We recruit the majority of our graduates through the vacation clerkship program. Candidates who are interested in a graduate position will attend an interview, after completing their vacation clerkship, with a partner and HR consultant. Whilst an offer of full time employment is not guaranteed following your clerkship, we do make a number of offers to vacation clerks who have performed well, are enthusiastic about a career in private practice, and who are a good fit with our firm culture. Equally the clerkship program is the ideal way for you to determine whether Minter Ellison is the right fit for you. 

Even though we do not offer work experience or internships outside the vacation clerk / graduate programs you are welcome to submit a proactive expression of interest.  If a suitable position becomes available we will contact you.

Rotations

Brisbane has 11 practice areas: Commercial Advisory & Dispute Resolution, Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure, Corporate & Financial Litigation & Insolvency, Corporate, Environment & Planning, Property, Finance, Human Resources & Industrial Relations, Tax, Insurance & Corporate Risk, Energy & Resources. During your vacation clerkship and your graduate development program you will be asked to nominate a practice group preference for each of your rotations. Although we cannot guarantee it, we will make every effort to build your preferences into your program to help you design your career.

Vacation clerks participate in one practice group rotation; graduates have a choice of three or four rotations.

In making rotation preferences it is important to gain an understanding of what the various practice groups do and take the opportunity to speak with partners and other lawyers within the firm about their areas of interest. You should also keep an open mind about where interesting experiences can be gained. For example, you can gain exposure to litigation not only in the Dispute Resolution division, but also in Human Resources & Industrial Relations, Construction, Tax and Environment & Planning. We also encourage you to consider which groups complement each other – for example, many people who are interested in a career as a Finance lawyer do rotations in Property and/or Tax to gain a greater understanding of how these areas impact on Finance transactions. Our dedicated litigators often benefit from spending time in Mergers & Acquisitions or Real Estate where they gain an understanding of how transactions are structured at the front end of a deal. Finally, take the opportunity to speak with partners and other lawyers within the firm about their areas of interest.

Getting admitted

To become admitted in Queensland you must complete a recognised law degree and an approved program of Practical Legal Training (PLT).

As part of the graduate development program, all our graduates undertake our in-house PLT course. This program is run during your first 34 weeks as a graduate, in collaboration with Griffith University, and prepares our graduates for admission as a legal practitioner. The program satisfies the requirements for direct admission in Queensland. As part of the program you will attend various workshops to gain the practical skills necessary for working as a lawyer such as interviewing skills, legal writing and drafting, negotiation and advocacy skills.

Minter Ellison covers the cost of the PLT program and makes all the necessary arrangements for your application and enrolment to the Supreme Court of Queensland. Study leave is also granted during this period.

What work will I do?

The nature of the work you complete during your clerkship or graduate year will vary depending on which practice group you join. However, broadly speaking the types of tasks you can expect to receive include:

• preparing an initial draft of an advice;
• attending client meetings and/or teleconferences;
• attending court;
• assisting with document management/due diligence;
• preparing case chronologies;
• researching points of law.

Vacation clerkships

Your clerkship will commence with an induction to the firm, covering our history, policies, and practice groups, as well as clerkship tips and comprehensive IT and Know How training. You will then spend four weeks with one of the firm's practice groups, ensuring you are fully integrated into the team and receive a variety of legal work. Our vacation clerkship program gives you 'real life' work experience working closely with partners and lawyers on current matters, taking part in several practical legal and skills training programs and meeting deadlines and producing quality work. 

You will be allocated a supervisor (who will be a senior associate, special counsel or partner) during your clerkship for daily support and to assist in managing your workload. You will also be allocated a buddy (a graduate or lawyer in your practice group), for added insight and advice.  

The clerkship program incorporates an active social calendar to enable you have fun while mixing with the firm's graduates, lawyers and partners. In addition to planned events, clerks may also attend practice group and client functions.  

Graduate program

When you begin your graduate program the focus will be on support and excellence. Your graduate experience will be informed by a strong learning culture. Upon joining you will attend a comprehensive one week induction. The induction will enable you to form relationships with your fellow graduates, familiarise yourself with office procedures and IT systems and learn about the resources available to you.

During your Graduate Development Program, you will also have full access to the firm's Learning and Development calendar which offers a range of courses, workshops and seminars designed to enhance your professional development in areas such as time management, negotiation and presentation skills.

How to apply

Apply for a graduate position using our online application form. We cannot accept paper applications.

Minter Ellison abides by the Brisbane Inter-Firm Graduate Recruitment Guidelines.

For more information please read our FAQs and testimonials.