We reached out to the current group of Graduates in the Ashurst Grad Programme from their varying degree disciplines and within different rotations, to ask them some burning questions, as requested by students. Thank you to the Ashurst Grads for their time and effort. Let’s see what they have to say!

Rediete
University of Melbourne
Juris Doctor
Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance double major)

Can you let us know what company you are working for and which area of the business you work in or which rotation you are currently in?

Ashurst, Graduate Lawyer, Transport and Infrastructure

What was the first 6 months like? What have you really enjoyed?

I loved the first 6 months of my graduate program. There was a lot to learn but the firm put together a great induction program so that when we started with our teams we were ready to go.

The two highlights of the first 6 months were getting to know the other graduates in my cohort and people in the wider firm and learning new skills.

Was your position with the Ashurst Grad Programme as you expected it to be? Did anything take you by surprise?

I understood the basics of what my position would be - I knew there would be rotations, you would have a buddy, supervising lawyer and partner etc. However, I was pleasantly surprised about how much client contact graduates can get in some teams and also how invested and engaged everyone is in your development, regardless of their seniority.

Everyone is keen on maintaining work/life balance, with that in mind what is the longest day you have put it and have you worked weekends at all?

I have certainly finished late before and have worked on a Saturday, which can happen in this kind of environment when you have client deadlines to meet. However, the team I was with made sure to lighten my load after busy periods and I was able to finish earlier afterwards.

On a day to day basis, what do you work on?

The kind of work that you do varies from team to team. For instance when I was in Global Loans (banking and finance) my main tasks were managing conditions precedents (what needs to be done before a bank funds a loan), corresponding with clients, assisting with execution of documents and having a first go at drafting banking documents.

In my second rotation, Planning Access and Environment, my main tasks were assisting with preparation for tribunal and court hearings, preparing presentations for clients and internal training and preparing research memos.

I have just started in Transport and Infrastructure and I am really excited to see what tasks come my way.

Have you worked on any projects at Ashurst?

In the Global Loans team, I worked on various types of financing projects. Many of these were residential finance matters, but I also assisted on corporate finance matters as well.

In Planning Access and Environment, I have worked on a number of VCAT matters and also a couple of Supreme Court matters. A really interesting project I worked on was helping to prepare an update for the new offshore renewable energy legislation which the
Commonwealth recently introduced. It was such a great learning experience working with a number of Partners and another graduate from our Sydney office on the article. It was also really exciting to see the steps that the Government is taking to encourage renewable energy in Australia.

My current team, Transport and Infrastructure work on a real mix of projects, with both private and public sector clients. I am looking forward to getting a great mix of exciting work with the team as my rotation progresses.

What systems do you use for your role in the graduate programme?

A few of the key systems we use are iManage (document management system); 3e (time recording) and Contract Companion (assists with proofreading documents)

What sort of support are you provided at Ashurst?

Each graduate is matched up with a Supervising Partner, Supervising Lawyer and a Buddy. These are your direct supports in your team who offer mentoring and feedback throughout your rotation both in a structured (e.g. end of rotation appraisal) and informal way (e.g. I have weekly meetings booked in with my Supervising Partner to discuss feedback, to hear about what is happening in the team etc).

Aside from the supports in your team, graduates have a dedicated Human Resources coordinator both at a state and national level, who we can reach out to with any concerns and who regularly check in with us.

More generally, the firm has an Employee Assistance Program available and provides a lot of activities to promote wellness including gym memberships and we have had online yoga and Pilates this year during lock down which has been great.

What skills do you think you need to succeed in your role and do they differ from what you envisioned?

Technical skills are definitely important, including attention to detail. People skills are also very important to succeed in this role. I have seen the importance of client relationships and being able to deal with the 'other side' of a matter in an efficient and meaningful way.

I did not anticipate how much of an important role lawyers played in project management. I have seen how great personal project management skills translate to great external project management skills with clients who are often reliant on their lawyers to facilitate a transaction. This is definitely something that is important to succeed in this profession.

What are the best perks or benefits at Ashurst?

As mentioned before, all employees have access to gym memberships. During Covid, the firm has organised both yoga and Pilates classes which have been excellent and a great way to break up a busy day.

Ashurst also runs social events which have continued, despite the lock down. For instance, one of the social committees have organised online painting classes and cooking classes.

There are deals available to employees with certain companies including banking and health insurance services which comes in handy too!

Ben

Ben
University of Tasmania
Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Laws (Hons)

Can you let us know what company you are working for and which area of the business you work in or which rotation you are currently in?

Ashurst Australia - Currently rotating through the Dispute Resolution team as a graduate lawyer

What was the first 6 months like? What have you really enjoyed?

The first six months were an incredible learning opportunity filled with exciting and interesting work.

I spent the first four months in the employment law team. While in the employment law team I enjoyed working on work health and safety matters, workplace investigations and public service compensation appeals.

Following that I was in the Transport and Infrastructure team where I enjoyed working on large scale projects for the Department of Defence.

Was your position with the Ashurst Grad Programme as you expected it to be? Did anything take you by surprise?

It was not what I had expected before starting with the firm. The thing I found most surprising was the level of responsibility that I was given by senior members of the firm quite early on. This high level of responsibility allowed me to substantial legal work on complex matters which was an invaluable learning experience.

Everyone is keen on maintaining work/life balance, with that in mind what is the longest day you have put it and have you worked weekends at all?

My longest day has probably been 14 hours. However, I very rarely work on the weekend. The only time I work on the weekend, is when I feel like I do not have enough time to complete my required tasks in the following week. However, this has happened only a handful of times and is not expected/asked of me.

On a day to day basis, what do you work on?

Everyday is vastly different and depends entirely on what matters I am working on. However, at a general level, the sort of work I would do in a day would include drafting correspondence to clients, drafting advices, conducting research and reviewing evidence/documents.

Have you worked on any projects at Ashurst?

I have worked on a variety of projects for Commonwealth agencies

What systems do you use for your role in the graduate programme?

Windows computers, Imanage (electronic storage of documents), Skype, Microsoft Teams and 3E (application to record time)

What sort of support are you provided at Ashurst?

On a day to day basis, if I need support on any thing I am able to (and encouraged) to reach out to any member of my team, or the office as a whole. This may be something simple like having someone sense check an email before it is sent all the way through to having a coffee with someone to ask for career advice.

From a broader firm perspective, all employees have access to the employee assistance program if they need to talk to someone confidentiality. Additionally, the firm grants study leave so that you can take days off to sit PLT exams or submit assignments if you fall behind on the course work.

What skills do you think you need to succeed in your role and do they differ from what you envisioned?

I think the most important skills to have are a positive attitude and time management succeed in my role. Before I began in my role, I thought legal knowledge would be the most important skill, but as you are exposed to many areas of law not taught in law school, there is lots of learning on the job.

While this can be tricky at times, a positive attitude combined with good time management skills will assist greatly in the overall learning process.

What are the best perks or benefits at Ashurst?

The firm will pay your PLT, admission and practising certificate fees. The firm also offers a variety of other perks such as a very generous 26 week paternal leave plan that covers a wide variety of paths that people may take when trying to start a family, additionally, the firm offers free corporate gym memberships among other things.

Izzy

Izzy
UWA
Bachelor of Arts (Law & Society and Political Science and International Relations)Juris Doctor

Can you let us know what company you are working for and which area of the business you work in or which rotation you are currently in?

I am a Graduate at Ashurst, and I am currently completing my final rotation in the Employment team

What was the first 6 months like? What have you really enjoyed?

The first 6 months of the Ashurst Graduate Program has been exciting. I've most enjoyed getting to know more about the firm's diverse practice areas and gaining valuable experience and support from senior supervisors.

Was your position with the Ashurst Grad Programme as you expected it to be? Did anything take you by surprise?

My experience as Graduate aligns with my initial expectations (in that there were no nasty surprises). However, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of responsibility given to Graduates, as this has given me the opportunity to learn and develop my skills.

Everyone is keen on maintaining work/life balance, with that in mind what is the longest day you have put it and have you worked weekends at all?

I have been fortunate to enjoy predictable and reasonable work hours for most of my Graduate year. However, there have been rare instances were I am required to work especially late and on weekends.

On a day to day basis, what do you work on?

My day to day work is diverse and rarely repetitive. It can range from conducting legal research and preparing agreements or court documents to reviewing and drafting internal and external correspondence.

Have you worked on any projects at Ashurst?

Examples of the types of matters I have worked on include mergers, schemes of arrangement (front and back-end), court hearings for breach of contract claims and unfair dismissal applications

What systems do you use for your role in the graduate programme?

The key systems I use concern time recording and document management

What sort of support are you provided at Ashurst?

I receive extensive support from direct supervisors as well as informal "buddies". The office is also very collaborative and I feel comfortable asking superiors for help, if required.

What skills do you think you need to succeed in your role and do they differ from what you envisioned?

To succeed as a Graduate Lawyer, I believe you need strong problem solving and analytical skills as well as oral and written communication skills. One of the most important skills (which I did not initially expect) is the ability to remain enthusiastic about the role. This skill is important to building rapport with team members and staying motivated.

What are the best perks or benefits at Ashurst?

Ashurst offers a number of perks, including firm-wide social events (such as Friday night drinks, Paint & Sip and trivia nights), gym membership, sporting activities and health and wellness initiatives

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