Madison Sutton

Degree: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws, Monash University
Position: Lawyer, Clayton Utz Melbourne office

Life as a graduate at Clayton Utz

The Clayton Utz graduate program has given me opportunities to develop invaluable legal skills and establish a wide-reaching support network, allowing for a smooth transition from university student to graduate lawyer.

In my first few weeks as a graduate, I participated in Practical Legal Training workshops, research skills training sessions and the national graduate orientation program, held in the Clayton Utz Sydney office. This training combined with the orientation program provides graduates with an excellent foundation and a base-level of knowledge required to navigate the practical realities of commercial law, as well as creating a close-knit graduate group that can always be relied on for support, assistance and a lunch-time break in the sunny courtyards.

Every graduate undertakes rotations in different practice areas of the firm, ranging from workplace relations and employment, commercial litigation, and major projects and construction, to environment and planning and intellectual property law. This diversity in practice groups is one of the many reasons I joined Clayton Utz, with my rotations being in the Workplace Relations, Employment and Safety (WRES) and Major Projects and Construction teams.

As a graduate in the WRES team, I gained invaluable experience in both the transactional and litigious sides of employment law. Over the course of a day, I would attend strategic meetings with barristers in relation to unfair dismissal claims, prepare submissions and statements of claim to be filed in court, review workplace policy packages, and provide pro bono advice on gender discrimination complaints. Working in this area of law is highly rewarding at a time where COVID-19 and the rise of the gig economy has transformed traditional workplace arrangements and in turn, challenged the law that governs these relationships.

In the Major Projects and Construction (MPC) team, I had the opportunity to take the lead as a junior in drafting complex commercial arrangements related to rail, roads and social infrastructure. Clayton Utz is at the cutting-edge of this area of law, providing strategic advice to clients on the contractual implications arising from the bushfires or the pandemic, much of which is unchartered territory for the legislature and judiciary. I am passionate about working in MPC. Primarily because of the collaborative nature of the Clayton Utz team - working alongside and being supported by supremely talented partners, who will help you become the best lawyer you can be.

This drive for excellence, and the down-to-earth and collaborative culture of Clayton Utz is evident from the opportunities for graduates to be involved in the firm's not-for-profit work for organisations like Ardoch and Fareshare, the pro bono services graduates provide to Justice Connect as well as the firm's social events, which include annual trivia and karaoke nights and inter-firm netball.

You can make the most of your clerkship and graduate program at Clayton Utz by actively participating in the opportunities it provides, whether that is attending a client meeting, assisting in providing pro bono legal advice or joining the netball team. Clayton Utz is passionate about developing exceptional well-rounded lawyers, encouraging their clerks and graduates to be open to learning from others and applying that knowledge with curiosity, energy and enthusiasm!

Shaun Chng

Position: Lawyer at 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.

Caitlyn Cooke

Degree: UWA with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physiology and Pharmacology
Position: Lawyer Clayton Utz Perth office

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:

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.
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.
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.

What surprised you about the Clerkship?	What type of work did you have exposure to during your Clerkship?
How would you describe the firm culture?	What Learning & Development opportunities were provided during your clerkship?

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What surprised you about the Clerkship?

What type of work did you have exposure to during your Clerkship?

How would you describe the firm culture?

What Learning & Development opportunities were provided during your clerkship?

What type of work did you have exposure
to during your Clerkship?

What Learning & Development
opportunities were provided during your clerkship?