Sydney
About Corrs
Corrs Chambers Westgarth is Australia’s leading independent law firm. We’re known for delivering legal excellence, exceptional client service and outstanding results.
We’re the firm of choice for many of the world’s most significant organisations – from large corporations to governments, banks and financial sponsors.
We advise on the most significant global matters and connect with the best lawyers internationally to provide our clients with the right team for every engagement. We are also at the forefront of some of the most high-profile and complex matters in our region.
At Corrs, you’ll enjoy the benefits of working alongside a high performing team in a culture defined by excellence, collaboration, commitment and respect.
Your time as a clerk at Corrs
Your journey from outstanding law student to exceptional lawyer begins at Corrs.
The majority of our graduates join us after experiencing a seasonal clerkship program. Our clerkships give you the opportunity to connect with partners and lawyers across the firm, learn what a ‘day-in-the-life’ at Corrs is like, and experience the type of work we do and the clients we partner with.
The Corrs seasonal clerkship program gives you the opportunity to work alongside some of Australia’s leading lawyers on high-profile work for major Australian and international clients.
You’ll be exposed to a broad range of interesting matters and have the chance to complete tasks such as conducting research, reviewing and presenting documents, attending court hearings, mediations and settlements, as well as shadowing partners and lawyers in client meetings and business development activities.
What do we look for in a clerk?
We look for people who can make a positive contribution to the firm and help us deliver legal excellence and outstanding client service. In exchange for your energy and commitment, we’ll provide extraordinary learning and work opportunities.
We want people who bring out the best in those around them, work well in a team and take pride in their work and achievements. We assess against a broad criteria which considers business and commercial acumen, initiative, ethical behaviour, previous employment, legal excellence, a commitment to commercial law, energy and drive, involvement in community life and strong interpersonal skills.
I attend to various tasks assigned to me on the matters I am involved in. I also foreshadow tasks that may be required. The tasks I work on include drafting emails, assisting with the preparation of submissions and evidence as well as preparing documents to assist the teams understanding of the matter.
At a high level, my main responsibilities revolve around supporting the senior lawyers (especially partners) of my team. In tax, the main question of every task is 'how much tax do I have to pay?' However, my day-to-day tasks are different each day - it could be: reviewing contracts to see if they trigger any stamp duty liability; writing submissions to the state revenue office for an objection; or writing legal advice on a tricky point of law, to name a few!
I often feel like I am doing work above my skill level which, while stressful, is a great learning opportunity and I feel as if I am adding value to my team. My days typically involve drafting correspondence and documents, as well as being in charge of monitoring inboxes and incoming/outgoing correspondence. My mentor partner is very good at ensuring I have exposure to lots of different kinds of work.
4.6
1,000 - 50,000 employees
Law
At Corrs, we provide opportunities for outstanding graduates to become exceptional lawyers.
The deep commitment to learning and development at all levels. Corrs provides extensive formal training across workshops for graduate cohorts across the firm, within each practice group, and between practice groups. They also provide significant informal learning opportunities, developed through a culture of actively engaging juniors on matters, trusting us with real responsibility early on, and providing substantial mentoring.
I have been exposed to a wide range of legal matters at the cutting edge of my practice area. Not only this, but the opportunity to work on such matters also includes getting involved in the decision-making and strategy of a matter. This ties in with the mentorship and support aspect of lawyer development; my seniors are able and willing to work collaboratively, teach, and help improve my work. Not only this, they are receptive to my interests and capacity. The firm has supported me in pursuing the work of my choosing, so I am able to source work from a variety of sources and interests. The firm's commitment to nurturing talent and helping us grow as legal professionals is truly commendable.
The people on my team are great. I love coming to work and feel very grateful that I get to work every day with people I can have fun with and consider friends.
- Great remuneration and leave entitlements; - Excellent learning and development opportunities; - Interesting work and some of the best matters/client exposure in the industry; - Sociable, and the firm makes a real effort to build a positive culture; - Flexibility.
Clear growth and ambition for the firm; diverse opportunities to get involved with; generally collegiate attitude
As with all similar firms, the hours can be demanding. You will often work on other people's schedules at a junior level.
The unfortunate result of being in one of the highest offices (with the best views) is that the sun can heat up the office quickly; thankfully, we have pretty good air conditioning!
As expected of being part of a workplace performing at the highest tier of legal work, the work can be challenging and the hours long. The workload can be quite variable, with certain periods requiring intense effort, especially when dealing with complex cases or projects. Balancing these peaks in workload with personal life commitments can be a struggle at times, even though the firm actively promotes work-life balance. I believe that this is a personal challenge that all lawyers face or will face. While it is an inevitable corollary of the standard of work we provide, it is one that seniors (at least in my experience at Corrs) are hyper-aware and considerate of.
The workload can be unpredictable and, at times, can be very busy.
There can be times of stress.