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Sparke Helmore specialise in the following areas of law:
Sparke Helmore at a glance
In 2007 Sparke Helmore Lawyers celebrated 125 years of continuous service. The law firm that opened in 1882 in the Hunter region of New South Wales now operates as a truly integrated eight-office firm chosen by corporate and government leaders for good reason - the insight, energy and collaboration we bring to legal services. The real legacy of the past is a bright future for our clients, staff and our communities.
The Sparkes difference
Sparke Helmore is not a typical national law firm. Forget about hierarchy and internal competition; we prefer our people to rise to the challenge through collaboration and trust. That means colleagues who support each other and partners who value contributions from all team members.
Strong platform for sustainable growth
While retaining our insurance sector dominance, Sparke Helmore is now a highly diversified business with a growing corporate and commercial presence and a well established government practice chosen by public sector leaders.
Chosen by corporate players
Recent work has included roles in the sale of Telstra and the Cole Inquiry as well as securing strategic advisory opportunities with St George, ANZ, IAG, Department of Defence, DIMA, Coles, Linfox, and AV Jennings.
“Responsibility is given to lawyers at Sparkes early in their career. I like the fact that you’re expected to propose answers, draft advice, and get involved with clients – and you’re assisted by experienced practitioners. I never expected to be at the one firm for my legal career, but it’s now hard to imagine otherwise.”
Roland Hassall, Partner
Objectives
To be the best law firm for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate.
Firm Structure
Our "One Firm" principle means that we operate as a fully integrated organisation that delivers seamless, consistent service in all locations.
Sparke Helmore is governed by a Board through the National Managing Partner and an Executive Committee. The Board is responsible for the overall strategy and direction of the firm. The Executive Committee is a consultative and advisory forum to support decision making by its members in their various areas of responsibility.
The Firm's structure combines the benefits of practice specialisation with a strong client focus through disciplined client account management and multi-disciplinary trans-border client teams.
National Practice Group Leaders are personally accountable for the performance and service standards of our specialist areas of expertise. Others are responsible for developing and communicating the specialist knowledge required to service clients in specific industries.
Expert teams in finance, human resources, business development and marketing, information technology, library, precedents, premises and facilities support our lawyers in the delivery of services to clients.
Sparke Helmore's strategic goal is to be valued by clients in our target markets as their preferred national law firm and by our people as an employer of choice, while making a difference in the communities in which we operate.
Our culture is supportive, engaging and friendly and we encourage a collegiate approach. We are cooperative, not confrontational. Our people offer clients a genuinely different experience of a law firm marked by energy and collaboration.
We understand that strong, long term relationships with clients are founded on core values of respect, honesty, integrity and an uncompromising commitment to excellence demonstrated by:
Our people are our most valuable asset. We recruit and promote well-rounded individuals both technically excellent and reflective of our values. These attributes include:
Being a graduate at Sparkes
At Sparke Helmore the trust we place in our graduate lawyers will ensure that you won't get stuck doing repetitive tasks. You'll be an integral part of our team with high levels of responsibility, including direct liaison with clients. Our people are our most valuable asset so we make sure we look after them! There is huge opportunity for career growth and development and we're committed to exploring options with you.
We recruit for 'the future' and look for people who have the potential to progress through the Firm - intelligent, personable, committed graduates who are energetic and show leadership qualities.
Save your competitive streak for sports day
The way we see it, internal competition is detrimental to the development of our lawyers. We want you to put your energy into what you love most - engaging in legal issues and achieving great results for your clients. Our lawyers are expected to support each others. That's why our practice groups work as national teams, sharing knowledge and opportunities and our experts willingly pass on their skills and experience.
On your side, not your case.
We're proud to provide a work environment where all staff benefit from the success that comes from shared knowledge and a supportive culture. But don't take our word for it. Here's what some of our staff have to say.
Support
“In my experience in Business Government and Technology I’ve had really good access to partners… I go to the partners for instructions and get feedback directly from them. I’ve found that to be really valuable.”
Chantal Tipene, Lawyer
Client Contact
“While I expected to be paper shuffling for the first year of my legal career, the Sparkes graduate program was instead a well-balanced experience which provided me with hands on opportunities to develop my professional skills including attending court and client meetings, assisting counsel and preparing client advices. On top of all of this, within my first six months at the Firm I travelled interstate to attend a five day, seven party mediation which was an unforgettable experience. And it's not just about the law! Sparkes also offers great opportunities to socialise and build relationships with people in other practice groups, learn about the way the firm operates as a business and contribute to the community through pro-bono work. Undoubtedly, my time on the graduate program has equipped me with the necessary skills to make a valuable contribution to the firm and progress my career as a lawyer.”
Jessica Nesbit, Graduate Lawyer 2010
Career planning and mentoring
Your documented development plan will be your career “map”. We encourage all lawyers to be open about their career objectives so we can support their goals.
Throughout the Graduate Program you'll be mentored by a senior practitioner from another Practice Group giving you the benefit of:
“When I first started at Sparkes, I was concerned how I’d fit in, but the people here are very friendly and willing to help. All the questions I had, I was able to ask with ease. I’ve had a really good relationship with the partners I’ve worked with and it’s been that close relationship that has made the difference.”
James Treloar, Senior Associate
With strong continued growth projected, you can be assured that Sparke Helmore has the capacity to meet the career expectations of lawyers who are committed to developing the right skills.
The path to promotion is clearly communicated to all staff in the firm's Promotional Criteria document, which is hosted on the firm's intranet.
We also have a number of systems in place to assist solicitors meet their career goals including:
While formal promotion is important, Sparke Helmore is a non-hierarchical and inclusive firm that encourages participation and involvement at all levels and strives to provide challenges to lawyers 'along the way'.
At Sparke Helmore, you don't need to wait until you are a senior associate to have the challenge of staff and client management responsibilities - many of our lawyers manage all aspects of their own practices and supervise junior staff.
What we look for
We recruit for "the future" and look for people who have the potential to progress through the Firm - intelligent, personable, committed graduates who are energetic and show leadership qualities. We look for:
The firm encourages postgraduate study but doesn't push it. We provide financial assistance and study leave for approved courses.
The firm also provides financial assistance for College of Law, or an equivalent course.
We offer in-house training including:
Sparke Helmore specialise in the following areas of law:
Sparke Helmore at a glance
In 2007 Sparke Helmore Lawyers celebrated 125 years of continuous service. The law firm that opened in 1882 in the Hunter region of New South Wales now operates as a truly integrated eight-office firm chosen by corporate and government leaders for good reason - the insight, energy and collaboration we bring to legal services. The real legacy of the past is a bright future for our clients, staff and our communities.
The Sparkes difference
Sparke Helmore is not a typical national law firm. Forget about hierarchy and internal competition; we prefer our people to rise to the challenge through collaboration and trust. That means colleagues who support each other and partners who value contributions from all team members.
Strong platform for sustainable growth
While retaining our insurance sector dominance, Sparke Helmore is now a highly diversified business with a growing corporate and commercial presence and a well established government practice chosen by public sector leaders.
Chosen by corporate players
Recent work has included roles in the sale of Telstra and the Cole Inquiry as well as securing strategic advisory opportunities with St George, ANZ, IAG, Department of Defence, DIMA, Coles, Linfox, and AV Jennings.
“Responsibility is given to lawyers at Sparkes early in their career. I like the fact that you’re expected to propose answers, draft advice, and get involved with clients – and you’re assisted by experienced practitioners. I never expected to be at the one firm for my legal career, but it’s now hard to imagine otherwise.”
Roland Hassall, Partner
Objectives
To be the best law firm for our clients, our people and the communities in which we operate.
Firm Structure
Our "One Firm" principle means that we operate as a fully integrated organisation that delivers seamless, consistent service in all locations.
Sparke Helmore is governed by a Board through the National Managing Partner and an Executive Committee. The Board is responsible for the overall strategy and direction of the firm. The Executive Committee is a consultative and advisory forum to support decision making by its members in their various areas of responsibility.
The Firm's structure combines the benefits of practice specialisation with a strong client focus through disciplined client account management and multi-disciplinary trans-border client teams.
National Practice Group Leaders are personally accountable for the performance and service standards of our specialist areas of expertise. Others are responsible for developing and communicating the specialist knowledge required to service clients in specific industries.
Expert teams in finance, human resources, business development and marketing, information technology, library, precedents, premises and facilities support our lawyers in the delivery of services to clients.
Sparke Helmore's strategic goal is to be valued by clients in our target markets as their preferred national law firm and by our people as an employer of choice, while making a difference in the communities in which we operate.
Our culture is supportive, engaging and friendly and we encourage a collegiate approach. We are cooperative, not confrontational. Our people offer clients a genuinely different experience of a law firm marked by energy and collaboration.
We understand that strong, long term relationships with clients are founded on core values of respect, honesty, integrity and an uncompromising commitment to excellence demonstrated by:
Our people are our most valuable asset. We recruit and promote well-rounded individuals both technically excellent and reflective of our values. These attributes include:
Being a graduate at Sparkes
At Sparke Helmore the trust we place in our graduate lawyers will ensure that you won't get stuck doing repetitive tasks. You'll be an integral part of our team with high levels of responsibility, including direct liaison with clients. Our people are our most valuable asset so we make sure we look after them! There is huge opportunity for career growth and development and we're committed to exploring options with you.
We recruit for 'the future' and look for people who have the potential to progress through the Firm - intelligent, personable, committed graduates who are energetic and show leadership qualities.
Save your competitive streak for sports day
The way we see it, internal competition is detrimental to the development of our lawyers. We want you to put your energy into what you love most - engaging in legal issues and achieving great results for your clients. Our lawyers are expected to support each others. That's why our practice groups work as national teams, sharing knowledge and opportunities and our experts willingly pass on their skills and experience.
On your side, not your case.
We're proud to provide a work environment where all staff benefit from the success that comes from shared knowledge and a supportive culture. But don't take our word for it. Here's what some of our staff have to say.
Support
“In my experience in Business Government and Technology I’ve had really good access to partners… I go to the partners for instructions and get feedback directly from them. I’ve found that to be really valuable.”
Chantal Tipene, Lawyer
Client Contact
“While I expected to be paper shuffling for the first year of my legal career, the Sparkes graduate program was instead a well-balanced experience which provided me with hands on opportunities to develop my professional skills including attending court and client meetings, assisting counsel and preparing client advices. On top of all of this, within my first six months at the Firm I travelled interstate to attend a five day, seven party mediation which was an unforgettable experience. And it's not just about the law! Sparkes also offers great opportunities to socialise and build relationships with people in other practice groups, learn about the way the firm operates as a business and contribute to the community through pro-bono work. Undoubtedly, my time on the graduate program has equipped me with the necessary skills to make a valuable contribution to the firm and progress my career as a lawyer.”
Jessica Nesbit, Graduate Lawyer 2010
Career planning and mentoring
Your documented development plan will be your career “map”. We encourage all lawyers to be open about their career objectives so we can support their goals.
Throughout the Graduate Program you'll be mentored by a senior practitioner from another Practice Group giving you the benefit of:
“When I first started at Sparkes, I was concerned how I’d fit in, but the people here are very friendly and willing to help. All the questions I had, I was able to ask with ease. I’ve had a really good relationship with the partners I’ve worked with and it’s been that close relationship that has made the difference.”
James Treloar, Senior Associate
With strong continued growth projected, you can be assured that Sparke Helmore has the capacity to meet the career expectations of lawyers who are committed to developing the right skills.
The path to promotion is clearly communicated to all staff in the firm's Promotional Criteria document, which is hosted on the firm's intranet.
We also have a number of systems in place to assist solicitors meet their career goals including:
While formal promotion is important, Sparke Helmore is a non-hierarchical and inclusive firm that encourages participation and involvement at all levels and strives to provide challenges to lawyers 'along the way'.
At Sparke Helmore, you don't need to wait until you are a senior associate to have the challenge of staff and client management responsibilities - many of our lawyers manage all aspects of their own practices and supervise junior staff.
What we look for
We recruit for "the future" and look for people who have the potential to progress through the Firm - intelligent, personable, committed graduates who are energetic and show leadership qualities. We look for:
The firm encourages postgraduate study but doesn't push it. We provide financial assistance and study leave for approved courses.
The firm also provides financial assistance for College of Law, or an equivalent course.
We offer in-house training including:
