I started as a Law Graduate last February and it’s certainly been a great year full of new experiences and challenges. It’s clichéd, but it seems like only yesterday that I started work yet I am coming to the end of my second 6 month rotation.
In both rotations, (Property, Construction & Environment and Dispute Resolution), members of the team were very willing to provide training and mentoring. As well as having a buddy and development coach who I could always go to with questions, other practitioners and support staff have been really helpful and willing to offer assistance. Both partners I’ve worked for are great at offering feedback and have been keen to share their war stories and experiences with me.
The work in both rotations has been varied - from matters involving intellectual property, corporations, constitutional and property law, as well as the bread and butter tasks of a junior lawyer - due diligence and discovery. I’ve been given lots of client contact, particularly in the Property rotation, and although interacting with clients can be daunting sometimes, it is a great learning experience.
The transition to full time work was also made easier by having Wednesdays off to complete our Practical Legal Training (PLT) coursework. A trip to Sydney for a week of PLT classes was fantastic, as well as a great opportunity to socialise with law graduates from other centres and compare experiences of our first few months of work. The other law grads have played a big role in making my first year at Mallesons so enjoyable - I still have bad karaoke ringing in my ears from a farewell gathering last night for one of the grads who is moving to the Hong Kong office.
Work aside, I’ve also really enjoyed the opportunity to get involved in some of the sporting and social events that Mallesons offers to its staff. We were cruelly robbed of the Law Society Mixed Netball Trophy late last year but mixed soccer every Wednesday night with Mallesons United has been great fun. Apart from social events away from the office, in the past few months our boardroom has been transformed into a cricket pitch for Australia Day drinks and a rodeo complete with a mechanical bucking bull.
Overall, I’ve had a great year and look forward to what 2008 at Mallesons has in store, both professionally and socially.