We offer clerkships for students who are in their penultimate year of university.
The Clerkship Program
If you relish the prospect of being involved in cutting edge legal work, learning from experts at the top of their game and working in a fast-paced environment, you’re just the sort of person we’d like as a KWM clerk or Trainee Solicitor.
We’re with you every step of the way. We know how important support can be in making you feel part of a team and help you to do your very best. That’s why, from day one, you’ll be assigned key people to offer you advice, guidance and support whenever you need it.
As a clerk, you will be assigned a:
- Buddy – your ‘confidant’ at work. Your buddy provides informal and additional support to answer any questions you might have, including the ‘silly’ ones.
- Development Coach – a Senior Associate will provide you with work, help you manage your workload, and provide feedback on your performance.
- Partner – will also supervise you and provide you with work.
The best possible start
During your clerkship, you’ll get to know more about our people, the way we like to work, our culture, practice areas, and clients. By the end of the clerkship, you will have a big picture understanding of what it’s like to be a lawyer at KWM. Many of our clerks go on to take up a Trainee Solicitor position with us.
How it works
We’ve designed a program to help you make the most of your time with us.
During your clerkship, you will learn:
- The day-to-day skills to get you started – taking instructions, meeting with clients, drafting memos and documents, working in teams, managing your practice and professional relationships. This is a ‘hands on’ role so you won’t just be watching from the sidelines. You will be given ‘real’ work that your team is working on.
- The core practice teams at KWM – who they are, what they do, how they’re structured, the clients they work for, and of course, your role within them as a junior lawyer.
- Our culture – working within your team, you’ll be regularly exposed and encouraged to get actively involved in the many activities and events that help create the unique, supportive and friendly culture at KWM.
- Our training – during your clerkship, you will attend several technical, as well as soft skills, training sessions offered by our Senior Lawyers. For example, Clear Communications, How to Write a Memo, How to Take Instructions, and presentations on the various practice groups.
- Our community – you’ll have many opportunities to get involved in the social and community activities that we organise such as staff drinks, pro bono charity initiatives, and dragon boating. It’s not all hard work! We really encourage you to get involved and enjoy yourself.
- The ‘nuts and bolts’ – our technology, financial systems, research and support resources, firm policies, procedures and the structure and approach of the firm itself.