2021
Clerkship Guide
Griffith University Law Society B Y ALEX SEVEN www.guls.org
MEDIA
Contents Page
Sponsors Acknowledgements President's Welcome Editor's Welcome Top Clerkship Tips What is a Clerkship? QLS Guide L-Card/Law Student Podcast Firm Profiles AllensLinkaters Ashurt Barry.Nilsson. ClaytonUtz HopgoodGanim Johnson Winter & Slattery King & Wood Mallesons K&L Gates McCullough Robertson Norton Rose Fulbright PLT Providers Leo Cussen QUT Further Opportunities Other Clerkships Community Legal Centres Contact us Thank you
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Our Sponsors
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Acknowledgements On behalf of GULS, we would like to thank everybody involved in the production of 2021's Clerkship Guide. Editor Chloe Campbell (Director of Careers) Contributors Elly Thomas (President) Jordi Morgan (Publications Officer) Anmol Chandi (Careers Officer) Sabrene Ben Dekhil (Ashurst Law Graduate) Ashurst (Platinum Sponsor) Contact Details Griffith University Law Society Located at N61 -2.07, 170 Kessels Rd Nathan QLD 4111 Page 2
President's Welcome
Elly Thomas
GULS is pleased to introduce the 2021 GULS Careers Guide. After such a turbulent year in 2020, we have created a comprehensive collection of information relating to life after law school in the legal profession. Inside this guide you will find a number of different pathways you may go down as a law graduate, such as clerkships, graduate programs and opportunities in community legal centres. Now more than ever, the law industry is evolving to adapt to the COVID-19 lifestyle, and explore new ways of delivering positions to law graduates. There is no question that making career decisions can sometimes be daunting and overwhelming. This guide is here to provide a wealth of information to support you through your penultimate year, and show you the number of opportunities available to you when you graduate from law school at Griffith University.
This year’s publication would not have been possible without the support of our generous corporate sponsors. GULS would like to make a special mention to Ashurst as our generous diamond sponsor for 2021. Finally, I want to extend a special thankyou to the many GULS committee members who made this guide possible, in particular our Director of Careers, Chloe Campbell, Officer of Careers, Anmol Chandi, and our publications officer, Jordi Morgan. As you read this guide, I give you one piece of advice: consider all possible pathways and give anything a chance if you have an interest in it – the world is your oyster!
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Editor's Welcome
Chloe Campbell: Director of Careers
Hello Everyone! I am Chloe Campbell, the Director of Careers at GULS for 2021. I would like to thank all our sponsors for their generosity and support, along with the GULS Committee's efforts throughout the year. I understand clerkship applications can be daunting with the process including an abundance of firms, timeconsuming applications and difficult criteria to overcome. This guide aims to present clerkship opportunities from across Brisbane in one place; coupled with tips, insights into firms’ culture and the ability to progress into a graduate. If you are viewing this guide as either a curious first-year student or in your penultimate year looking to apply for clerkships soon, this guide will be helpful to navigate opportunities. Those in an earlier position in your degree, I commend you for looking into career positions early. Positions in this space are very competitive due to being highly sought after, hence this process can be
stressful. GULS is aiming to guide you through this time in your career. For those in their penultimate year, no matter whether you endeavour to become a commercial lawyer or not, clerkships will provide you with a stable environment and a perception into working in highly regarded firms. Importantly, the majority of the firms listed throughout practice across a range of areas. Clerkships are undoubtedly a valuable experience and there really is no harm in applying! Whether you are successful in securing a clerkship or not, please understand any potential setbacks do not define you as a person and I congratulate you on coming this far. There are a range of paths an individual can take and you should apply for every opportunity. I wish you the best of luck for the year ahead!
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Sabrene Ben Dekhil
Griffith Law Alumni & Graduate at Ashurst
Hi All! My name is Sabrene and I have recently graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Law (Honours)/ Bachelor of Psychological Science. I have the pleasure to provide you with tips for the clerkship season! Application Emphasise life experiences that will stand out – have you been on exchange? Lived overseas? Speak another language? Have you had to move towns or cities to go to university? Address the HR consultant by name rather than by "Sir or Madam" – you can usually find this out with a quick LinkedIn or Google search Proofread your application and ask a friend or family member to look over it as well if you can Don’t leave applications to the last minute – they are time consuming and not something you want to rush
Interview Confirm the date, time and location of your interview and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get there on the day
Research the firm to understand the nature of the work they do, some projects they have been involved with and familiarise yourself with the different teams the office has Read over your application to refresh your memory on your main points Come prepared with questions to ask your interviewer/s (will often be a member of HR and a lawyer), for example: "what work could a clerk or graduate expect during their time with the firm?" "what has been a highlight of your time with the firm?"
Draft some questions and responses that you could anticipate during the interview, for example: Your strengths and what value you could provide to the firm Why you are interested in the firm A time you have had to be resilient or adaptable Areas of the firm/work they do that are of particular interest to you
Stay calm and collected!
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The Clerkship Itself Be kind, friendly and respectful of all staff members across the firm (say hi to everyone when you come in every morning!) Since COVID-19, many firms are moving towards hybrid working models meaning that teams will likely be working from home for some of your time there – make sure you stay engaged with members of your team via email, calls, Zoom/Teams
Build connections and make friends within your clerk cohort – you will lean on each other for support during this time and you never know who you will cross paths with again Ask people to coffee and chat to people from other teams Be enthusiastic and willing to learn Always carry a pen and paper when taking instructions and be sure to raise any questions if you are uncertain about the task Keep on top of your emails and stay organised Take down your supervising lawyer and partner's email and/or number on your personal phone in case you need to call in sick or are running late one morning
There is not an expectation for you stay back or work late during your clerkship but check in with your work provider before you leave for the evening to see if there is anything else you need to do before you head off Final Tips and Comments Clerkship season and applications can be demanding, remember to look after yourself and those around you during this time. Rejections are discouraging but learning to bounce back and dealing with set backs is important for building resilience and perseverance. It is vital to remember that not getting an offer somewhere is not the end of the road and many more opportunities are ahead of you. Equally, clerkships and corporate law will not be of interest to everyone. Believe in yourself and continue to strive for your goals. If you have any questions on clerkships, graduate programs or anything else I would love to hear from you! You are more than welcome to contact me at sabrene.bendekhil@ashurst.com. All the best! Sabrene
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What is a Clerkship?
A legal clerkship provides experience working in a multidisciplinary professional services firm. Clerkships provide exceptional opportunities to law students, especially to those hoping to work in a private practice. Additionally it allows students to develop networking and personal skills. Clerkships allow the chance for students and employers to form a connection more systematically. They allow law students to gain exposure to a variety of experiences for the development of work and learning opportunities, which are necessary for successful career development. Clerks usually complete a 2-3 week rotation within a firm, allowing insight and experience into several different areas of practice. The clerkship program is an important pathway to gain a Graduate position and for future employment opportunities. Top-tier and mid-tier commercial firms usually offer clerkships, however some government departments, charities and smaller firms also give law students an opportunity. Students in their penultimate year and final year (depending on the firm) are eligible, although it is encouraged to start thinking about how clerkships may fit in with the rest of your degree.
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QLS Guidelines
Queensland Law Society
Generally, firms following the QLS Guidelines align with the following dates: APPLICATIONS OPEN
Monday 5th of July
APPLICATIONS CLOSE
Friday 3th of August
OFFERS MADE
OFFERS TO BE ACCEPTED/DECLINED
Thursday 7th of October Friday 8th of October at 5pm
Ensure to check individual firm's information. View the QLS website here.
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The Law Student Podcast Griffith University Law Society
Listen to our podcast: How to Succeed at Law School Competitions - What are they and why should I do them? Grades, Good Times and Mental Health Mentoring and Networking What's it like being an International Student? Life as a Commercial and Litigation Lawyer Alternative Pathways, Interviews and PLT
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FIRM PROFILES
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About us As a global law firm with a rich history spanning almost 200 years, we’ve established ourselves as a leading adviser to corporates, financial institutions and governments, on all areas of the law including finance, M&A, disputes and competition. We’re renowned for helping our clients navigate through a complex and constantly evolving global landscape. With 28 offices across the world’s leading financial and resource centres, we offer the reach and insight of a global network combined with deep local market knowledge. Our people are our greatest asset. We bring together lawyers of the highest calibre with the expertise, industry experience and regional know-how to provide the incisive advice our clients need. As a global team we have a reputation for successfully managing large and complex multi-jurisdictional transactions, disputes and projects, and for delivering outstanding outcomes for clients. Culture We are open-minded, friendly, considerate – as people and as a firm we’re good company. There’s something about how we are with each other that leads naturally to collaboration. Actually, let’s go further: working together is how we thrive. We’re a community, and we want you to feel part of it. Don’t be fooled: this isn’t the place to come for an easy ride. Performing at a high level is important to everyone here, and that can mean working long hours, under pressure and to tight deadlines. We ask a lot of ourselves. We also give a lot to each other. Support is everywhere – from structured training, supervision and honest feedback. On a personal and professional level, whether you’re a partner or a graduate you know there’s someone who cares about your wellbeing as well as your billable hours.
Contact Details Kate Le Pontois HR Consultant, Graduate Programs T: 07 3259 7261 E: Graduate.Programs@ashu rst.com Areas of Focus Employment Disputes Resolution Competition Digital Economy Transactions Corporate Transactions Property Infrastructure Energy & Resources Location 123 Eagle Street Brisbane
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Your Clerkship Program Want to know exactly what our work is like? For many of our future graduates, that experience begins with a seasonal clerkship, which will give you an intensive insight into life at Ashurst. The aim of our clerkships is to expose you to as much real work as possible, to help you make an informed decision about whether this is the right firm (and career) for you. For that reason, we’ll allocate you a supervisor and a buddy who can explain their work to you, include you in meetings and conference calls, and give you tasks to tackle. Depending on the office you join, you’ll spend time in either one or two practice areas. After completing your clerkship, you’ll have the opportunity to express interest in being considered for a place on our graduate programme.
Key Dates Applications Open Monday 5 July 2021 Applications Close Friday 13 August 2021 Offers Made Monday 7 October 2021
What you look for in a Clerk There’s absolutely no Ashurst “type”. We want to actively involved a broad range of minds with a broad range of backgrounds, all united by a common set of strengths. Excellent academic record and a passion to develop a career in an elite international law firm Outstanding communication skills Analytical ability, motivation, determination and drive Commercial awareness Teamwork and interpersonal skills How to Apply What you say in your application is up to you: but be sure to express your personality and tell us why you want to be a commercial lawyer – and why you’d like to join Ashurst in particular. As we offer clerkships in each of our Australian offices, application and recruitment dates are aligned to the respective State guidelines. You'll firstly need to decide which office you want to clerk in, and only make one application. Your application will only be considered for one location. For Brisbane, applications are open until end of day Friday 13 August 2021. Apply online at www.ashurst.com/careers .
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Vacation Clerkships … a great way to get to know us Who we are… Barry.Nilsson. is a national law firm with a 57 year history and over 300 staff. We have an award winning reputation for leadership in insurance & health and family law Our culture… We are a friendly, energetic and professional firm currently in a dynamic and exciting phase of our development with growth underway across the country. “The culture at Barry.Nilsson is extremely supportive and respectful. Despite being new to the firm and only there for 3 weeks, I felt extremely valued and assured that I was doing important work.” James Meehan, Vacation Clerk 2019 & Graduate 2020 Other benefits… B.N offers top tier work and clients coupled with the support, attention and growth opportunities of a mid-tier firm. We foster the development of our lawyers through a structured mentoring program, continuous professional education and access to high quality work. Plus we provide every second Friday afternoon off to support work/life balance. The clerkship program… Our vacation clerkships are held over the summer and winter university breaks. The program runs for three weeks and vacation clerks are given a unique opportunity to experience our firm, our practice areas and, most importantly, our culture. The vacation clerkship program is the pathway to our graduate program. How to apply… The clerkship program is open to penultimate year students. For more information visit bnlaw.com.au/careers
Contact Details Katie Guarrera People & Culture Manager E:katie.guarrera@bnlaw.co m.au Practice Areas Insurance & Health Family Law Firm Locations Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Hobart Adelaide Perth Key Dates Clerkship Applications Open: Monday 5 July 2021 Clerkship Applications Close: Friday 13 August 2021 Offers Made Thursday 7 October Clerkship Rounds Winter Summer
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What are your firm’s core values? Trust, Respect and Co-operation How would you describe your firm’s culture? Down-to-earth, collaborative, inclusive, energetic and entrepreneurial. We think the culture at Clayton Utz is pretty special and reflects the type of people we attract - smart, commercially savvy, true to themselves, and with a strong social conscience. How does your firm distinguish itself from other law firms? Our culture, and our approach to client service. We're particularly proud of our globally recognised Pro Bono practice, that we were the first law firm to create the role of National Mental Health Manager, and of the way in which our people have embraced our diversity and inclusion initiatives. What significant work has your firm recently undertaken? One of the most high-profile transactions on which Clayton Utz has advised in the last 12 months is the successful restructure and sale of Virgin Australia Limited to Bain Capital. A Clayton Utz team acted for Virgin's administrators, Deloitte, on what has been described as one of the most complex and challenging administrations in Australia's history.
Contact Details Alicia Pasquini National Graduate Manager E: careers@claytonutz.com Practice Areas Banking & Financial Services Commercial Litigation Competition Corporate, M&A, Capital Markets Environment & Planning Forensic and Technology Services IP & Technology Major Projects & Construction Public Sector Real Estate Restructuring & Insolvency Tax Workplace Relations, Employment & Safety Pro Bono
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What tasks do clerks usually undertake? Research, writing and drafting memos/letters, attending court and client meetings, pro bono, and assisting with preparation of matters for hearings. How can a clerk stand out or make a good impression? Clayton Utz employs people with a wide range of backgrounds, skills, interests and competencies. We look for people who can contribute new ideas, who take a creative approach to solving problems, are personable, practical, and commercially-savvy, as well as flexible.
Firm Location Level 28, Riparian Plaza 71 Eagle Street, Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia Key Clerkship Dates Clerkship Applications Open - 9am, 5 July 2021 Clerkship Applications Close -5pm, 13 August 2021 Offers Made - 9am, 7 October 2021
What are some things students should avoid doing in their clerkship applications? Spelling mistakes! Attention to detail is critical so make sure you allow enough time to review your application in full prior to submitting it.
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About Us More than 40 years ago, HopgoodGanim was founded by two great friends with a focus on commercial litigation and family law. Today, HopgoodGanim is a leading independent legal and advisory national firm. We continue to house one of Australia’s largest and most well-regarded family and relationship law practices. You may have asked yourself what makes HopgoodGanim different to any other firm? We believe it is the close relationships we have with our clients and each other. We do our very best work when weknow our clients personally and we know their businesses inside and out. Inside our firm, people genuinely like each other, refer to each other as friends and work collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes possible for our clients. Culture HopgoodGanim enjoys a reputation as a place where people love to come to work. We describe our culture as ‘The HG Way’ and central to this is a theme of ‘Business Mateship’. Business Mateship was a phrase we coined many years ago to capture the culture of friendship created by our founding partners and to describe how the people of HopgoodGanim, our clients and other stakeholders come together and interact. That is, we believe in treating each other, and our clients, as we would treat our friends. Relationships are crucial We are looking for graduates who will thrive in our relationship culture. Your future legal graduate training will see you in front of clients most days of the week. Being able to connect and form a positive and professional relationship with colleagues and clients is really important. Commercial acumen While good results at university are highly regarded, the ability to understand commercial problems is equally as important in the people who join our team. Commerciality is something that we train for, but we also look for graduates who are passionate about learning about a sector.
Contact Details Lisa Chiem Human Resources Director T: +61 7 3024 0348 E:l.chiem@hopgoodganim.co m.au Practice Areas Corporate and Commercial Law Capital markets Commercial contracts Competition Construction Corporate advisory Digital assets Dispute resolution Environment Finance Health & safety Insolvency & restructuring Insurance Intellectual property Mergers & acquisitions Native title & cultural heritage Planning Property Resources & energy Taxation Technology, privacy & data protection
Workplace and employment
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Deliver a real service Hand in hand with our relationship culture is the importance of delivering an exceptional client experience consistently. Every member of the HopgoodGanim team has a role to play in what our clients experience when they work with us. Change is coming The future of the legal profession is exciting. Our graduateswill shape the future of this firm, the services we deliver, how we deliver them and how we work, so we’re looking for people who are excited by the changes our profession is undergoing and who are ready to be a part of this process with us. Graduate Program By the time our law graduates commence in theirgraduate role with the firm, they’ve been part of the HopgoodGanim team for several years in most cases working as an Outside Law Clerk, SmartLaw Analyst or Vacation Clerk. We know a lot about them, and they know a lot about the firm, our culture, and the way in which we operate. However, the learning has only just begun. The first two years as a law graduate is a fast paced but exciting time to develop personal and technical skills and put yourself and what you’ve learned at University to the test. Graduate lawyers will undertake two 12-month placements, one with alitigious practice and the other with a non-litigious practice. Throughout the program, graduates will also receive Practical Legal Training, study leave, ongoing professional and personal development, and mentoring. All our law graduates, regardless of whether you have worked with us previously will spend their first week in a detailed induction program in our Brisbane office. During this first week, you will meet most of the 250 Brisbane based staff either via a formal induction session or at a social firm event. Our graduate induction program is the foundation of your future learning at the firm and will include information about our culture, business strategy, IT systems and legal precedents as well as a lot of face-to-face time with our Partners and senior leadership team.
Personal and Family Law Estates and succession Family & relationship law Family-owned business Personal taxation Key Dates Graduate Applications Open Monday 16 August 2021 Graduate Applications Close Friday 27 August 2021 Offers made Thursday 30 September
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PLT PROVIDERS
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QUT has the real world Practical Legal Training (PLT) you need for admission to the legal profession. Our course provides you with: Real–world experience: In our PLT you’ll complete the types of tasks that real-life lawyers do. You’ll build a portfolio of realworld know-how and skills, including interviewing and negotiating, drafting legal documents and executing property, litigation, and commercial transactions and proceedings.
Contact details T: 07 3138 2000 E: pltsupport@qut.edu.au W: www.qut.edu.au/lawplt Location QUT Gardens Point Campus 2 George Street, Brisbane City QLD 400
Firm connections: QUT has established connections with over 350 placement providers. This means you’ll get the experience and the connections you need. Four-week placements: Gain hands-on experience with a placement in a law office that we can source for you. Some of our students secure full time work from the connections made during these placements. If you are already working in a law office, you may be eligible to claim credit for your real-life legal work. Flexible study: We have four intakes per year – in January, March, July and August. Choose to study full time on campus, or full time or part time off campus (external). Each intake has a compulsory five-day attendance school on campus.
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FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES
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Other Clerkship Opportunities Queensland Law Society
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
FIRM
Carter Newell Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.carternewell.com/page/About/Careers/graduat e-and-clerk-careers/
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
KEY DATES
Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August
MORE INFO
https://corrs.com.au/graduates-and-clerks/seasonalclerkship-program
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
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MORE INFO
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
DLA Piper Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.dlapiper.com/en/australia/
Gadens Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.gadens.com/
Herbert Smith Freehills Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://careers.herbertsmithfreehills.com/au/grads/
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Other Clerkship Opportunities Queensland Law Society
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
FIRM KEY DATES
MORE INFO
FIRM KEY DATES
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Jones Day Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.jonesday.com/en/
Mills Oakley Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.millsoakley.com.au/graduates/
Thomson Geer Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.tglaw.com.au/clerkship-graduate-positions/
Colin Biggers & Paisley Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.cbp.com.au/
MinterEllison Applications open 5th July, Applications close 13 August https://www.minterellison.com/
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Community Legal Centres clcvolunteers.net.au
NAME
Basic Rights Queensland Inc
LOCATION
Fortitude Valley
MORE INFO
https://brq.org.au/
NAME
Environmental Defenders Office (QLD) Inc
LOCATION
West End
MORE INFO
www.edo.org.au
NAME LOCATION MORE INFO
NAME
LGBTI Legal Service Fortitude Valley https://lgbtilegalservice.org
Refugee and Immigration Legal Service Inc (RAILS)
LOCATION
West End
MORE INFO
www.rails.org.au
NAME
Women's Legal Service (Queensland)
LOCATION
Annerley
MORE INFO
https://wlsq.org.au/
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GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY LAW SOCIETY N61 -0.27 Griffith Law Building 170 Kessels Road Nathan QLD 4111
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Thank You The 2021 GULS Clerkship Guide would not have been possible without the support of its sponsors, contributors and dedicated team. We would like to thank all those involved in the creation of this publication and look forward to another great year.
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