Perth Paralegal, Energy + Resources

What drew you to G+T 

G+T has a fantastic reputation as being a leading corporate law firm in Australia. I was immediately drawn to the idea of working with some of the country’s most intelligent and innovative practitioners on interesting transactions. What’s more, G+T also has a reputation for being ‘smart with heart’. G+T maintains a great balance between doing high quality work but also being friendly and providing an enjoyable workplace.

The size of the G+T Perth office was another draw point for me. The ability to work on large matters and still know everybody in the office is highly appealing.  Furthermore, G+T invests in their clerks, paralegals and graduates by providing continuous support and training.

Overall, the reputation for being involved in interesting and high quality transactions coupled with a social and supportive environment was what ultimately drew me to G+T.   

What areas have you worked in?

Energy and Resources.

What type of work have you done in each of these areas?

As a paralegal working one day a week, the type of work I am involved with changes week to week. This is something I am enjoying, as I am exposed to interesting parts of many different matters.

Working in the Energy and Resources team, I have been involved in research tasks for a number of matters involving contract law issues, mining law and even fisheries law. A large portion of the work I currently undertake as a paralegal is completing research memorandums. This is something I am thoroughly enjoying, as it allows me to build on my research skills and also be exposed to a number of different matters the practitioners are working on.

I have also been involved in a due diligence task and was responsible for updating a guide to conducting energy and resources due diligence on a national level.

What clients have you done work for?

A number of medium and large clients.

Have you had much client contact?

Client contact is definitely conditional on the work you are involved in. As I only work one day a week I have not had any client contact, particularly as my work is largely research-based. Having said that, while working as a summer clerk I accompanied a partner to an energy and resources presentation. This was a great opportunity to see the practical side of some research I had undertaken.

Have you been given much responsibility?

As a paralegal I am enjoying the level of responsibility handed to me. I am consistently engaged and challenged with the work I am completing, and I am learning a great deal.

What type of training have you undertaken at G+T?

G+T provides clerks and paralegals with extensive training and ongoing education. As a clerk we had a number of training seminars which our clerk group found incredibly helpful. We also attended seminars run by members of other practice areas. There are frequent insight sessions run by members of a practice group who will focus on a topic of interest to everyone in the firm.

What hours do you generally work? What is expected?

As a paralegal, the hours of work vary but I generally work from 8.30am to around 6.00pm. I enjoy working that bit later if I can help out..

G+T are also very accommodating with my studies. If I have an exam, pending how busy everyone is, it is not an issue for me to take the day off to study.

How have you received feedback about your performance?

After my clerkship rotation there was a specific feedback session with the allocated partner and lawyer who had delegated most of the work. It was great to receive feedback about my performance over the two week period.

As a paralegal, I find that I am receiving feedback on a weekly basis, often after I have completed a task. Feedback is quite important to me, as I am continually striving to improve and ensure the quality of my work is high. It has also been very helpful to de-brief with partners and lawyers at the closing of a matter that I contributed to, to understand how the work I completed assisted.

How would you describe the culture and working environment within G+T?

The culture at G+T is supportive, progressive and social. The size of the firm means that everyone knows each other, and joining the team as a paralegal after my clerkship was a very easy transition to make. Everyone, including partners, are very approachable and friendly. There are a number of social occasions such as morning teas for birthdays, Friday night drinks, dinners to try out a new restaurant, fundraising events and more. The culture at G+T was definitely something that stood out to me as a summer clerk.

10. What do you like most about working for the firm?

The interesting work for small, medium and large clients.

The fantastic group of people working in the Perth office, including partners, lawyers and support staff.

The support from senior lawyers and partners.

The culture and in particular the ability of G+T staff to be ‘smart with heart’.

The social, fun and enjoyable working environment.

What tips would you give to someone applying to G+T?

My advice would be to be yourself. Project yourself authentically in your cover letter, application and interview.

Most importantly, try and get involved in as much as you can if you do secure a clerkship at G+T. Go out for coffee or lunch with the lawyers and get to know as many people as you can in the short amount of time. The people are very willing to have a chat and are very approachable.

Any other comments?

Good luck!