Preliminary questions:

• What year did you graduate from Melbourne Law School?

  • 2020

• How long have you been at White & Case?

  • I joined White & Case as a graduate in March 2022, so am still very much learning the ropes.

• Which team/practice group are you currently working in?

  • Land, Environment and Planning.

Why did you choose White & Case?

• I was drawn to White & Case primarily because of their international work, their global brand recognition and their focus on renewable energy projects. The Firm sponsors several Melbourne societies and organisations, and as assistant editor with the Melbourne Journal of International Law, I was fortunate enough to meet many people from the Firm before applying for clerkships. I quickly learned of their guaranteed international graduate rotation and that sold me on the Firm almost immediately. I am very interested in working overseas one day, so the fact that White & Case have 45 offices around the world really excited me!

  I also found that I clicked naturally with people at White & Case which was an important deciding factor for me as well.

What is unique about working at White & Case?

• White & Case provides a unique offering in the Australian market in that it is focused on project development and are leaders in this field. Since starting at the Firm, I have had the opportunity to work on many types of projects – from traditional rail infrastructure to wind farms. For example, I am currently working on Star of the South (Australia’s first offshore wind farm and the country’s largest renewable energy project) and this has meant that I have had the unique opportunity to help answer unprecedented legal questions, and navigate a new regulatory regime.

  Another unique aspect of working at White & Case is the autonomy and responsibility you get from day 1 as a junior. The teams have a flat structure which means I get to work with partners and other seniors very closely on a daily basis.   

Do you have any advice for prospective applicants of White & Case?

• My advice would be to reflect on why you are interested in the Firm. A genuine interest in the Firm and the area of the market it specialises in will go a long way. If you do not know much on project development or their other areas of expertise, that is normal, the Firm is not looking for an expert in the field with years of experience and knowledge – but be curious!

  I would also recommend reaching out to people at the Firm if you are interested in their practice area, or their career path. Everyone at White & Case is very approachable and I, and many others are always happy to chat over a coffee. It will surprise you how candid people will be, and how much insight you can get from these conversations.

Preliminary questions:

• What year did you graduate from Melbourne Law School?

  • 2021

• How long have you been at HSF?

  • Since November 2020. First as a vacation clerk, then a paralegal and now graduate.

• Which team/practice group are you currently working in?

  • Commercial Litigation (International Arbitration)

What has been your greatest achievement while working at HSF?

• Having the opportunity to work with a diverse range of pro bono clients has been an incredibly rewarding experience. My greatest achievement so far was successfully preventing our client from being vacated from her home through the Justice Connect Women’s Homelessness Prevention Program.

What is a recent cross-border transaction you have worked on and what was your role?

• As a graduate in the International Arbitration team, every matter I work on has a cross-border element. I am currently working on a class arbitration seated in Hong Kong with claimants across dozens of jurisdictions.

Do you have any advice for prospective applicants of HSF?

• As cliché as it is - bring your whole self to your application. HSF is an incredibly diverse firm and values candidates with varied legal and non-legal experiences.

Preliminary questions:

• What year did you graduate from Melbourne Law School?

  • 2020

• How long have you been at Baker McKenzie?

  • A little over a year (started in March 2021)

• Which team/practice group are you currently working in?

  • Corporate Markets (Reorganisations)

Why did you choose Baker McKenzie?

• Baker McKenzie’s high-quality global work, diverse international client base and investment in the development of its junior lawyers were key standout features for me. I also found that the people at the Firm were very friendly and down-to-earth, and that the culture was one that was encouraging and supportive.

How much autonomy and responsibility is given to you as a graduate?

• The Firm gives its graduates/junior lawyers real autonomy and responsibility from the outset of their careers. During my graduate year, I was involved in coordinating the implementation of the carve-out of the diabetes care business of a leading global medical technology company. This work involved obtaining advice from various jurisdictions across the Greater Asia region, including Baker McKenzie’s Asia-Pacific offices, as well as local law firms. This experience enabled me to accelerate my personal development by providing me with ample opportunities to expand my industry knowledge, build client relationships and develop key project management skills.

Do you have any advice for prospective applicants of Baker McKenzie?

• Remember to be yourself! I think it’s very important to give the Firm an idea of who you are as a person throughout the whole application process. Talking about your personal interests and hobbies can really assist with showcasing unique aspects of your personality and strengthen your overall application. It is equally important to take the time to think about why you want to join Baker McKenzie. I found speaking to people from the Firm very useful when I went through the application process as it helped me to pinpoint the key aspects of the Firm that really resonated with me. 

Preliminary questions:

• What year did you graduate from Melbourne Law School?

  • End of 2020 

• How long have you been at KWM?

  • Just over a year, since February 2021

• Which team/practice group are you currently working in?

  • Tax, my third and final 6-month rotation.  I previously worked in M&A (Tech Law) and Dispute Resolution (General Commercial).  

Why did you choose KWM?

• I chose KWM because I felt that it was the best place for me to learn and develop.  On the surface, this was because it offered opportunities to get involved in really interesting work, had lots of different practice groups to try out, and is home to some of the best lawyers in Australia.  But beyond that, I strongly believe that you can’t learn and develop at a firm — at least not in the long term — unless you feel like you ‘fit’ there.  Via the clerkship process, I found that KWM was where I felt most comfortable being myself, and most confident that I would be appreciated as an individual.

How much autonomy and responsibility is given to you as a graduate?

• As much or as little as you ask for!  For example, last year I worked on a really big matter for an overseas client, which involved lawyers from several global law firms based around the world.  It had lots of streams of work, each of which was overseen by a different partner at KWM, each of whom assembled their own mini-team.  One of those partners asked me to help with a few short research tasks and eventually asked for my thoughts on one of the work products.  Before long, I was a key member of the mini-team, and when I felt ready, I offered to take responsibility for coordinating our stream’s internal reporting which, amongst other things, involved liaising with the lawyers in London, Dubai and San Francisco.  I think that in most cases, graduates at KWM are trusted to guide the direction and pace of their own career development.

 Do you have any advice for prospective applicants of KWM?

• Demonstrate your curiosity.  In my experience, KWM graduates begin with an open mind about what kind of work they want to do and don’t usually come to the firm knowing exactly what practice group they want to end up in.  While it’s great to have some idea about subject matters that interest you or the kinds of teams you might gravitate towards, don’t worry if you’re not sure yet — that’s what the rotations are for, and KWM is big enough that there is something for everybody.