Clerkship Testimonial Melissa Barnwell - Ashurst After completing the clerkship process, the prospect of joining Ashurst was naturally one that pleased and excited me. To my surprise, not only were my high expectations of the clerkship met, they were exceeded. The induction program at Ashurst is I believe the most comprehensive of any law firm. There is a week-long induction program that leaves you well acquainted with all of your new peers and very well prepared to enter your first rotation with confidence. Following induction, near-daily learning and development sessions leave you with a thorough knowledge of what the firm can offer throughout your career. Training and development at Ashurst is truly second to none. Notwithstanding the size of the firm, there is a definite family feel and you are provided with a network that means you never feel out of your depth. I completed rotations in Competition and Banking & Finance, and throughout both rotations I was allocated work that was interesting and diverse. This work ranged from attending meetings with high-profile clients that were facing the concerns of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to drafting high-value commercial agreements. If I had known before the clerkship that I would be asked to “have a go” at drafting a call option for a public-private partnership agreement, the first of its kind in Australia, I would have felt daunted. But at Ashurst I never felt that I was without support. While the work you complete is often important to your team, the lawyers expect that you are on a steep learning curve and their only expectation is that you give it your best shot. I was also surprised to learn that Ashurst's commitment to pro bono is genuine and not one aimed at meeting CSR targets. All of the summer clerks took part in ‘Considering Aboriginality’, a project by the Aboriginal Legal Service. Through the project we were all assigned case notes to draft that analysed Australian courts’ approaches to Aboriginal persons. It definitely gave the clerks a thrill to know their work, through publication on AustLII, would make a real difference to lawyers representing Aboriginal clients. Of course, an Ashurst summer clerkship is not all work and no play. During my clerkship, there was rarely a day when my calendar was not filled with an optional social or sporting event. From rock-climbing sessions, trivia nights, picnics, inter-firm sport, to cheese and wine nights – bonding with the clerks after-hours certainly made my clerkship experience all the more enriching. A clerkship at Ashurst equips you with everything you need to make a strong start to your career. I look forward with great excitement to reuniting with the 2012/13 Ashurst clerks when we return as graduates. Clerkship Guide 2013 55