Massons continues to expand and our senior lawyers are looking to grow both their clients and quality of work.  We therefore have a real desire to build a “pipeline of talent” into our team.

Clerkship program

Our next clerkship program is for a 4 week period commencing on 25 November 2019 and is open to all current law students, but priority will be given to penultimate year law students.  We aim to have an intake of between 3 to 5 students for our program.  Our clerks will be able to experience “first hand” what it means to work in a specialised legal practice at the cutting edge of property law.

The clerkship program has 3 main components:

1. Providing an opportunity to “shadow” our legal staff, both senior and junior, including attending client meetings, taking part in telephone conferences and being involved in negotiations with other law firms, all as a Massons team member

2. Formal training for the skills you might need to transition from a law student to having a legal position in a private practice law firm, including risk management, delegation and teams, client relationships, business development, financial management, negotiation and drafting skills

3. “On the job training” where you will have the opportunity to assist in preparing draft documents, undertaking legal research and in progressing transactions involving complex commercial property assets.

We pride ourselves on providing a high level of mentoring and development feedback throughout the program.  Even if you do not continue with a career in property law, you will develop and grow as a result of your time with us.

If you are interested in achieving a placement in the Massons formal clerkship program, you will need to ideally:

• be a penultimate law student
• be available for the full clerkship period
• be highly intelligent and driven, with a minimum distinction average
• have a demonstrated capability to work under pressure, prioritise and deliver work with a high level of accuracy
• demonstrate maturity and a positive attitude
• have a desire to have a career in property law

What can we offer you?

A team that is highly successful, supportive and energetic led by partners who have left major global firms to do things differently.  We have an enviable client list including several global companies, government entities and large property trusts.  As part of the Massons’ team you will have the opportunity to work on complex and interesting commercial transactions and gain invaluable experience.

We will also offer our clerks plenty of opportunities to get to know us, and each other.  Our team is cohesive, warm and friendly and we will provide plenty of social activities so that you can have fun whilst you are learning!

If successful, you would be working in our offices in Sydney, on the waterfront at Jones Bay Wharf.

Application process

If you fit the above criteria, and would like to apply for a clerkship placement, please send your resume and academic transcript to property@massons.com by Friday, 11 October 2019.  Your application must also include a cover letter succinctly providing answers to the following questions:

1. Why do you want to take part in the Massons summer clerkship program?

2. What skills and attributes do you think that a lawyer working in a premium specialist law firm might need compared to a lawyer working in a more traditional law firm?

3. Having regard to your answer to question #2, why do you think you might be suitable for the Massons clerkship program?

4. Massons is a transactions-focused firm. Are you able to identify some of the ways our lawyers might add value to clients in commercial transactions? If you were a clerk at Massons, how would you see your role in supporting the lawyers to provide that value?

5. At Massons, we understand that our people are more than just the sum of their work history and their academic results. We value both diversity and well-rounded people. Can you tell us something about yourself that you think we might find fun or interesting (ie something that isn’t apparent from your resume and university results)?

6. Historically, Massons has been very privileged to have attracted a large number of exceptional candidates for our entry level positions. What is the one thing that you would like to say about yourself in closing that might make us prioritise your application above our other candidates?

Selection

Candidates will be largely assessed and selected based on their written application (ie your submitted answers to the questions above, your resume and your academic results).  We will review all written applications to select a shortlist of candidates.  Those shortlisted candidates will be invited to a “get to know you” breakfast function on the date set out below.  (If applying, be sure to put this date in your calendar now!)

The breakfast function will be an opportunity for us to get to know more about you, and for you to meet and chat with our employees of all levels, hear more about the opportunity and the skills you might need in the transition from studying to legal practise, and to decide whether Massons is the right firm for you.

Offers will then be made shortly following the breakfast function.

Key dates

Applications open	Monday, 23 September 2019
Applications close	Friday, 11 October 2019
Shortlisted applicants notified	Monday, 21 October 2019
“Get to know you” breakfast function for shortlisted applicants	7.30am to 9am Wednesday, 30 October
Offers made by	Friday, 1 November 2019
Deadline for accepting offers	Friday, 8 November 2019
Clerkship commences	9.30 am Monday, 25 November 2019
Clerkship concludes	5pm Friday, 20 December 2019