Graduate Positions 2011 (2 Viewers)

[melsc]

Hey guys,

For all of those who didn't get a clerkship (and those who got one and don't intend taking a graduate offer from them) I thought it would be a good idea to start discussing who takes law grads and compile dates and places who are having a 2011 intake.

I know its early, I am curious when they open as I know its quite early. I know myself I will be casting my net quite wide.

 

[flamearrows]

Keep in mind that there are other places worth looking for graduate employment than the law firms. For people who didn't enjoy the clerkship experience or want to look elsewhere for some other reason (like practicality - law firms will be taking almost no graduates) then the following are worth a try:

- Investment & garden-variety banks
-- As an analyst (for the business-minded)
-- In risk management or other middle-office roles

- Management & other flavours of consulting
-- Top-tier are anecdotally pretty vicious about entry requirements, but there are many other firms offering good work

- Government
-- There are a few departments who will actually use you in a legal capacity (other than the obvious ones like the AG) - e.g. defence procurement


Many more?

 

[melsc]

Yeah I am looking as to anything I can do so I'll be applying to the above, its going to be a long process I think!

 

[hiphoppresident]

Keep in mind that there are other places worth looking for graduate employment than the law firms. For people who didn't enjoy the clerkship experience or want to look elsewhere for some other reason (like practicality - law firms will be taking almost no graduates) then the following are worth a try:

- Investment & garden-variety banks
-- As an analyst (for the business-minded)
-- In risk management or other middle-office roles

- Management & other flavours of consulting
-- Top-tier are anecdotally pretty vicious about entry requirements, but there are many other firms offering good work

- Government
-- There are a few departments who will actually use you in a legal capacity (other than the obvious ones like the AG) - e.g. defence procurement


Many more?

its harder to get into top IB's and top Management consulting firms than a top law firm...less intake, smarter asians

 

[hiphoppresident]

But I am applying for clerkships this year yay

 

[flamearrows]

its harder to get into top IB's and top Management consulting firms than a top law firm...less intake, smarter asians

Depends how you think. I had more trouble in the softly softly talk-fests of law firm interviews than I did interviewing for Macquarie and BCG...

 

[DKF]

Don't want to hijack the thread, but flamearrows, I notice you got a lot of interviews and offers for clerkships at top-tiers last year. Mind if I ask what your marks, extracurriculars, work experience etc. were like? I can't apply until next year but I'm getting a little concerned. Don't really want to have to worry about applying for grad positions!

 

[flamearrows]

Mind if I ask what your marks, extracurriculars, work experience etc. were like?

Good, a few good ones (rather than a lot of meaningless ones), varied.

There's no answer I could give you that would be helpful for your own applications, short of us sitting down and going through interview prep. Since you know those three factors are important, I'd recommend studying more, getting more involved in the extracurriculars that you already are and... well. Too late for the work experience I guess, unless you could swing a paralegal/barrister's assistant position soon.

 

[DKF]

Thanks for the reply. I posted in the clerkship thread but it's basically died now. I'm really just trying to determine what I need to work on this year in preparation for clerkships.

To be a more specific, I have very good marks (my law GPA is 6.8, we don't do WAM here) and received a few academic awards, but I'm not sure where I sit in terms of extracurriculars and experience. I've done well in internal mooting and one external moot, I've contributed to a few law society publications and review articles for a law school journal (but am not on the Executive or editorial board respectively), and I do a bit of sport, but that's about it for extracurriculars. In terms of experience, I've got about 5 yrs retail experience like every other law student, and about 6 mnths at a community legal centre. I'm not working at the moment (the CLC position was temporary).

This year, I've applied for a research assistant position at the uni and I'm about to send in paralegal apps to the big firms, but I'm in Brisbane so there's not much legal work to go around for students. I'm spending this month trying to polish off a few essays which I hope to get published and/or enter comps with. I'm planning to do first-year mentoring and hopefully do Jessup and maybe another external moot this year.

Is there anything else you (and others) think I should do? Maybe some volunteering, or something else? I'm not too confident that I'll get a legal job this year so my marks and extracurriculars really need to compensate.

 

[flamearrows]

Thanks for the reply. I posted in the clerkship thread but it's basically died now. I'm really just trying to determine what I need to work on this year in preparation for clerkships.

To be a more specific, I have very good marks (my law GPA is 6.8, we don't do WAM here) and received a few academic awards, but I'm not sure where I sit in terms of extracurriculars and experience. I've done well in internal mooting and one external moot, I've contributed to a few law society publications and review articles for a law school journal (but am not on the Executive or editorial board respectively), and I do a bit of sport, but that's about it for extracurriculars. In terms of experience, I've got about 5 yrs retail experience like every other law student, and about 6 mnths at a community legal centre. I'm not working at the moment (the CLC position was temporary).

This year, I've applied for a research assistant position at the uni and I'm about to send in paralegal apps to the big firms, but I'm in Brisbane so there's not much legal work to go around for students. I'm spending this month trying to polish off a few essays which I hope to get published and/or enter comps with. I'm planning to do first-year mentoring and hopefully do Jessup and maybe another external moot this year.

Is there anything else you (and others) think I should do? Maybe some volunteering, or something else? I'm not too confident that I'll get a legal job this year so my marks and extracurriculars really need to compensate.

I read that spiel too as well as the reply saying that you having nothing to worry about.

If you're genuinely worried - rather than seeking attention by posting about your achievements - then maybe you should work on your lack of confidence and interview skills? There's no reason why you wouldn't get a legal job save for your interview performance.

 

[DKF]

Fair enough. I genuinely apologise if I came across as arrogant or attention-seeking, and I should have thanked the poster in the other thread for his/her advice too. I just see a lot of students at my uni, and read about students at others, who seem to have good marks with more legal experience and extracurriculars than I do. I'm trying to make sure I have the best shot possible, and if you guys think I'll be okay, then I'll trust you. You're right that I'm not very confident by nature and tend to worry too much, so I understand that's something I need to work on. I really do appreciate the advice, and I'm sorry for hijacking the thread!

 

[bored at work]

Just work on writing a good cover letter and presenting your CV well.

 

[hiphoppresident]

Just work on writing a good cover letter and presenting your CV well.

DKF - I don't have any academic awards from uni, but I'll get a top tier law firm offer just by smashing the interview. Grades will get you the interview, thats it.

So smash the interview!!

 

[hiphoppresident]

Depends how you think. I had more trouble in the softly softly talk-fests of law firm interviews than I did interviewing for Macquarie and BCG...

what is a softly softly talk fest?

 

[bored at work]

what is a softly softly talk fest?

More personality driven rather than anything substantive.

 

[flamearrows]

what is a softly softly talk fest?

Questions about how your day was and your life experiences.

At least you know where you stand with the investment banks.

 

[Omnidragon]

Questions about how your day was and your life experiences.

At least you know where you stand with the investment banks.

Fark ... ? If you walked into a meeting as an investment banker, I'm sure your client will ask you questions about how your day was and whether you watched the tennis. Don't fumble around and drop your pitchbook if that happens.

 

[flamearrows]

Fark ... ? If you walked into a meeting as an investment banker, I'm sure your client will ask you questions about how your day was and whether you watched the tennis. Don't fumble around and drop your pitchbook if that happens.

Your client won't ask you anything unless you're very senior in my experience.

But way to miss the point in any case.

 

[bored at work]

You could always ask them, easiest way to make a good impression.

 

[Frigid]

Your client won't ask you anything unless you're very senior in my experience.

But way to miss the point in any case.

Perhaps my favourite Melbournian is trying to imply he's very senior.