7.30 AM

The commute to work begins! Whilst on the bus I love to listen to music and scroll through LinkedIn for any news updates or articles my colleagues have shared. 137 lawyers from our firm have been recognised as 'Best Lawyers' in Australia, and my practice group head was named one of the Lawyers of the Year!

8.00 AM

I like to arrive in the city early so I can get a coffee. I sometimes meet people from other firms as it is a great way to network and stay connected with my friends from uni. Today I met some of the other grads from HWLE.

8.20 AM

I arrive at the office and make my way to Level 20 where I am greeted with stunning views of the Swan River. I go into the kitchen area to put my lunch away and whilst doing this I bump into a few colleagues, so we catch up about the Easter long weekend.

8.30 AM

I begin my day by checking my emails. I like to set an agenda which prioritises attending to urgent matters and client queries. 

The partners have just included me in two new matters; an extension of lease and pro bono property matter. I get started on the preliminary work by reviewing documents the clients have sent us and arranging times with the partners to discuss the next steps.  

Our firm is also participating in the Law Access Walk for Justice next month, so I make sure to sign up for that too!

10.00 AM

I sit in on a client meeting with an associate in my team regarding a deed of works and lease for our client who acts for the landlord. The associate goes through the comments and variations with the client, and I take down any notes and changes the client wants to make. Meeting clients face to face is always such a rewarding experience. I love that at HWLE juniors can meet with clients too.

It is normally around this time that I would get coffee with some juniors in the firm, however today the associate and I had coffee with the client. It was a great way to get to know everyone better as we will all be working closely together over the next few months.  

11.30 AM 

One of the partners brings donuts for the whole team to share for morning tea!

12.15 PM

I have a meeting with a partner in my team to discuss a pro bono matter. It concerns an elderly client, a question about the existence of a trust and a dispute over family property. I enjoy working on pro bono matters as it is very rewarding to help these types of clients whilst getting my head around interesting property law concepts at the same time.

12.30 PM

Everyday most of the grads grab lunch together to discuss our days and give each other much needed life updates. It's great to hear about what's going on in other practice areas of the firm too. We normally sit outside and soak up the sun and fresh air. 

Some of the grads also opt to use the gym in our building during lunch time as we have great classes and end-of-trip facilities. I decide to opt out today as I have volleyball this evening. 

1.30 PM

I get back to my desk and draft an initial email to our pro bono client for the partner to review, whilst concurrently reviewing the residential tenancy agreement, referral summary and statement of agreed facts to see if we need to query anything with the client.    

2.15 PM 

Part of being a grad means we participate in outside run! This involves delivering court documents to chambers, going to Landgate and making other deliveries to client offices around the CBD. It’s a great way to keep moving throughout the day and stretch our legs! The other grad and I grab a chai latte on the way back to get us through the rest of the afternoon. 

3.00 PM

I start reviewing client materials for another property partner in my team regarding an extension of lease for our client. Since I will be drafting this document, I have a look at some past examples my colleagues have done to get an idea of what is expected. I love at HWLE that juniors can work directly with partners on matters. It is so rewarding working on a wide variety of deals from start to finish with partners and learning the lifecycle of transactions. I also enjoy how tangible working in the property team is - a lot of our clients have major properties all over Perth that I walk or drive past most days. It's nice to see your hard work pay off.

3.50 PM

Since I am new to the property team, some of my colleagues run training sessions on 'property basics' that we will be dealing with throughout our rotation. I take the time to review the material from last week as I missed the in-person training session due to a College of Law exam.  

It is great to know as a junior at the firm that everyone in the team is invested in our learning. I am so grateful that the seniors in our team are willing to take the time to help us understand new concepts without throwing us in the deep end. The training and mentorship are great and very valuable.

4.45 PM

Before I leave work, I always check that my time sheets are submitted for the day. I also send out emails to the colleagues I've done work for that day to give them a progress status report on where I am up to on their tasks. Communication is key.

5.00 PM

Time to pack up and leave for the day. I catch one last glimpse of the Swan River from the reception before making my way to the bus to go home.  

7.30 PM

HWLE Indoor Beach Volleyball! The firm's social club has a volleyball team, and it is such a great way to meet other people in the firm and stay active. I go along with another grad in my team, and have so much fun! It is nice to see my colleagues outside a work context, and the energy from the team was great. It's a lovely way to finish off the day. 

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