Milena Mitic

7.00 AM

I wake up and I hit snooze for another 20 minutes. I have prepared everything I need the night before and have timed my morning routine to the last second. I know I can enjoy the 20 minutes of morning peace and reflection. I use this time to mentally prepare for the day before I jump out of bed, get dressed in the clothes I prepared the night before, quickly do my hair and make-up, eat a light breakfast and grab the lunch I packed, before I fly out the door and bee-line for the train station.

8.00 AM

My commute to work takes about an hour. I try and use this time wisely depending on my anticipated workload for the day. Some days I'll practise some French, German or Greek on Duolingo. On other days I'll read through any new articles of interest to bring me up to speed on what's happening across different markets and industries that potentially influence any of our clients or matters. I love reading updates on juicy litigation matters the most. Most of the time, I've got my work laptop open and I'll try and get some admin done - filing emails, getting up to speed on any client or matter correspondence or alerts, checking my calendar, creating to-do lists and deadline reminders for the day and week, and closing my time from the day before.

9.00 AM

I get to International Tower 1 at Barangaroo and take the lift up to level 45. I usually have to hold my nose and blow hard once I get out of the lift because my ears are blocked from the pressure of going up so many levels. However, the 360* views of the entire cityscape from the office make it worth it every single day. My favourite thing is being able to see the distinct outline of the Blue Mountains out in the distance on really clear days.

I grab some fruit from the kitchen, leave my lunch in the fridge and my belongings at my desk and log in. Then it's time for team coffee. The entire Commercial Real Estate Group (CREG) team heads up to level 46 to visit our fantastic in-house barista - Christina - at the firm's café for our first (of many) caffeine fix for the day. The 46 café is the perfect place to catch up with colleagues, take a break away from your desk, or meet with clients while taking in the views and enjoying as many (iced) teas or (iced) coffees as you need, courtesy of the firm.

9.30 AM

I attend our weekly team zoom meeting with all of my colleagues from the Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne CREG teams. These meetings are a chance for all of us - from Partner all the way to secretary - to discuss our capacity for the week, go over any new and developing matters and check in with one another. One of the Partners announces we've won work on quite a large real estate project and client based in South East Asia. I make a note to reach out to that Partner after our meeting to see if I can assist in any way.

10.00 AM

I officially start my timer for the day and start working on client matters. Since lawyers bill in 6-minute increments, I use the tools and technology provided by the firm to make tracking the time I'm spending on matters as accurate and efficient as possible.

I've received the updates and instructions I requested from a large client in the real estate investment trust industry for a bundle of leases I am managing and overseeing the execution and registration of across multiple Australian jurisdictions. I am working on this with the CREG Special Counsel. I spend time reviewing and amending the leases, and preparing them so that they are in registrable form, including drafting some emails with relevant information to the tenants. I'm careful to stop and start my time according to the specific property or tenancy I am working on.

Switch the timer! An email comes through with an urgent update on a Pro Bono matter I have been assisting with. I've been invited to attend a call with the client and the Pro Bono Special Counsel in the next half an hour. Switch the timer! I check in with the CREG Special Counsel to provide a brief status update. I switch the timer again and take some time to get up to speed on the pro bono matter and prepare some points to go over with the Pro Bono Special Counsel. I attend the call and take notes of everything discussed, the client's instructions and the confirmed next steps. After the call, I visit the CREG snack bar and help myself to some gummy bears and some popcorn and see if anyone else wants to grab another coffee before drafting a file note of the call. I circulate it to the Pro Bono Special Counsel and file it to the matter. I diarise for later in the week any further action items I am responsible for.

Another request comes through from a CREG senior associate requesting my assistance with due diligence for a client in the renewable energy industry looking to exercise an option to purchase land to develop a form of renewable energy station. I start reviewing the statutory searches that land in my inbox and make note of any further requests for information that are in our client's interest to make. I also quickly reach out to the Partner from the morning meeting to touch base.

1.00 PM

It's lunchtime! I usually meet other graduates and associates from other practice groups in the kitchen and we all have lunch together. This is always a great chance to find out about what work other practice groups have been involved in and get a better idea of where I might want to rotate next. More importantly, it's the time not to talk about work and instead enjoy some great banter with other grads and juniors.

Religiously, a group of us will go out for a walk towards Barangaroo Reserve before looping back and around the Crown and through the three International towers before coming back along the water on Barangaroo Avenue. We've just heard about the new Barangaroo Beach at Marrinawi Cove and agree we'll all go for a swim together next Thursday after we make a brief pit stop to mingle with our colleagues at the weekly firm drinks.

2.00 PM

I'm back at my desk. I've got a missed skype message from the other CREG graduate in the Brisbane office. She's involved in a small litigious real estate matter and needs a soundboard to discuss her submissions and approach. Prior to joining CREG, I was working in litigation so I'm happy to help a colleague out. We have a skype call where we discuss what needs to be done and I undertake some preliminary case law research to see if we can bolster the submissions in any way. By the end of the call, we've got a clear action plan and outline of submissions that we'll forward to the Partner to settle.

2.30 PM

I check in with a Partner who I was assisting last week with large-scale advice covering multiple jurisdictions for an international client operating in Australia to see if there have been any updates. We've actually received over lunch a further request for advice for a related matter the client is considering and I've been asked if I have the capacity to assist with this one again given I've got all the background knowledge from the previous advice. I know I've got a meeting with the Sydney Social and Sport Committee next so I flag this with the Partner but agree I can make a preliminary start on the advice. I get to work breaking down the scope of the client's advice and flagging any clarification we should seek to ensure we're providing the client with the best advice.

3.30 PM

I meet with the bubbly and fun Sydney Social and Sport Committee members for our monthly meeting. We debrief on our previous events, including a World Cup Foosball Competition, a Halloween cocktail cart for Thursday firm drinks and our firm end-of-year party. We discuss the feedback we've received and what we can improve for next time, as well as discussing what events we have lined up next. We're jointly organising an event with the Bakers Diversity Committee for Lunar New Year which I volunteer to help with.

4.30 PM

I get back to working on the client advice and start setting up the advice. These initial steps are so important as they allow me, as a junior, to take autonomy in the work I produce. It requires me to think critically about the way we present advice to make sure it is client-centric. I draft an email to the Partner with my progress so far which I'll review in the morning before hitting send.

6.30 PM

On the occasional days I work a little longer, the firm ensures I am fed. I swing past our tax practice on the way to the firm's kitchen and notice another associate is wrapping up a tax professional development presentation he's working on. We head up to the firm's kitchen to grab dinner together and unwind after a productive work day. We catch some of our other colleagues from other practice groups heading downstairs to pick up uber eats orders, which the firm also covers.

7.30 PM

Train home - this time I am listening to an episode or two of the history podcast "You're Dead to Me." However, on some days I wrap up work earlier. I try and catch up with friends who also work in and around the city or I might grab dinner with my partner and watch a performance at Belvoir St Theatre - Bakers is a big sponsor and I often get great tickets through work! Sometimes when I just need to chill, I head home to get some exercise in while there's still sunlight and have dinner with my family.

8.30 PM

Time to unwind. I catch up with my family and partner, shower and maybe put on a face mask while watching some Netflix. I'm a bit slow to jump on the bandwagon so I've only just started The White Lotus. I get ready for bed and the next big day at work.

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