Clayton Utz

Finding a job is not easy. Be patient and resilient, don't give up and stay true to who you are, and you will find the right role for you. 

What's your job about?

Clayton Utz is a leading full-service Australian law firm providing legal services in a range of practice areas. 

As a full-service commercial law firm, we have lawyers around the country with diverse and broad-ranging legal experience, across a range of industry sectors. Our strength is our ability to bring together teams of lawyers with the right mix of legal and commercial skills to match our clients’ business needs.

As a junior lawyer in the Corporate, M&A and Capital Markets team, my day to day responsibilities (among others) include:

• drafting share and asset sale agreements, shareholders' agreements, company constitutions and other corporate and commercial agreements for both listed and unlisted clients;
• extensive corporate due diligence on large M&A transactions and undertaking verification processes; and
• legal research and corporate advisory work in relation to Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and ASX Listing Rules compliance, corporate governance, directors' duties, preparing director and shareholder documents and liaising with ASIC.
• On a typical workday, I first start the day out with a coffee with my team, and throughout the day I help the partners and senior lawyers in my team on various matters. It could be drafting an agreement or preparing legal advice on an issue our clients are facing. I also attend client meetings, CPD sessions and networking events. 

I also help allocate pro bono matters referred to us by external organisations including community legal centres or charities to our lawyers. And, on Fridays evenings, we have team drinks! 

What's your background?

After completing high school and college in Malaysia, I moved to Sydney in 2013 and studied law at the University of Sydney. Throughout my time at university, I undertook a short term exchange program in Norway, volunteered as an English teacher in Vietnam for three months and completed a field school in Nepal on development and human rights. I worked casually as a paralegal at various boutique law firms throughout my time at uni, and volunteered and worked part-time at Redfern Legal Centre in my last few years of uni. I moved up to Brisbane in 2018 and commenced as a graduate lawyer at Clayton Utz.

Looking for jobs as an international student is difficult because many workplaces have policies which exclude international students in their application process. I had been rejected numerous times by many places including a few major law firms due to my international student status. However, a chance encounter with a pro bono lawyer at Clayton Utz when I was working at Redfern Legal Centre led me to find out about Clayton Utz's merits-based and inclusive policy. Unfortunately, the clerkship/graduate program application season was over when I did find out. Serendipitously, the Brisbane office went to open market to recruit for additional graduate lawyers due to growth and increase in business activity in late 2017. I applied and got the role and started in March 2018.

Could someone with a different background do your job?

To be a lawyer, you will need to have studied law at university or the equivalent. However, if you are a law graduate with a keen interest in the legal profession, a willingness to learn and a positive attitude, you will thrive as a lawyer at Clayton Utz.

Everyone here is unique and we bring something different to the table, and that's very much encouraged. So no matter who you are or where you're from, unique differences are what make us who we are as a firm, and ultimately our people are what sets us apart from everyone else. 

What's the coolest thing about your job?

The people I work with and the work I do every day. I am a people person, and my role involves interacting and working with people whether with my team, lawyers in other practice groups or with clients. There is always a human and people-focused aspect in my job. 

I am also passionate about learning and constantly want to grow and develop myself. I work on something different every day and that lets me learn something new regularly. The variety of work I get keeps me interested in my job and satisfies my appetite to learn and grow.  

What are the limitations of your job?

As a junior lawyer, sometimes you cannot control your workload. That means that during a quiet time you may not have a lot on and during a busy time you may have to manage deadlines and competing priorities, and sometimes this may result in an irregular work schedule. 

However, the partners and the team are very supportive as they understand the nature of work we do. They often encourage us to take downtime, work flexibly during a quiet period and check-in to make sure we aren't overwhelmed when it is busy.

3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...

• Don't be afraid to try new things. If you've been thinking about applying for a job, volunteering at a not-for-profit organisation, or even signing up for an extracurricular activity, do it! It's never too late to start. 
• Finding a job is not easy. Be patient and resilient, don't give up and stay true to who you are, and you will find the right role for you. 
• Don't be afraid to ask questions or make mistakes. That's how you learn! A keen interest and positive attitude go a long way. And, don't forget to relax/unwind and take care of yourself. 

Life as a Graduate at Clayton Utz

How did I get here?

I graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physiology and Pharmacology.  I really had no idea what else to do next, so decided to try out law. The next thing I knew, I had graduated with a Juris Doctor in December 2019. 

I did a clerkship with Clayton Utz in June/July 2019. I was initially attracted to the firm's strong pro bono practice, its top-tier reputation, and its commitment to developing its people. 

After completing my clerkship, I was offered a graduate role, which I happily accepted. I began as a graduate in the 2020 cohort. 

Life as a Graduate 

At Clayton Utz, graduate lawyers complete three, six-month rotations in different teams. I rotated through Corporate M&A and Equity Capital Markets, Major Projects and Construction, and am presently in the Restructuring and Insolvency practice. As a graduate, you are a key member of the teams through which you rotate. You will attend Court, help to draft commercial contracts, undertake legal research and assist with writing legal advice. 

Highlights of my rotations include working on two initial public offerings in the Corporate M&A and Equity Capital Markets team, as well as working on a high-profile construction dispute during my time in the Major Projects and Construction team, which attracted media coverage.  

The great part of being a graduate at Clayton Utz is really feeling like you are part of a team. Each team I have rotated through has been invested in my development and in helping me to improve as a lawyer. I have developed some great professional relationships. Starting my career as part of a graduate group is something I have also appreciated. My graduate cohort really relied on each other in our first year, as we navigated starting our careers during lockdown. Once office life got back to normal, we organised a charity quiz night, morning teas and other social events, which got us involved in firm life.  

Pro Bono work

As well as its large and diverse commercial practice, Clayton Utz is a leader in pro bono. Every graduate is given a pro bono matter to run when they start their first rotation, which they run by themselves. I was assigned a criminal injuries compensation claim and I was able to get my client the jurisdictional maximum payout ($75,000!), which was a great feeling. 

Clayton Utz also has relationships with Law Access and Women's Legal Service WA. I had the opportunity to go on secondment to both of these organisations, which was invaluable as I was able to gain experience in other areas of law, such as family law. 
Social responsibility is important to me, and I am grateful that Clayton Utz allows its lawyers to give back to the community through its pro bono practice and community partnerships.  

Some parting advice

I have definitely learnt a lot during my first year as a graduate. I would offer this advice to you as future law graduates:  

1. It is ok to make mistakes. You are not expected to know everything when you are starting out in your career. As long as you put your best foot forward and try to learn from the experience, you will be fine. 
2. Remember to relax. Your first year as a graduate could mean late nights and weekend work. Make sure to take the time to foster your interests and relationships outside of work. 
3. Keep an open mind. I recommend clerking at different firms and volunteering at a community legal centre. Choose the path that is right for you. If you are offered a graduate position, wherever that may be, remember you will be in the office five days a week, 48 weeks a year. It is important for you to determine whether you are the right fit for the firm and, equally, for the firm to determine whether you are the right fit for them.