Lauren Miller

8.00 AM

My priorities in the morning are (a) getting a coffee and (b) checking my inbox.

I am currently a junior associate in the Melbourne office, rotating in the Dispute Resolution (DR) practice group. In Melbourne, we complete three rotations, each for four months, and then settle in one of those teams.

As the only grad rotating through DR at the moment, I can generally expect to have a busy day. DR is one of the larger teams in the Melbourne office, so there are always tasks popping up and new matters to get involved in. Because of this, things in DR can also change quite quickly, so it's good to be as prepared as possible at the start of the day.

After I've had the chance to review my emails, I update my 'to-do' list with relevant tasks. To give you an idea, my to-do list currently includes:

• finishing a research memorandum on the measure of damages and valuation of businesses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic for one of the senior associates in our team;
• reviewing witness statements and transcripts to create a chronology of events tracing payments made in one of our corporate crime matters;
• drafting a memorandum to accompany a brief to counsel concerning a dispute about an indemnity under a contract of sale for one of the partners in our team;
• setting up a call with a client and a senior associate in our Sydney office to gather some facts about a potential defamation matter;
• assisting our knowledge lawyer with the preparation of a practice group newsletter; and
• reviewing a client file in preparation for volunteering tomorrow at Refugee Legal Clinic.

9.00 AM

All juniors in Melbourne share an office with another member of the team. It's a really positive experience - because you get to know a team member and have someone you can reach out to with any questions. It's also convenient to be in your own office space because you can close the door when you need to put your head down!

By this point, my office buddy and I are usually both in, so we catch up and chat about any work she might need my help with. This morning, she lets me know that she will need help with a research task for a foreign client. It involves comity, jurisdiction, and foreign non-parties. She has also asked if I can take notes during a call that afternoon with the client and lawyers in that jurisdiction. 

9.45 AM

On Mondays, I join the DR team meeting at 9.45 am. This is a meeting to discuss everyone's priorities and work for the week, but also a general catch-up for the team. Every other Tuesday, I have the opportunity to join the Competition and Consumer Team Meeting (within the DR group) too. This meeting features a different case summary or development in the area, in addition to discussing any relevant work going on at that time.

10.15 AM

This morning, I've received an email from one of the three partners in our DR team, following up on a matter I had assisted with previously. At the start of each rotation, we are assigned a supervising partner who is responsible for helping us manage our workload. That said, I work with all three partners in the team, not just my supervising partner. As the DR partners have different areas of expertise and interest, it's fantastic to have the opportunity to work with all of them.

This partner has a particular focus on corporate and insolvency matters. Last week, I drafted a letter to a company director (of a de-registered company) informing that director of our client's intention to apply to ASIC as a third party to reinstate that company. This week, I've been asked to review the application itself, draft a cover letter to ASIC explaining the contents of the application and coordinate lodging the application itself. I reach out to one of our secretaries to help with the logistics. Everyone is assigned a secretary to help out with tasks like this and as a junior in the team, I rely heavily on them for their insight, knowledge and support. They are integral to the team functioning well!

After coordinating everything, I check in with the other junior associate working on the matter to let him know that the application has been sent and that I will update the partner. DR is a very collaborative team, so strong communication skills are really important in this role.

12.00 PM

The special counsel in our team asks if I can assist with some follow-up queries from a trial that I assisted with the week before. That matter is for a foreign client regarding land in Victoria being developed for a windfarm. Leading up to the trial, I had the opportunity to work directly with the partner and special counsel, as well as the three counsel briefed to appear. I was also able to observe the whole trial in person at the Supreme Court of Victoria. Attending the trial in person has been a highlight of this rotation - especially after a year of online Court!

Turning back to today's task, I have been asked to review various versions of a permit (including amendments made to it) in relation to the windfarm, and track when different parcels of land have been added or removed. Because there have been various amendments and different permits that have been merged, it's important that we know which land was added at which point in time.

I ask one of our paralegals for help with the task. Our paralegals are often taken from the seasonal clerk pool, so you have the opportunity to get some exposure to the Firm before or after your clerkship. As a former DR paralegal myself, I found it a great way to gain some insight into the team.

1.00 PM

1.00 pm is lunchtime in the legal world (as most Courts adjourn for lunch between 1.00 pm - 2.15 pm). I've brought lunch with me today so I will join the other grads, paralegals and associates at the communal table in the middle of the 18th floor. If it's a nice day outside, we'll walk across to a courtyard nearby with outdoor tables and enjoy the sunshine.

2.00 PM

After lunch, I start looking into the research question my office buddy asked for assistance with. Our client is a foreign client who has received documents served through the Hague Service Convention (The Hague Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents in Civil Commercial Matters). Our client has received a request in these documents to disclose certain documents in relation to an Australian Court proceeding and wants to know what steps to take and what their obligations are in relation to Australian law. This will be discussed on the call with the client.

Luckily, I presented on this topic recently, so I am aware of how the Hague Service Convention works. Junior lawyers are encouraged to participate in PD presentations, and I was lucky to co-present mine with another junior associate from our Sydney office.

I spend some time putting together a preliminary note for her and have a look through the relevant correspondence and documents in preparation for the call.

3.00 PM

Another associate asks if I have the capacity to assist with some research on one of our criminal matters. I let her know that I won't be able to help her this afternoon, but will have capacity tomorrow. Another thing to add to my to-do list!

The best thing about working in this team is the variety of work. In my short time in DR, I have worked on matters with issues across criminal law, environment and planning law, judicial review, defamation, industrial disputes, competition & consumer law, class actions, insolvency, royal commissions, and climate change - in addition to general commercial litigation. Every day is different and I never know what I could be asked to get involved in next!

I finish off my research note above and send it through to my office buddy and partner to review ahead of the call.

4.15 PM

The call with the foreign client will start soon, so I open a draft email and start including details of attendees for the file note.

During the call, I observe and take notes. It's really interesting to have the foreign counsel there in addition to the client, and to hear their perspective.

After the call ends, I put together a summary and action items list and send them to my office buddy and the partner involved in the matter.

5.00 PM
 

After that, I spend an hour viewing the client files ahead of my volunteer day at Refugee Legal tomorrow. It's really important that I'm across the details of the client's file, as I may be assisting them, with the help of a translator, to update or draft a statement.

There are a variety of pro bono opportunities available at the Firm and juniors are encouraged to get involved in pro bono work. Any pro bono work we do is also classified as billable for the purposes of our timesheets. There are ongoing programs that you can volunteer to do, such as the clinic through Refugee Legal, but there are also shorter term tasks or projects to get involved in.

So far, I've had the chance to be involved in pro bono projects ranging from research on a client file run through Youthlaw Legal Pod; climate change research and case summaries for an international environmental organisation; research on assisted reproductive rights for an international stakeholder; and volunteering as a judge on the International Children's Rights Moot Court that Baker McKenzie co-presented this year with the University of Leiden. Overall, I really enjoy being involved and appreciate the exposure to other aspects of law and other practical skills you get as a result.

6.00 PM

I'm done for the day! I close my timesheets, update my task list, have a final look at any emails, say my goodbyes and take off for the evening. See you tomorrow!

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