Clerks@Gadens

Gadens introduced clerkships to our Melbourne and Sydney offices in 2023. During our program, Clerks have the opportunity to get to know our people, our clients and our practice groups by participating in a range of work and activities designed to give you insights into private practice in your preferred area of the law. As well as gaining practical experience through working directly with Partners and experienced Lawyers, who are leaders in their field, a dedicated Mentor and Buddy will guide and support you during your rotation. You will also learn more about our firm, culture and how we support the wider community. We will recruit Graduates from Clerks who have participated in our clerkship programs.

Application dates for Clerks@Gadens

Sydney

Gadens are signatories to The Law Society of New South Wales Clerkship Guidelines. Applications open at 9am on Monday, 10 June 2024 and close at midnight on Sunday, 14 July 2024, with offers being made on Wednesday, 11 September, closing Thursday, 12 September 2024. We will be accepting applications from students in their penultimate year of the JD or LLB.

In Sydney, clerkships take place across one intake, between November 2024 and February 2025.

Melbourne

Gadens are signatories to the LIV Seasonal Clerkship Guidelines. Applications open and close on Monday, 1 July and Sunday, 11 August 2024, respectively, with offers being made on Wednesday, 16 October 2024. We will be accepting applications from students in their penultimate or final year of the JD or LLB.

In Melbourne, clerkships take place across three intakes, each four weeks in duration, in the university holiday periods in November 2024, January 2025 and June 2025.

Application details

You need to apply for clerkships directly through our website and will be required to upload your CV, cover letter, and academic transcript, as well as responses to some short questions. You will not be required to complete any psychometric testing as part of our recruitment process. Successful clerks will be invited to attend a networking and information evening in our office prior to interview, to learn more about Gadens and meet our people. Interviews will be held in-person in our offices with a Partner and member of the People and Development team. We look forward to receiving your application.

For any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact our team: earlycareers@gadens.com.

Grads@Gadens

Gadens recognises that our graduates are the future of the firm and the legal profession. Once on our Grads@Gadens program, you will immediately receive challenging and varied work with a high level of responsibility. Grads@Gadens is based on two, six-month rotations through different practice areas. Practice areas in the rotations include:

• Banking and Finance
• Corporate (including Tax Advisory)
• Disputes and Investigations
• Intellectual Property and Technology
• Real Estate and Construction
• Workplace Advisory and Disputes

Spending time in different practice areas means you have the opportunity to make an informed decision about your chosen specialisation. With our practical on-the-job training and working directly with partners you will develop a broad set of skills which you can carry with you throughout your career.

Training and development

Throughout the program we will invest in you and provide comprehensive support to ensure each rotation is a success. You will team-up with a dedicated mentor who will work closely with you to develop your technical skills, allocate work, and provide ongoing feedback.

You will attend multiple workshops each month led by partners and senior members of staff so that you are continually learning and developing. These sessions focus on business skills and technical development and ensure that you are given the support you need to excel in a commercially driven environment.

What we offer

Gadens is a leading, independent Australian law firm, with a clear vision and strategy for the future. We help people achieve their purpose in a complex world, by leading by example, inspiring others, innovating and building something we are all proud of.

We offer:

• progressive and market-leading parental leave support including;
  • 30 weeks’ Paid Parental Leave
  • Superannuation contributions while on Parental Leave, for up to 52 weeks (based on 5 days/week, regardless of your working days)
  • An external coach to support our people through the various stages of the parental leave journey (Launch, Leave and Landing)
  • A supported and staggered return
  • Budget relief for fee earners upon landing/return
  • Support and paid leave for Surrogacy and IVF treatment

• genuine flexibility with Your work. Your way. helping you achieve balance both personally and professionally and a ‘dress for your day’ approach;
• a collaborative, open and welcoming environment, that encourages you to be your authentic self at work and promotes inclusion and diversity;
• Learning@Gadens – our learning and development program provides you with the right learning opportunities to grow the skills, knowledge and behaviours that support your development at every stage of your career and inspires you to be the best you can be;
• regular social events and functions to allow relaxed and fun interactions with your colleagues whilst providing a valuable opportunity to enhance those ever-important networks and business relationships;
• health and wellbeing initiatives through our Wellbeing Committee, such as group sporting events, health seminars, yoga and with a focus on better health and fitness for both the body and mind; and
• opportunities to make an impact on our communities through our Sustainability and Social Impact program which encompasses providing access to justice to those in need; respecting and connecting with First Nations people; acting in a sustainable manner and taking positions on matters of social significance.

This is what makes Gadens a great place to work.

Eligibility

We will recruit for our 2025 Grads@Gadens cohort from Clerks who participated in our 2023/24 Clerks@Gadens programs in both Melbourne and Sydney. Gadens is a signatory to the Law Institute of Victoria and Law Society NSW Guidelines, should market offers be opened we will follow the guideline dates.

Market application dates for Grads@Gadens:

Sydney

• Applications open: Monday 26 February 2024
• Applications close: Sunday 7 April 2024

Melbourne

• Applications open: Thursday 8 August 2024
• Applications close: Wednesday 21 August 2024

Brisbane

For all information regarding the clerkship and graduate programs in our Brisbane office, please see: Early talent.