6.45 AM
I wake up and turn on a podcast, usually an episode of Shameless and listen as the hosts take a deep dive into a scandalous moment in pop culture history. While listening, I jump in the shower, get dressed, grab something to eat and get out the door. The great advantage of living in sunny Brisbane means I can lean into my summer wardrobe more often than not.
7.30 AM
I’m out the door and on my commute. Brisbane is well connected and I’m able to jump on a bus or train to get to work within 30 or 40 minutes depending on traffic. I would have one of the longer commutes of my grad cohort but I find the time goes quickly. Once I’ve consumed my dose of low brow content for the day, I flip through the AFR and ABC headlines while waiting for my stop.
8.30 AM
By about 8.30 am, I walk into the office and say hello to the team in L & R. We have an open plan office so it’s nice to check in with the team across the sectionals as they arrive for the day. Then I am on a mission for coffee. I usually do a quick run to the office kitchen where there is always cold brew in the fridge.
I’ve typically start my day the same way. I log in to my computer, load my emails and review any client emails that have come in overnight. After I’ve gone through my emails, I look at my calendar and to do list and make a plan of the things I want to action today. I love the feeling of an empty inbox so I make sure to file everything as it comes in.
I also go through all of the updates and firm news which has come in from around Australia and overseas. We get all kinds of opportunities to be involved with pro bono initiatives and social groups within the firm. Last year, I assisted a client of the ZigZag clinic – a not-for-profit organisation that provides services for young women who have experienced sexual assault – make an application to Victims Assist. Now I’m on the lookout for a new pro bono project and am hoping to pick up something relating to international humanitarian law as this is an area I am interested in.
9.00 AM
My coffee has kicked in and I’m ready to get started. I am currently working on a piece of litigation which is going to trial later this year in the Victorian Federal Court. Today, I go through my notes from a call with the partner leading the matter and draft a letter to the other side regarding gaps in the discovery that has been provided. But rest assured my involvement in this matters extend well beyond discovery. As part of the core team of lawyers working on the matter I have been involved in fact investigation and research on novel areas of law, preparation of lay and expert witness statements, preparation for case management conferences, and the list goes on.
10.30 AM
My coffee has worn off so it’s time to get another. I meet up with some of the other graduates and we head to the lifts. We go to our usual spot at Hideout, a café across the road from our Brisbane office. We’re spoilt for choice in Brisbane – there are lots of great coffee places around our building.
11.00 AM
Now that I’ve had a coffee re-fuel, it’s time to start working on the next task for today. I start to write an advice regarding the application of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing legislation. I really enjoy the balance of commercial litigation and regulatory work in the Brisbane practice and I happily get stuck into some research.
12.00 PM
On Wednesdays, the Brisbane office puts on lunch. It’s such a delight to have a break and spend time catching up with my colleagues, particularly those I worked with during my other rotations, about what they’ve been up to inside and outside of work.
1.00 PM
After lunch, I continue working on the advice. I form a view about the application of the legislation based on case law and contact the partner. We go into a quiet room (colloquially referred to as the “fish bowl” because it is a room of glass) to talk through the view I’ve reached.
2:00 PM
Coming out of the meeting with the partner, I set aside the advice for bit. Knowing that the deadline to gather CPD points is coming up fast, I take the chance to watch a practice management and business skills session on ESG and the role of in-house counsel. It’s a great session focusing on the types of matters which challenge in-house counsel, and no doubt, their external advisors.
3.00 PM
Time for another trip to the kitchen to take a quick break and grab a fresh jug of water. These little breaks really help me to stay focused and energised, particularly when facing the 3:00 pm blues.
3.15 PM
For the remainder of the day, I focus on the AML advice and prepare a first draft. I send it back to the partner to be settled. After I hear back from the partner, I do a final read through and send it to the client.
5.30 PM
I am usually finished in the office between 5.30 pm to 6.00 pm. Before I pack up, I have a peek at my calendar and grab all of the stuff I will need to spend tomorrow working from home.
6.00 PM
After checking in with the team and saying a quick good bye to the grads, I make my way home. It’s book club today which means all of my friends from uni are coming over for a wine and to discuss the latest trashy novel we’ve all (secretly) adored: Beach Read by Emily Henry.
9.30 PM
After lots of debate about the real villain of the story (spoiler alert: it’s the protagonist herself), I say good bye to my friends so I can have an early start on what will be a busy day tomorrow.
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