What drew you to this firm?

The firm’s experience and expertise is obvious to any outsider, however, the focus on Smarter Law was a key differentiator in my search for a law firm suitable for me.

Aside from that, after completing a clerkship and having the opportunity to experience what Hall & Wilcox, what drew me back was the people.  Every interaction I had with the firm was genuine, I always felt a sense of warmth and support, and it was very clear that Hall & Wilcox lawyers love where they work.  It is inspiring to know that our Managing Partner, and many other senior lawyers were graduates just as I currently am, and their passion for Hall & Wilcox emanates through the firm from top to bottom.

Fortunately, having been with the firm for over a year now, I still feel that the culture of the workplace is precisely as-advertised, if not better.

What area are you currently working in?

During the graduate program, we complete four rotations for three months each.  I rotated through Property & Projects, Private Clients/Pro Bono, Employment and General Insurance.

I have since settled as a first-year lawyer in Employment.

What type of work are you doing?

My rotations have provided me with an opportunity to engage in a wide range of work, of varying degrees of responsibility and supervision.  Some examples across my four rotations include:

• drafting letters of advice and experiencing direct client interaction;
• managing my own property damage files under the supervision of senior lawyers;
• drafting pleadings and submissions, and preparing for mediations, conciliations and hearings;
• attending a women’s legal service for a full day once a week during my rotation through Private Clients/Pro Bono;
• undertaking research into case law and legislative reform and assisting senior lawyers with technical legal problems;  and
• drafting Wills, Powers of Attorney and trust deeds, directly liaising with clients and attending meetings for the execution of succession planning documents.

• preparing and reviewing trust deeds, company constitutions, shareholders' agreements and other contractual documents and agreements;

Have you had much client contact?

The more the year has progressed, the more direct exposure I have had to clients.

In my rotation with Private Clients, almost every day I would have either spoken with a client in respect of their succession planning, or met with a new client to get their instructions or an existing client to execute documents.

In my rotation in General Insurance, I was responsible for my own list of property damage files, in which I would be required to constantly communicate with our insurer clients and their insureds.  The level of autonomy in this role was far beyond what I was expecting as a graduate, and having such a great degree of exposure to important clients in the conduct of my own files was one of the highlights of my program.

What hours do you generally work? What is expected?

My hours often depend on the team I am rotating through, the time of the year, and my overall workload.  However, I generally work from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm.  Importantly, I’m also often encouraged by colleagues to take a break during the middle of the day and not eat lunch at my desk.

Throughout my graduate year I was still playing football up to three times per week, and my supervisors were always supportive of me leaving work for this and any other commitment that I have.

How have you received feedback about your performance?

I receive informal feedback from my supervisors every day on the work that I am performing, and I always feel supported.  In my role, I frequently prepare draft letters, advices and emails for clients or other parties which is subject to my supervisor’s approval.  Rather than changing my work and sending it (as I would sometimes expect, being a junior lawyer who gets lots of things wrong) I often get to spend a few minutes with my supervisor to discuss what I have done well, what other strategies and approaches I could take, and most importantly, what I can do to improve.

At the end of each rotation, I get the opportunity to reflect on what I have learnt in the rotation, where I have witnessed personal growth, and where I can improve further in the future.  My self-assessment is provided to my assigned mentor and partner in the team, and I have a formal feedback session with them.  The feedback session does not feel like a performance review, but rather a transparent discussion about my strengths as a young lawyer, and a chance to consider how I can better my practice.

How would you describe the culture and working environment within the firm?

People are happy to be here.  There is a sense of solidarity and comradery within the firm that has been eminent from the moment I started.

While the people who work here are very good at what they do, and they want to see me improve as a lawyer, they also want to get to know me as a person just as much, have a laugh and enjoy their work.

The working environment itself is perfect for a junior lawyer.  Given that we operate in an open-plan office, I am allowed to approach the partners in my team to ask questions or discuss issues, and I feel that our culture encourages such interactions.

What do you like most about working for the firm?

I like to have a jovial attitude while I am working and not take myself too seriously. Provided that my work is at the standard expected, the firm allows, and actively encourages, me to be myself.  This is a very important aspect of working at Hall & Wilcox, and I feel like it’s something that gets a little lost in the legal profession.  It results in me coming to work with a smile on my face every day.

One of the firm’s core values is Stay True, and I feel that this value is strongly supported by everybody in the firm.

I’ve been fortunate enough to be to our offices in other States, and remarkably, the culture is very closely reflected elsewhere too.  The firm has done a fantastic job at creating a consistent and enviable national brand, and it proves to me that our purpose and our values are not superficial tokens devoid of substance or follow-through.

What tips would you give to someone applying to your firm?

Consider our firm’s five values, the Hallmarks, and think about how each value resonates with you.

Many businesses have a set of values that are nothing more than consultancy hyperbole.  However, I hear somebody reference the Hallmarks every day, they form a real component of our expectations and performance reviews, and they are strongly reflective of our people.