AU | EN
Current site :    AU   |   EN
Australia
Singapore

Are you a student in your penultimate or final year of study? You’ve come to the right place as Mallesons’ clerkship program is curated especially for you.

A place where together we learn, together we master, together we lead.

Most of our graduates are selected from our summer and winter clerkship programs, making it one of the most important first steps in building your legal career.

As a seasonal clerk you will experience what it’s like to be a lawyer at a top tier law firm. You’ll gain hands-on experience working on market leading transactions and complex disputes where you’ll learn new skills and sharpen your edge.

You will get to know our people, the way we work, our culture, practice areas, clients and more and you will be supported every step of the way.

Your Pathway to Mastery

Meet Rachel. Hear why she chose to start her career with a clerkship at Mallesons (formerly KWM) and how it exposed her to world-class training that put her learnings and passion to real legal work.

What you'll experience

During our time together you will:

  • Master essential skills like drafting legal documents and building professional relationships.
  • Gain insight into Mallesons' core practice teams and your role within them.
  • Explore our market leading technology tools.
  • Immerse yourself in our vibrant culture through various team social activities and events.
  • Be guided by supportive and knowledgeable people from all areas across the business.
  • Be allocated a mentoring partner, development coach and buddy who will share invaluable insights from their own careers, guiding you through the early stages of yours.
  • Engage with leaders and industry experts in dynamic learning sessions designed to enhance your personal and professional growth.

What you'll bring

We celebrate the diverse backgrounds and experiences that enrich our ‘one firm’ culture. A successful Mallesons clerk:

  • Communicates effectively.
  • Shows genuine interest in corporate or commercial law.
  • Embraces curiosity and a growth mindset.
  • Balances commitments and prioritises tasks.
  • Takes initiative and is committed to delivering quality work.
  • You don’t need to be perfect; we thrive by learning from each other’s strengths!

The application process

We welcome applications from students in their penultimate or final year of an Australian or New Zealand law degree who hold Australian or New Zealand citizenship or Australian permanent residency.

Due to the potential long-term opportunity available, we don’t accept applications for clerkship or graduate programs from candidates on temporary visas (including the Graduate 485 visa).

1.  How to apply

You don’t need to create a resume or cover letter to get a clerkship at Mallesons. Instead, we ask you to answer a series of questions so that we can get to know more about you - your hobbies and your interest in corporate or commercial law. You’ll also enter your university grades, work experience and any extra-curricular or volunteering experience. Your application will undergo a blind review by members of our local recruitment committees, ensuring a fair and unbiased evaluation.

2.  Meeting the team

Successful applicants will be invited to attend various information events throughout the process giving you the chance to connect with as many Mallesons employees as possible who are all eager to get to know you. Depending on the location you applied for, events may be held at various stages in the recruitment process. We will keep you up to date with next steps and what to expect from each stage so you are equipped with all of the information you need.

3.  Interviews

If successful you will attend one face-to-face interview in Melbourne and Perth and two face-to-face interviews in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. Our interviews are conversational in nature, we want to get to know you based on what you put in your initial application.

4.  Outcomes

You will be contacted by one of our early careers team members regarding the outcome of your application on the clerk offer date specified by your jurisdiction's law society.

We know that application periods can be a stressful and challenging time, that’s why we have partnered with the Centre for Corporate Health to provide you with some resources to use in the lead up to and throughout the recruitment process and remainder of your university degree. 

Select your location & apply here

The recruitment process can vary in each state. For more information on seasonal clerkship periods refer to your location below or contact our team. 

Expand

Key Dates

APPLY NOW

Application Dates 10 June 2026 – 12 July 2026
Clerk offer 9 September 2026
Summer clerkship November - February (12 weeks)

Contact

Sara Morrison, [email protected]

Kellie Mildred, [email protected]

Key Dates

Application Dates 6 July 2026 – 9 August 2026
Clerk offer 15 October 2026
Summer clerkship

Summer cohort 1: November - December (4 weeks)
Summer cohort 2: January – February (4 weeks)

Winter clerkship June – July 2027 (4 weeks)

Contact

Hayley Ballard, [email protected]

From our clerks

'I think coming into a top tier firm you sometimes have a preconceived idea that the work environment will be quite serious. But during this clerkship I was surprised at how relaxed and accommodating everyone was.  Something I enjoyed most was the open plan layout of the office which allowed me to be involved in all of the conversations with my team and overhear discussions on matters that I had been involved in.' – Anonymous 

'I thought the clerkship was a fantastic experience overall. It was great to see the firm from a different perspective, working in a legal (non-Knowledge) team. The firm clearly cares a lot about their staff's wellbeing and the amount of resources invested into their staff is a testament to that.  As much as I enjoyed the legal work, what I enjoyed most was meeting so many fantastic new people.' – Anonymous

Key Dates

Application Dates 13 July 2026 – 7 August 2026
Clerk offer 7 October 2026
Winter clerkship November – December (4 weeks)
Contact June – July 2027 (4 weeks)

Contact

Jess Brew, [email protected]

From our clerks

'I truly enjoyed the people and the positive, collaborative culture at KWM. A very close second would be the quality of work I was involved in across the three teams. I appreciated the opportunity to contribute in whatever way I could.' – Az Shariff

'The learning and development from start to finish was fantastic, particularly all of the sessions we did early on. The sessions with the partners was a particular highlight as having that access to them was incredibly insightful and valuable.' – Alex Walker

Key Dates

Application Dates 22 June 2026 – 26 July 2026
Clerk offer 11 September 2026
Summer clerkship November – December (3 weeks)
Winter clerkship June – July 2027 (3 weeks)

Contact

Carla Schurmann, [email protected]

Key Dates

APPLY NOW

Application Dates 10 June 2026 – 12 July 2026
Clerk offer 9 September 2026
Summer clerkship November - February (12 weeks)

Contact

Emily Jayamohan, [email protected]

Get the latest on Mallesons clerkships and Mallesons news