HWL Ebsworth Lawyers Graduate Programs & Internships

Law

At HWL Ebsworth we believe in investing in our people from the very beginning of their careers. We see our student programs as the start of that investment, where we are committed to nurturing and supporting our employees to reach their full potential as lawyers.

We don’t just say this, we prove it by supporting our Graduates through to partnership through our meritocracy approach. We have the lowest ratio of solicitors to partners than any other Australian law firm. That's why we are different.

We are a national, commercial firm with offices in each state/territory and 1700+, including 280+ partners.

If you are seeking an opportunity to join a firm that is dynamic, forward-thinking and continues to experience substantial growth in the legal industry, this is an excellent opportunity to launch your legal career.

Practice Groups

Aged Care and Retirement Living;

Banking and Finance;

Building and Construction;

Commercial Contracting;

Competition and Consumer;

Corporate (including Mergers & Acquisitions and Equity Capital Markets advice);

Corporate Governance;

Energy and Resources;

Environment and Planning;

Financial Services Advisory;

Foreign Investment;

Government (Commonwealth, State and Local);

Information Technology;

Infrastructure;

Insolvency and Security Enforcement;

Insurance;

Intellectual Property;

Litigation and Dispute Resolution;

Media and Telecommunications;

Property;

Retail and Franchising;

Taxation;

Transport (including Aviation, Maritime, Rail and Road); and

Workplace Relations and OH&S

Recruitment Process

Note: In the relevant state, we follow the QLS, LIV, LSNSW and Uniform Clerkship Scheme guidelines.

Stage 1: Application

To apply for a Clerkship or Graduate program, you will be required to complete the online Application Form. Please attach a copy of your academic transcript and CV along with any additional supporting documentation that you would like us to consider. You will also be asked to answer several short-response questions. The information provided will allow us to obtain an overview of your skills, your previous experiences and your suitability for the Clerkship/Graduate Program.

Stage 2: Application Screening

Our Talent team will review your application against several predefined selection criteria to allow each applicant the opportunity to be assessed equally and objectively.

Stage 3: Information & Assessment Centre

This will encompass both individual and group-based activities designed to assess your analytical, problem-solving, communication and leadership skills, and will run for approximately three hours. You will have the opportunity to meet with partners, solicitors and previous clerks/graduates of the firm.

Stage 4: Interview

This stage will involve an individual interview with the selection panel to enable a final consideration of your knowledge and cultural alignment with HWL Ebsworth.

Stage 5: Offer

Successful candidates will be notified by our Talent team. Upon acceptance of a verbal offer, a written offer will be provided to the successful candidate.

What we're looking for

At HWL Ebsworth we believe in investing in our people from the very beginning of their careers. We see the Graduate program as the start of that investment, where we are committed to nurturing and supporting our employees to reach their full potential as lawyers. We don’t just say this, we prove it by supporting our Graduates through to partnership. That's why we are different.

If you are seeking an opportunity to join a firm that is dynamic, forward thinking and continues to experience substantial growth in the legal industry, this is an excellent opportunity to launch your legal career.

Accessibility

HWL Ebsworth strives to create an inclusive environment where our people want and feel comfortable to bring their entire selves to work. Varied perspectives contribute to our collective success so whatever your background, we'd love to hear from you and encourage you to apply. If you have reasonable accessibility requirements that will enable you to participate equitably in our recruitment process, please reach out to your relevant HR contact for a confidential discussion.

Remuneration & Career Growth

Rotations:

In our Clerkship program you will be aligned to a specific practice group and in our Graduate Program you will rotate through 2-3 depending on your location.

Benefits:

Real and Complex Work: from day one, you'll work on real, challenging, and high-profile matters, gaining exposure to blue-chip clients whilst collaborating with a high-performing team.
Career Progression: with the lowest ratio of solicitors to partners of any Australian law firm, you'll have clear career progression pathways and the opportunity to take on more responsibility, sooner.
Further Study: full financial support for the completion of your Practical Legal Training (PLT) or Supervised Legal Training (SLT) with the College of Law.
Career development: 180-day planning sessions are run with our P&D team to assist in having robust career discussions and planning. We also run internal development programs tailored for each stage of your progression as a lawyer.
Mentorship & Feedback: you'll receive ongoing guidance from your supervising Partner and mentor.
Other leave: permanent full-time and part-time employees of are entitled to 26 weeks paid parental leave. There is also other leave such as annual, personal, family and domestic violence, compassionate and study leave.
Work-Life Balance: enjoy one of the lowest billable targets in the industry.
Networking Opportunities: Engage with your colleagues through social events, firm-wide celebrations, and networking opportunities from Graduates through to Partners.
Flexible working arrangements: while we encourage you to be in the office as much as possible in the beginning, to get to know your team and feel comfortable with the culture, our lawyers have a policy of minimum 3 days in the office.
Pro Bono Secondments: get involved in meaningful community work through our pro bono secondment program.
Customised Induction Program: our comprehensive induction program will assist in familiarising you with our systems, processes and give real insight into our practice groups and life at HWLE.