1. What drew you to this firm?

I was drawn to Ashurst because my all friends who clerked at the firm talked about how much they had enjoyed the experience. I completed three other clerkships, and Ashurst really stood out as the place where I wanted to start my legal career.

2. What areas have you worked in?

I have worked in the Intellectual Property and Technology, Media and Telecommunications clusters at Ashurst.

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

I have done a large variety of work in these areas. For example, drafting and reviewing contracts for government tenders, drafting letters of demand and other correspondence, research into obscure or novel legal principles, and searches to find evidence for trade mark applications or oppositions.

4. What clients have you done work for?

I have worked for various clients including AstraZeneca, BlueScope Steel, Samsung and Crown. The intellectual property group is incredibly diverse, and so you never know what type of client you'll work for next!

5. Have you had much client contact?

I worked on a large patent litigation dispute earlier this year, which involved extensive communications with the client and counsel. I have also worked on many smaller matters, where I have had the opportunity to work directly with the client.

6. Have you been given much responsibility?

The supervising partners and lawyers at Ashurst understand that for graduates to grow, they need to be given the opportunity to learn. I have drafted contracts and letters to be sent to the client, written submissions for court, met clients, and even sat at the bar table in court.

7. What type of training have you undertaken at the firm?

The training and continuing legal education at Ashurst is highly rewarding. There are seminars running most lunchtimes (with food!) that cover new and interesting developments in the law. The graduate training program has helped me in my everyday work and deals with all the essential elements of becoming a successful lawyer.

8. What hours do you generally work? What is expected?

There is certainly no expectation of "face time" at Ashurst. If you have work to finish, then you stay until that work is finished. But if it's quiet, then everyone is encouraged to leave on time. The supervising partners and lawyers are very good at managing your work flows, to ensure that you are not stuck with an unfair or impossible amount of work.

9. How have you received feedback about your performance?

Feedback is provided in many different ways at Ashurst. Often my work will come back with suggestions and comments marked in, which helps me improve my skills. The supervising partners and lawyers are always keen to explain why certain changes were made to my work and what I could do differently for the next task.

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

The culture and working environment is supportive, stimulating and friendly. Of all the firms that I clerked at, I most looked forward to being at work at Ashurst. Everyone at Ashurst appreciates that work does not always have to be serious or staid, and there is a real sense of fun and light-heartedness in the office.

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

What I like most about working at Ashurst is that it just doesn't feel like work to me. The tasks are interesting and challenging, the people are friendly and enjoy a laugh, and the training is rewarding.

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

My only advice is to just be yourself during the application process. You're not expected to be a readymade lawyer, just that you're passionate and willing to learn.