CLERKSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN SOON!
See 'Application Process' below for dates.
- Suzanne Laister | SYDNEY
- I'm the People & Development Early Careers Manager in Sydney. My top tip for clerkship applications: make sure you can back up your responses IRL!
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Are you a student in your penultimate or final year of study? You’ve come to the right place as King & Wood 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 international 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.
What you'll experience
During our time together you will:
- Master essential skills like drafting legal documents and building professional relationships.
- Gain insight into KWM’s 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 supervising 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 KWM 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
You need to be in your penultimate or final year of your law degree to be eligible to apply. We accept and welcome applications from international students in their penultimate or final year of their Australian or New Zealand law degree, provided that you have unrestricted legal rights to work in Australia when you commence your clerkship, and you are able to apply for a visa to continue to work unrestricted in Australia upon graduation.
1. How to apply
You don’t need to create a resume or cover letter to get a clerkship at KWM. 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 —no psychometric testing or other assessments to worry about! 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 KWM 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
The recruitment process can vary in each state. For more information on seasonal clerkship periods refer to your location below or contact our team.
Key Dates
| Application Dates | Wednesday 11 June 2025 - Sunday 13 July 2025. |
| Interview | To be confirmed. |
| Clerk offer | Wednesday 10 September 2025. To be accepted or declined by 1:00pm, Thursday 11 September 2025. |
| Summer clerkship | November 2025 - February 2026. 12 weeks. |
| Graduate offer | February 2026. |
Contact
Suzanne Laister, suzanne.laister@au.kwm.com
Sara Morrison, sara.morrison@au.kwm.com
Key Dates
| Application Dates | Monday 7 July 2025 - Sunday 10 August 2025. |
| Interview | To be confirmed. |
| Clerk offer | Thursday 16 October 2025. |
| Summer clerkship | Summer 1: November - December 2025. 4 weeks. Summer 2: January 2026 - February 2026. 4 weeks. |
| Winter Clerkship | June - July 2026. 4 weeks. |
| Graduate offer | August 2026. |
Contact
Tiffany Douros, tiffany.douros@au.kwm.com
Darcy Ford, darcy.ford@au.kwm.com
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 | Monday 14 July 2025 - Friday 8 August 2025. |
| Interview | To be confirmed. |
| Clerk offer | Wednesday 8 October 2025. To be accepted or declined by 1:00pm, Thursday 9 October 2025. |
| Summer clerkship | Mid November 2025 - Mid December 2025. 4 weeks. |
| Winter Clerkship | Mid June 2026 - Mid July 2026. 4 weeks. |
| Graduate offer | August 2026. |
Contact
Jess Brew, jess.brew@au.kwm.com
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 | Monday 23 June 2025 - Sunday 27 July 2025. |
| Interview | To be confirmed. |
| Clerk offer | Friday 12 September 2025. Offers to be accepted or declined by 1:00pm, 12 September 2025. |
| Summer clerkship | November 2025 - December 2025. 3 weeks. |
| Winter Clerkship | June 2026 - July 2026. 3 weeks. |
| Graduate offer | July 2026. |
Contact
Carla Schurmann, carla.schurmann@au.kwm.com
From our clerks
'I cannot speak highly enough of my overall experience at KWM during my summer clerkship. Every single person I have interacted with has been warm, welcoming, supportive and kind. I have had the opportunity to get involved in interesting matters and have been provided with excellent training. I have gained an in-depth insight into each of the firm's practice areas and the types of tasks I could expect to be involved in if I were to join the firm as a Graduate. The support provided by my Development Coach and Buddy has exceeded my expectations and made the entire experience seamless. - Bonnie Finnie
'Furthermore, the training had everything it needed, the social events were great and the overall experience was just amazing. Perhaps best of all, I found an area of law in M&A that I really could see myself working in moving forward. Genuinely, this clerkship blew me away for the development opportunities it gave me, the people it allowed me to meet and the passions it uncovered. Thank you.' - Zack de Ruyte
Key Dates
| Application Dates | Wednesday 11 June 2025 - Sunday 13 July 2025. |
| Interview | To be confirmed. |
| Clerk offer | Wednesday 10 September 2025. To be accepted or declined by 1:00pm, Thursday 11 September 2025. |
| Summer clerkship | November 2025 - February 2026. 12 weeks. |
| Graduate offer | February 2026. |
Contact
Emily Jayamohan, emily.jayamohan@au.kwm.com
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Sara Morrison | Sydney
- I'm the People & Development Early Careers Advisor in Sydney. If you want to strike up a conversation, ask me about RuPaul’s Drag Race – I’m a total tragic!
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Emily Jayamohan | Canberra
- I'm the People & Development Coordinator in Canberra. If you want to strike up a conversation with me, ask me about sports - specifically netball or volleyball.
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Carla Schurmann | Perth
- I'm the People & Development Early Careers Coordinator in Perth. Stand out in your clerkship applications by doing lots of research and connecting with people at the firm.
-
MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Darcy Ford | Melbourne
- I am the People & Development Early Careers Coordinator in Melbourne. Ask me about food, climbing and golf - some of my favourite activities.
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Tiffany Douros | Melbourne
- I am the People & Development Advisor in Melbourne. My top tip? Bring your true self to your application!
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MEET THE EARLY CAREERS TEAM
- Jess Brew | Brisbane
- I am the People & Development Early Careers Advisor in Brisbane. My top tip for clerkship applications is to allow yourself plenty of time to complete them, this will help reduce the overwhelm!
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Global Virtual Internship: for any stage of your degree
Build real skills and the confidence to excel in a commercial law career with one of the world’s most innovative law firms in the KWM virtual job simulation.
FEATURED INSIGHTS
INSIGHTS
FEATURED INSIGHTS
LATEST THINKING
INSIGHTS
LATEST THINKING
- Vietnam Sets the Stage for Carbon Trading
- Public-Private Partnerships in Asia - Bangladesh Guide
- Amid global uncertainty, Asia must keep moving forward with China
- Public-Private Partnerships in Asia - Hong Kong Guide
- Navigating Net Zero: APAC Climate Guide - China
- The Saga on Winding Up vs Arbitration Continues - Case Developments in Hong Kong
PUBLICATIONS
INSIGHTS
PUBLICATIONS
