Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Corrs Chambers Westgarth Graduate Jobs and Internships: Expression of Interest
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Reviews
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 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.
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.
About the employer
Corrs Chambers Westgarth
4.6
1,000 - 50,000 employees
Law
At Corrs, we provide opportunities for outstanding graduates to become exceptional lawyers.
Pros and cons of working at Corrs Chambers Westgarth
Pros
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
Cons
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.