Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships :: Australian Graduate Forum

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16/05/2009 13:26:17

Subject: Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

mike

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Joined: 29/10/2008 21:38:29
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Location: Sydney Australia
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Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

Below is a list of the top 30 law firms (by size) in Australia. Most offer Graduate Law Positions, but usually offer roles for interns who them become graduates once graduated. If you are looking for an internship role in a law firm this year I would suggest starting from the top to ensure you apply for the majority of law firms. Also remember that law firms are not the only option for legal graduates. Graduate law jobs also exist in corporates aswell as state, regional and federal government.

Let me know if there are any firms I have missed

Minter Ellison
Mallesons Stephen Jaques
Clayton Utz
Freehills
Allens Arthur Robinson
DLA Phillips Fox
Blake Dawson
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Deacons
Gadens
Baker & McKenzie Australia
Sparke Helmore
Middletons
Russell McVeagh
HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Simpson Grierson
Hunt & Hunt
Bell Gully
Chapman Tripp
DibbsBarker
Maddocks
Henry Davis York
McCullough Robertson
Gilbert + Tobin
Holding Redlich
Kensington Swan
Buddle Findlay
Moray & Agnew
Piper Alderman

Mike Casey
GradConnection Director

01/02/2010 00:43:15

Subject: Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

strawberryfields

Bachelors in Posting Joined: 01/02/2010 00:37:23
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That's a useful list. I'm not entirely sure I want a career in a big scary firm, though I'm not really sure overall where I want to go with my law degree. My marks are average and I have very little legal experience to go with them (hoping to get some experience in my final year). Is it worth applying to these places anyway to see what happens, or just a wasted effort? I'm thinking with my marks and lack of experience I'm going to have to try a scattergun approach.

01/02/2010 10:45:49

Subject: Re:Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

mike

Professor of Posting

Joined: 29/10/2008 21:38:29
Messages: 409
Location: Sydney Australia
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Hi StrawberryFields,

Beatles Reference by chance? Grades are important to some firms and not others. There are plenty of organisations out there that are hungry for law students, and are not concerned with grades. Using GradMaker at this link

http://www.gradconnection.com.au/graduate-jobs/index.htm#j1-i11-31

I have ranked all law employers (that we know about) that are interested in legal graduates, based on which ones accept a pass grade average. We don't have much information on law firms yet, however you can see that there are options out there for you.

I would be very weary of the scatter gun approach, as graduates who do this usually don't get as far. Successful graduates will apply for an average of 6 graduate programs.

Where do you want to work? And what area of law do you want a graduate job in?

Cheers,

Mike

Mike Casey
GradConnection Director

28/02/2010 15:45:17

Subject: Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

strawberryfields

Bachelors in Posting Joined: 01/02/2010 00:37:23
Messages: 11
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Thansk for the info Mike. I'm really not sure what I want to do - I have a couple of favourite areas of law (found the readings in those subjects a breeze and enjoyable compared to the others) but I don't know if I'd really be able to work in them. Most seem to have small firms working in those areas though who don't take grads and prefer people who already have 2-3 years PAE. I will be applying to the 4 Departments on that list though.

02/03/2010 13:09:07

Subject: Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

mike

Professor of Posting

Joined: 29/10/2008 21:38:29
Messages: 409
Location: Sydney Australia
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You can always gain your 2-3 years PAE on a graduate program and then look again. I am not sure if this is true, but you would think that some firms would be very interested in someone with governmental experience, especially if they put forward a lot of legal tenders for government departments.

It is a hard one though, and you are not the only anxious graduate out there! Are you planning to stay in Canberra or is Sydney and Melbourne also an option?

Cheers,

Mike

Mike Casey
GradConnection Director

02/03/2010 13:49:55

Subject: Re:Top Law Firms in Australia Graduate Programs and Internships

strawberryfields

Bachelors in Posting Joined: 01/02/2010 00:37:23
Messages: 11
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I am not sure if this is true, but you would think that some firms would be very interested in someone with governmental experience, especially if they put forward a lot of legal tenders for government departments.

I've heard that too so I hope it's true. Then again if I end up doing something non-practising right from the start I might be putting myself at a huge disadvantage which will just increase if I ever try to work for a firm.

Are you planning to stay in Canberra or is Sydney and Melbourne also an option?

Ideally Canberra, I think the stress of a new place might be too much as well, and financially it would be hard. I guess I'll look outside Canberra if I have no luck here but I suspect Syd and Melb are more competitive and I'll be even more out of luck.

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