connects young female leaders with senior women at G+T, and Innovate, a six-week program that encourages students in years 7 and 8 to think about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In Sydney, we have successfully achieved our first 5-star NABERS electricity rating through our sustainable fitout. We also relocated our Perth team to a 5-star Green Star rated building, Brookfield Place, Tower 2 in 2017.

Support for refugees We provide financial support and pro bono services to Football United, a community organisation that provides social and sporting networks for young refugees who have settled in Australia. In 2017 we also made a $100,000 donation to the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (RACS), to support their important work with Australia’s most vulnerable asylum seekers. More than 36 G+T lawyers are actively involved in refugee pro bono work. Marriage equality G+T first publicly put its support behind marriage equality in 2015. In 2017, members of our OUT group of LGBTI staff and allies gave their time to phone parties, where they discussed the postal survey with members of the public. We also provided a postal box in the staff café to encourage participation.

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“I’ve been mentoring junior lawyers for four years. I often look for people who went through what I went through, as I didn’t know any lawyers before I began my career. You may be capable and have ambition, but it’s also important to learn how to navigate the world of law. That comes through experience, and is something I can share. While it’s actively supported, there are no strict rules to mentoring at G+T – it tends to evolve quite naturally, which creates genuine relationships and a positive work environment.”

ANDREW HII Special Counsel

BE GUIDED IN YOUR CAREER Mentoring is an important aspect of professional development and personal growth at Gilbert + Tobin, and your relationship with your mentor will evolve in a way that works best for both you and your mentor.

AS A GRADUATE, you’ll be paired with a more experienced lawyer who will guide you through your rotations and your transition into a practice area. You can look to your mentor to assist you in establishing relationships across the firm and for ongoing support as needed. It’s less about developing your technical legal skills, and more about helping you forge your own career path. Through the work you do with experienced lawyers and partners, you may also develop a more flexible or informal mentor relationship. Andrew Hii, a Special Counsel with the Technology + Digital practice group, says he typically mentors younger lawyers after working closely with them on a matter, and may have up to two or three mentees at any time. “I love working with lawyers who show potential, and making time to mentor someone who might need help finding their way through their career. Part of that means believing in yourself, maintaining your own identity, while understanding the way that a law firm operates.” They’ll typically meet every few months – and Andrew has seen some of his mentees become mentors themselves. Mentors can provide a useful sounding board for handling difficult work situations, or they may act as an advocate for their mentees – helping them set goals as they advance their career. “I might help them prepare for a performance review, so they can present themselves in the best possible light and articulate what they hope to achieve in the future – what type of lawyer they want to be in a year and what they need to do to get there.”

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Mentoring gives me a different perspective on my own skills and leadership. Andrew Hii Special Counsel

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BE EXPOSED TO NEW IDEAS

Imagine learning directly from Australia’s best corporate lawyers, while working at a meaningful level on high-impact matters. That’s what really sets your experience at G+T apart. But we also provide a tailored learning plan for every lawyer, to help you develop your skills and continually challenge yourself.

OUR DEDICATED learning team is redefining what learning and development means in legal practice. Through a blend of on-thejob, classroom and online learning, as well as mentoring, we empower you to follow a career pathway as individual as you are. As a graduate, you can expect to: – Work alongside partners and lawyers to develop technical skills in specific practice areas – Play an active role working on exciting, challenging matters – honing your project management, client communication and cross-team collaboration skills – Receive training to build your leadership, legal technology and digital capabilities – Broaden your horizons through opportunities such as client secondments, international placements or further postgraduate study.

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The collaborative way in which we work at G+T means we can regularly tailor our approach to learning and development. We are always looking out for current, relevant and exciting topics that will benefit our people and help them excel. Jen Lanahan Manager, Learning + Diversity

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Clerkship program During your clerkship you’ll attend development programs on topics such as personal brand, communication and presentation skills. This may be your first opportunity to network and develop your professional skills so we will give you hands-on experience to hone your ability. You’ll also have the opportunity to attend practice group training with the lawyers and partners in your teams. Graduate program All graduates undertake a set development training program that covers all the essentials: College of Law sessions, your admission and practising certificate and, of course, technical skills and business knowledge. Professional growth Throughout your career at G+T you’ll participate in 50 hours of development every year to help you grow and continually challenge yourself as your career and the legal industry progresses. You’ll have the opportunity to learn from your colleagues, internal specialists and industry experts.

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The workshop with Professor Susskind on the future of the legal profession challenged us to consider the fundamental and exponential change that will occur in how we deliver legal services. G+T’s willingness to confront this uncertainty head-on and best prepare its people for the future speaks for the character of the firm. Jessie-Grace Stephenson Lawyer

“The coding workshop is a very hands-on approach to understanding the basics of coding and smart contracting; it’s good to get more practical examples of how the technology works. Technology is such an enabler to businesses, but I certainly learned that coding can be very frustrating – and to leave it to the experts!” “G+T provides lots of opportunities and ‘toolkits’ for each lawyer to develop and learn. There is a good mix of internal senior lawyer and partner-led training, as well as external consultants. You’ll gain insights into core legal skills and industry legal issues, as well as broader leadership and client development training.”

ALBERT YUEN Special Counsel

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CHALLENGING THE LEGAL STATUS QUO During the highly practical in-house workshop on the future of legal innovation, the next idea to improve legal service delivery may be sparked. Part of a series on automation, AI and data, it challenges G+T lawyers at all levels to think about opportunities to create time and cost efficiencies for clients. This means our days can be spent more on critical and analytical thinking that clients come to us for.

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Like nothing else during my legal career, technology is revolutionising the way we do almost every task on a daily basis. But this training demonstrated how new legal technology (including technology by G+T) is designed to assist us â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and not replace us. Chris Marchesi Lawyer

When Kate decided to start her own ecommerce business while still practising law, G+T provided flexible working arrangements. When she is not working as G+T’s National Knowledge and Innovation lawyer, Kate runs She Lion, designing luxe handbags for modern working women. She also recently had her first child – and says G+T has been “terrific with supporting me and my family with this new stage.” “My role doesn’t even exist at other law firms, highlighting how G+T encourages people to explore their strengths. They’re a true advocate of the start-up mentality, and are happy for you to demonstrate the value of new ways of achieving success. I thoroughly enjoy working in this high-performance, dynamic and focused environment.”

KATE DILLON National Knowledge and Innovation Lawyer

BE FREE TO BE YOUR BEST SELF The reason we all love coming to work at Gilbert + Tobin every day is the people. From highly collaborative and supportive teams to our strong client relationships, this is a firm where everyone feels welcome, included – and empowered to do their best work.

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I didn’t expect to like working in an open plan office as much as I have – it definitely encourages collaboration and discussion. Stephanie Essey Lawyer WHAT IS IT REALLY LIKE to work at G+T? “Our culture is unique, with its focus on innovation and change,” says Anna Sparkes, Chief People Officer. “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.” There are visible signs of that lack of hierarchy when you walk into any of G+T’s offices. “We have an informal, flexible approach and that comes through our open plan offices,” explains Anna. “In Sydney and Perth, no one has an office – not even the managing partner. Everyone’s desk and locker are the same size, no matter who you are in the organisation.” Our people If our culture as a law firm is a little different, then so are our people. They may be intelligent and decisive, but they’re also down to earth and a little irreverent. And because we encourage them to be their individual selves at work, they thrive. If you are self-motivated and confident, determined to stretch yourself and your skills every day, willing to push against the status quo and build positive and productive working relationships, then G+T will give you everything you need to achieve your best.

Our values – – – – – –

Client-centred Excellence Authenticity Creativity + Innovation Diversity Collaboration

– O utstanding Employer of Choice for Women for four years from 2010 – Workplace Gender Equality Agency – Employer of Choice citation – 34% partners are female – 50% managers are female – Annual gender pay equity – Biannual diversity audit

Our opportunities “You’ll have the opportunity to go as far as you want, and we recognise and reward that. The pace is fast, but you’ll get to work on things that interest and stimulate you early in your career – and that helps you become a stronger and more rounded person than if you were working elsewhere,” says Anna. This could include a secondment with a client or an overseas placement – such as our annual graduate internship at Anderson Mōri & Tomotsune in Tokyo. Or it could be financial assistance and leave to pursue postgraduate study, or funding to attend work-related conferences or research projects. You’ll also have access to a diverse range of wellbeing programs and sponsored sport activities.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want,” advises Perth-based lawyer Patrick Tydde. He says graduates are never tucked away out of sight in Perth’s new open plan office. “We all sit together, and bounce ideas around.” Diversity and inclusion G+T’s culture is dedicated to the idea of being better by drawing on the expertise and collective knowledge of everyone at every level. “We have such a diverse group of people – and they’re proud to be alternative because we actively embrace their differences,” Anna says. This broad range of experiences and values fuels our teams to experiment fearlessly, take risks and adapt old processes to create new paradigms. Whether difference involves gender, ethnicity or how you identify, you can achieve your potential with G+T. The firm has an active and supportive LGBTI community, as well as dedicated networks for women. It’s also a meritocracy – as our partnership and senior leadership team prove, your contribution will be rewarded regardless of your work arrangements or who you are.

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When you walk into the new Perth office, you can feel the fluid connection to our Sydney and Melbourne team. We now have a top-tier location and fitout that’s distinctly G+T, where people can quickly reconfigure the space to work together across practice areas or hierarchical lines. Sam Nickless Chief Operating Officer

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BE SOCIAL, BE INCLUDED Working at G+T also promises a choice of volunteer events, awareness days, inter- and intra-firm sporting comps, a book club, and so much more on offer – no matter where your interests lie, there’s something for you.

WE A R I T P U R PL E DAY CELEBRATING DIVERSITY IN PURELY PURPLE STYLE EVERY AUGUST.

RUOK? OPENING THE DOOR TO ARCHITECTURE FANS G+T welcomed 200 visitors through its new Perth office doors as part of Open House Perth in 2017 – sharing our stunning approach to workplace design with the broader public.

“At the end of financial year drinks, we could finally take in the view from our new Perth offices. It’s hard to get tired of that view.” Patrick Tydde

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ASK, LISTEN, encourage action and CHECK IN – and enjoy afternoon tea with your colleagues. EVERY EXCUSE TO GET TOGETHER Our Melbourne office is known for its bi-monthly themed drinks, from Grand Prix to Halloween and race days. The idea is catching on in Sydney and Perth.

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CUPCAKES WERE BAKED TO CELEBRATE G+T’s 30TH BIRTHDAY IN JANUARY

G+T – WITH A TWIST As a host of IBA Sydney, the world’s largest gathering of international lawyers, we partnered with Canberra distillers Underground Spirits to create our very own gin. With a secret recipe involving juniper berries, cucumber, pink grapefruit and more, it proved deliciously popular with the 4,000 attendees.

“Our bi-annual Tonic functions are always swanky affairs, held at galleries and in private city gardens, with copious drinks and canapés on offer, and even musical performances. They are unique to G+T and testament to it investing in young lawyers.” Luca Del Ciotto

“I loved our annual trivia night’s 90s theme – the technology group fielded two teams, one dressed as Britney Spears and the other as the cast of Pulp Fiction.” Stephanie Essey

Buon ! o t i t e p ap Nothing is better than bonding over perfectly cooked pasta. At their annual Christmas do, our People team learned the art of Italian cooking – and devoured the results.

“The amazing race from our old office in West Perth to the new office in Brookfield Place was held on my first Friday with the firm – it really set the bar high for future social events, but G+T has certainly lived up to it!” Julia Scott

STRIKE A NEW SKILL Discover your team’s secret talents when you get together for lawn bowls, bowling – or a murder mystery night.

$6,082 RAISED

PUTTING PEDAL TO THE METAL Cycling laps around Eastern Creek for the Below the Belt Pedalthon, our G+T team raised $6,082 for ANZUP’s clinical trials – focusing on testicular, prostate, kidney and bladder cancers.

FESTIVE CHEER THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Santa is full of surprises at Sydney’s annual Christmas Party for G+T staff and their children – while Perth brings families and friends together outside the silly season.

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GRAND FINALISTS

Footy fever strikes in August, when the mighty G+T Blues take on rival Melbourne law firms at Harry Trott Oval in St Kilda. 2017 saw two wins and a place in the grand final mud-fest. BE MORE

BE READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP We understand that your clerkship is often your first opportunity to experience what it’s really like to practise in a corporate law environment – and that it’s a pivotal step in your career.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR? In your penultimate year of university study you can apply for a clerkship in one of our offices. While strong university results and academic achievements count, we’re also looking for responsive, dynamic people who align with our firm’s culture and values. 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? You’ll work directly with partners and lawyers who will assist with your professional development and challenge you intellectually. While your main focus will be corporate work, everyone at G+T has the opportunity to assist on pro bono matters and participate in firm-wide activities. As you progress through your rotations you will 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.

GILBERT + TOBIN

Native Title secondment The Aurora Project gives two clerks the opportunity to gain unique experience in working with a Native Title representative body during their winter semester break. This amazing initiative is fully funded by G+T and provides invaluable personal and professional skills for the future. Graduate intake Many of our clerks are welcomed into G+T as graduates upon completing their studies, but we also invite interest from law graduates who may have developed their undergraduate experience elsewhere.

You’ll also have the chance to jump right in and immerse yourself in a leading corporate law practice. And we’ll encourage you to contribute ideas and your own fresh perspective. How will you learn? During the clerkship you’ll take part in our customised in-house training. The course covers topics such as research, analysis, drafting, developing technical skills, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, business development and client orientation. And of course, you’ll also gain invaluable learning on the job, on every matter you work on and from the talented people all around you.

Depending on your location, you’ll complete two five-week rotations across the firm’s practice areas, or a seasonal clerkship over a number of weeks in winter or summer. During this time you can expect to work closely with lawyers and partners in one of our practice areas across a broad range of matters. You’ll be given a project that requires research and collaboration with lawyers across the firm on a live issue – and you’ll present this to partners at the conclusion of your clerkship.

As a graduate, you’ll complete a formal 12- or 18-month program depending on your location. During this time you will work directly with partners and lawyers across at least two practice areas, and be actively involved in matters. A comprehensive development program, including core legal skills, business development, knowledge management and pro bono work, will complement this experience.

MEET IVY NGUYEN

Ivy joined G+T’s Melbourne office as a graduate in 2017, having previously completed her seasonal clerkship in Litigation with the firm, as well as clerking for two other firms in Melbourne.

What advice would you give a future clerk or graduate? Start your clerkship application process early, and reach out to past clerks and grads. Have confidence in your unique skill set – you are different from all the other candidates. I wish I’d known not to get swept up in the law school hysteria of clerkship applications! So pace yourself – a clerkship is only a small step in terms of the long career in front of you.

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Why G+T? I could tell from the interview and the events that G+T is authentic in investing time and resources to attract and care for junior lawyers. I liked the energy of the firm, and its willingness to stand up for what it believes in.

What do you enjoy most about coming to work every day? The diversity and complexity of the work – I could be writing wills for people in remote communities as part of my pro bono work, or running to court for large corporate clients.

How would you describe the work style at G+T? It’s fast-paced, ambitious, challenging – and constantly pushes you to improve and do your best. The firm also has a sense of momentum, and the lawyers challenge the norms of legal practice. It’s got a great ‘renegade’ vibe!

Tell us about one matter you’ve worked on this year One matter involved a family feud, with a dispute about ownership of very large bank account and algorithms to trade stocks. Through all matters, I’ve learned the importance of putting yourself in the client’s shoes: what are their goals, and how can we use the law as a vehicle to help them?

Is there anything that has surprised you about working here? How patient senior lawyers are with juniors. Many are at the top of their field, yet still find time to sit down with grads to explain concepts and issues from the ground up.

G+T is a workplace where you can work on some of the leading transactions and disputes both nationally and internationally. It’s also a workplace with heart. People are passionate about their work, but they understand a world exists outside legal practice. Ivy Nguyen Lawyer

BE MORE

BE PART OF OUR STORY We hope you are now inspired to consider launching your career with Gilbert + Tobin – because your interest in us suggests you have the ambition, determination and entrepreneurial spirit it takes to succeed here.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN a better time to be part of our story. The momentum is exciting – there is so much demand for our work, and you’ll have every opportunity to work with interesting clients on significant matters. At the same time, we’re positively challenging ourselves to re-engineer how legal services are provided – and that means you’ll learn skills and concepts beyond the legal scope. There’s no ‘typical’ G+T clerk or graduate, or box you need to tick. We actively seek people from all types of backgrounds, and with very individual personalities. What we do have in common is what we hope you already possess. Intelligence. A creative, confident and thoughtful approach to solving complex problems. The ability to build positive working relationships within and between different teams. And above all, a sense of humour. If you’re up for the stimulating challenge of working with Australia’s most innovative corporate law firm, then G+T is the place for you.

THE G+T PEOPLE FEATURED IN BE MORE 2018: Albert Yuen Alex Danne Alex Hasiotis Alex Ryan Alon Takac Andrew Low Andrew Hii Andrew Kourpanidis Angus Wood Anna Smyth Bridget Sutton Caitlin O’Neil Caryn Sandler Chris Dews Chris Margin Ciara Coleman Clare Harris Connor O’Sullivan Daniel Yim Danny Gilbert Eden Bird Emily Almond Feng Guo Harrison Smith Henry Cornwall Hiroshi Narushima Ivy Nguyen Jade Bellassai Jackson Martin James Marbury James Pounch James Wood

Jo Quilty Julia Scott Kate Dillon Kirish Kularajah Liam Mulvey Luca Del Ciotto Marion Russell Matt Ampt Matt Coe Matt Hargreaves Matt Weetman Michelle Hannon Natalie Dalpadado Natasha Robbins Neil Pathak Nick Madders Ollie Madders Paddy O’Sullivan Patrick Tydde Rohan Barmanray Sam Muttdon Simon Burns Sophie Chesterton Stephanie Essey Steve Thornton Stuart Cormack Sureya Feki Tanja Mikulic Tim Kyriakou Valerie Lim Will McCann

SYDNEY Level 35, Tower Two International Towers Sydney 200 Barangaroo Avenue Barangaroo NSW 2000 +61 2 9263 4000 info@gtlaw.com.au MELBOURNE Level 22, 101 Collins Street Melbourne VIC 3000 +61 3 8656 3300 info@gtlaw.com.au PERTH Level 16 Brookfield Place, Tower 2 123 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 +61 8 9413 8400 info@gtlaw.com.au CONNECT WITH G+T CAREERS facebook.com/GTCareers Gilbert + Tobin @gtcareers @gt_careers gtlaw.com.au

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