You have received a clerkship offer – congratulations! The clerkship is a pathway to a graduate position at the firm; however it is not guaranteed. So how do you stand out? How can you show your direct supervisors that you will become an invaluable asset to the team?
Evaluation Process
Before we share our main tips, it is important to be aware of the evaluation process. While the precise method of evaluation may differ between firms, there are two main ways that a clerk can be evaluated:
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Formal Evaluation – this is through HR mandated feedback and review conducted by your team. While each firm is different, you are usually assigned a buddy, supervising lawyer and Partner. These assigned lawyers are usually required to provide a written evaluation of you at the end of your rotation in their team and determine whether you are suitable to the team and the firm.
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Informal Evaluation – this is through the relationships you build and feedback you receive from other lawyers in the team who are not your assigned points of contact. As your formal evaluation is also informed by input from the wider team, it is quite important to facilitate strong connections and uphold your motivated and proactive attitude.
In this article, we share our tips to help convert your clerkship into a graduate position.
1. Attention to Detail: Take your time but be accurate
When you begin as a clerk, there are no expectation that you are familiar with any of the processes within the firm. From drafting an email to proof-reading a contract, there is an understanding that you need time to familiarize yourself with the work. When you begin as a clerk, be sure to take as long as you want on the task until you are comfortable with the quality of your work. For example, there are times that a simple 15-minute task for lawyers or partners, would take a clerk up to 2 or 3 hours to complete.
While you are able to take your time with the task, one aspect you should be demonstrating to your team is that you have an impeccable attention to detail. The fact that you take your time on each matter means that you should be very observant to any and all errors within a document. Partners and lawyers are pleasantly surprised if you are able to catch things that they have missed, and this will reflect positively in your formal evaluation. On top of this, doing a good job on seemingly simple tasks are also critical to building trust with your team, which often lead to being assigned to more exciting opportunities later down the track. As a clerk, it is important to double or even triple check your work for grammar, syntax, formatting and correct citation of relevant legislation and key facts. It can be the tiniest of things (minor spacing issues) or more substantive elements (wrong client name or authority cited), but the key is to really focus on the task and pick at every little thing. You will be surprised by how many simple mistakes you miss despite having proofread the same document a number of times.
2. Time Management: Balance Enthusiasm with Reasonableness
One trait that is often emphasized to clerks by lawyers during information evenings or interviews is demonstrating enthusiasm and willingness to learn. While it is important to demonstrate this, time management is important. There are many instances where clerks end up taking on a large amount of work that pushes them to overtime. The balance you must find is being willing to help, while also communicating other commitments that you have for the day. An example of how the conversation should go is as follows:
Lawyer: “Hey, can you help me with this task? It will take a couple of hours”
You: “Sure! I am happy to help – just letting you know that I have a few other tasks to complete today, such as X, Y and Z so I am unsure whether I can finish your task by today. Is that fine with you?”
Having such a conversation will demonstrate your willingness to help, while also flagging your availability. If there are a number of tasks you are required to complete, the lawyer will often be understanding and would assign it to someone else if it is urgent. Remember to only take on what you can handle. The amount of work you are actually involved in plays no role in your evaluation.
3. Open Communication: Be Inquisitive and Proactive
A major component of your evaluation actually comes from the relationships that you build with your team members. As such, it is important to contribute to the team and be proactive with tasks that can help lighten their workload.
There are times where you will not be assigned any work. While it may be tempting to just wait for work to come to you, being proactive can help build stronger relationships with your team which could lead to interesting work in the future. This involves going around to each and every team member in the office (or online) and telling them that you have the capacity to help if necessary. Not only does this show your proactiveness and desire to be involved, but it is also a way to facilitate social interactions with your team members which are also important to building stronger relationships. The initiative you demonstrate through these actions will also serve you well in your evaluations and also improve your image as an approachable and friendly person.
When you are assigned a task, it is great to also be inquisitive. This goes beyond clarifying the task at hand, to being curious of the broader matter and where the task fits in the process. One way to be inquisitive is to ask “What” and “Why”. If you are tasked to read a contract, ask what this contract seeks to do and why is it important. Asking these questions show that you want to learn and are interested in the documents that lawyers use to help their clients resolve disputes or facilitate transactions. It can also help build your commercial awareness and understanding of certain processes.