SPRINGBOARD 2015: QUT Law Society Careers Guide
QUT Law Society is proud to present you the premium guide to learning about the legal industry in Brisbane, Australia. Inside you will find firm profiles to give you a better understanding of what those firms do and whether they are the place for you. Be sure to thank those mentioned on the acknowledgement page and supporting editor Harriette Watson for all their tireless work collating and designing Springboard for law students across Brisbane. If you find any errors or incorrect information, please contact director.marketing@qutlawsociety.com
QUT Law Society is proud to present you the premium guide to learning about the legal industry in Brisbane, Australia. Inside you will find firm profiles to give you a better understanding of what those firms do and whether they are the place for you.
Be sure to thank those mentioned on the acknowledgement page and supporting editor Harriette Watson for all their tireless work collating and designing Springboard for law students across Brisbane.
If you find any errors or incorrect information, please contact director.marketing@qutlawsociety.com
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The Graduate<br />
experience<br />
James Johnston<br />
I began work at Ashurst (or Blake Dawson, as it was then)<br />
as a paralegal in the Insurance Litigation practice group<br />
while I was still studying. I then completed a seasonal<br />
clerkship in the firm’s Environment and Resources group,<br />
before commencing as a graduate in February 2014. As an<br />
Ashurst graduate, you undergo extensive legal training<br />
throughout the year, and have the opportunity to work<br />
in a wide variety of practice areas. During my graduate<br />
year, I rotated through three of the firm’s practice groups –<br />
Employment, Disputes and Corporate. However, I also had<br />
the opportunity to work for a number of other practice<br />
groups during this time, which meant I got to attend<br />
native title meetings in Emerald, the settlement for the<br />
sale of a ship at the Gold Coast, and an appeal in the High<br />
Court of Australia.<br />
Working as a graduate at Ashurst has also given me the<br />
opportunity to be involved in a wide range of pro bono and<br />
community legal work. In addition to attending QPILCH’s<br />
Homeless Persons’ Legal Clinic and the Self-Represented<br />
Litigants’ Service on a regular basis, I have acted on several<br />
litigated matters on behalf of the firm’s pro bono clients.<br />
The best part about this opportunity is that, as a graduate,<br />
you are often working directly with a partner or senior<br />
lawyer, and managing matters as if they were your own.<br />
Being a graduate at Ashurst is certainly not all about<br />
legal work though. My other “responsibilities’ this<br />
year have included competing in corporate sporting<br />
events, coordinating the Graduate’s Christmas Skit, and<br />
representing the firm at a competition in Puerto Rico.<br />
Although it might sound clichéd, the best part about<br />
Ashurst is its people. Although you change groups<br />
throughout the graduate year, everyone, from partner<br />
to secretary, is extremely welcoming. There is a strong<br />
culture of mentoring by senior lawyers, and the sense of<br />
camaraderie amongst the graduates and young lawyers is<br />
unrivalled. For graduates wanting to work on some of the<br />
most unique and exciting matters, in an environment that<br />
is supportive, vibrant and heavy on opportunities, Ashurst<br />
is an excellent choice.<br />
www.ashurst.com<br />
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