We need aspirational undergraduates to join our close-knit professional team. This is a rare opportunity to work as legal professionals in a collegiate environment with an established but progressive city law firm.
The best law firms are built on the quality of their people. Since 2002, we have successfully employed law undergraduates on a permanent part-time basis whilst they study. Our objective is to build mutually satisfying long-term relationships with exceptional men and women. To meet our exacting expectations you will be a potentially talented lawyer with considerable personal qualities, commitment and enthusiasm.
We invite applications from law undergraduates at any stage of their degrees.
Applications close Friday 28 October 2011. Applications have now closed.
You will be expected to conduct yourself as a professional
We’ll provide you with the resources that you need including:
- your own office
- telephone, computer and dictation equipment
- internet access including remote online internet access to our database
- secretarial support
- 24-hour access to the office and after hours on-site parking
Initially you will learn all aspects our office and database procedures and how to use our equipment. As the new kid on the block, you can expect to inherit some character-building duties like stocking the fridge or changing light bulbs.
We will assign you to a senior mentor who will supervise your work and help you develop the skills to manage or meaningfully contribute to the management of some aspect of our business. The aim is for you to be useful as soon as possible. We therefore focus on teaching you to do one job well, rather than rotating you through dilettante experiences in different practice areas.
What you do initially will depend on our operational requirements and our assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. It is unlikely that you will remain in the same area of the practice indefinitely: as you gain experience and confidence you will inevitably graduate to more complex tasks or assume additional managerial responsibilities. In our experience, once you learn to develop skills in one area of the practice, it is relatively easy to translate to another.
Previously, our undergraduates have worked in or assumed responsibility for areas of our practice including:
They attend conferences with senior lawyers; liaise with clients; draft correspondence; appear in court on (sometimes complex) chambers matters including appearances before masters and judges of the Supreme Court; proof witnesses; brief counsel; attend court with counsel; draft documents and more.
Additionally, we will encourage you to participate in some aspect of the management of the practice which could include promotional or marketing activities, software development, human resources, systems administration, library or document management.
We offer:
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a starting salary of $40,000 per annum (pro-rated part-time) plus superannuation;
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as you progress we will pay you according to the value of your ability and contribution not your level of qualifications or years of experience - by the time you graduate you could be earning double the salary of many articled clerks;
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you will be employed on a permanent part-time basis, subject to completing a probationary period of 6 months;
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at the outset we will determine (and communicate to you) certain professional development objectives. We will measure your performance during the probationary period against these objectives and expect you to achieve them;
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we will negotiate flexible working hours so you can meet your university commitments;
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we will invest substantial time and resources in your professional development;
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you will develop skills to enable you to take real responsibility managing an aspect of our practice;
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you’ll never serve another Big Mac: we employ you full time in the holidays with sick leave and holiday pay;
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most importantly, you will kick-start your career in law with the invaluable practical skills that you acquire on the job.
These part-time career positions are more than a part-time job.
They are not designed as vacation clerkships or to provide temporary student employment.
They are not for everyone.
You must be committed to working at least 25 hours per week during university semesters and otherwise full-time; and to reduce the level of your university commitments accordingly. You must accept that, in doing so, it will take longer to complete your degree.
We expect you to start work within 4 weeks of appointment; however we will accommodate your existing university commitments for the remainder of 2011.
To qualify you must:
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have a strong TER (or TEE) score and above average university grades;
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combine confidence and decisiveness with a realistic appreciation of your limitations;
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be passionate about your work and your core values;
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know what you want in terms of your future career and personal objectives;
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demonstrate a high level of maturity, judgment and commonsense;
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be able to relate with confidence to a wide range of people of all ages;
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be well-spoken and able to express ideas in grammatical plain English;
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be personable, engaging and well presented;
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have critical thinking skills consistent with the top quartile of the Australian management population;
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be sufficiently self-disciplined to balance the competing demands of a responsible job, university studies and a reasonable personal life;
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be reasonably ambitious with a strong professional work ethic;
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be aware of and in touch with the world around you;
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be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty;
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embrace – not be threatened by - new ideas and technologies;
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be original in your thoughts and ideas, prepared to think laterally, outside the square and to challenge convention, dogma, hypocrisies and prejudices;
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be a leader and a team player, not a prima donna – keen to take charge, assume responsibility and unstintingly share your skills and knowledge with others; and
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have a sense of humour.
What about articles?
As with any job, your advancement is dependent on your satisfactory performance. For this reason, if we offer you a position we will not immediately guarantee you articles of clerkship.
However, we aim to forge long-term relationships and articles are obviously part of achieving this goal. We hope you will continue with us as an articled clerk. If for any reason we decide that we are not prepared to offer your articles, we will certainly let you know where you stand before the time for making applications to other firms arrives.
And my round the world trip?
Most of our people manage to combine their need to travel with the demands of their job. Consistent with our long-term approach to our relationships we will do our best to accommodate your need to see the world.
Will my career prospects be adversely affected if I delay completion of my degree?
As a cadet lawyer, under the supervision of your principal you are able to undertake virtually all of the duties of an admitted lawyer except appearances in open court.
The practical experience you will gain working in our professional environment should more than compensate you for the additional time it will take you to graduate and be admitted to practice.
Although many graduates are now unable to obtain articles of clerkship, Western Australia has a shortage of experienced lawyers. Your superior skills will give you a significant competitive edge in a market where employers are ultimately looking for employees able to get the job done.
Although we hope that you will grow with us for many years, we also encourage our people to fulfil their potential. They are highly sought after by our competitors.
Talk to one of our employees who have participated in the scheme:
Review our standard employment contract.
We may ask applicants to undergo psychological assessment prior to appointment.
- Critically review the above criteria. Is the job for you? Do you have what it takes? Are you ready to kick-start your legal career? Have you discussed it with your partner? Your dad? Or your dog? Are you prepared to reorganise your life to meet the demands of the position?
- Consider your existing study load and how you would restructure it if you take the job. We understand that you have to complete your current commitments, but you will need to undertake fewer units per semester in the future.
- Read this information again
If you're still game, complete our online application.
We will invite suitable candidates to attend at our offices to complete a short aptitude test and an interview.