Uni Students Enjoy Taste of Law Firm Life
Studying law at university and practising law in the real world are two very different things, and Cooney Lees Morgan is proud to help bridge that gap.
Seven aspiring lawyers from Victoria and Otago universities have just completed our summer clerk programme for 2023/24 and were assigned to one of four practice teams within our firm to gain hands-on experience. During their three months with us, they expanded their knowledge and skills by working directly with clients under the guidance of our senior staff.
Joshua Adams assisted our Corporate & Commercial team and has been busy drafting agreements and deeds, incorporating companies, conducting anti-money laundering checks, strategic reviews, and researching specific legal issues.
The 23 year-old says he loved getting straight into work on day one. “Writing legal arguments in law school is very different to writing legal advice to clients,” he says. “The work I have been involved in has improved my style of writing and the way I frame my legal work to clients in a way that anyone could understand.
“Law school does not expose students much to the behind-the-scenes workings of a law firm that administrators and legal executives undertake. But a practice group is a team with multiple moving parts that contribute to serving a client’s needs.”
Turning law school theory into real world experience has helped Joshua cement his knowledge and skills. Having completed his Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce degrees, he will now embark on his Professional Legal Studies Course (Profs) and hopes to work in litigation and family law in future.
Emma Hancock has worked alongside our Private Client & Trust team, preparing wills, drafting trust and Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) documents, and dealing with family law matters. She says seeing a matter through from start to finish was very satisfying. “I had never turned my mind to family law, but have found it enjoyable and interesting.
“I think the experience I have gained at Cooneys will definitely help me see the ‘bigger picture’ beyond my studies, as well as giving some real-world context to what I am learning. The concepts we learn in studying law can often feel quite abstract and somewhat removed at times. I am studying family law next year, which I knew nothing about prior to working at Cooneys, so I am excited to approach the course with some prior knowledge!”
The 21 year-old is due to graduate in mid-2025. Emma had heard good things about CLM’s summer programme from friends who had clerked in previous years, and was drawn to the firm’s values. “I love that Cooneys has the efficiency and ‘feel’ of a big firm whilst maintaining a down-to-earth atmosphere – everyone feels very approachable and willing to help, which I was super appreciative of.”
Esther Barry had the pleasure of returning to CLM this summer, having clerked the previous year also. “With my grandad as a previous partner of the firm, the CLM Summer Clerk programme was something I always aspired to be a part of, having heard about it from a young age.
“Coming back a second time meant I was really looking forward to learning about a different area of the law. Being engaged in family law has certainly been a highlight. It has also been wonderful meeting and working with all the great summer clerks, as well as the other members of the CLM whānau who have been incredible mentors.”
Esther spent the summer with our Private Client & Trust team, preparing letters of advice for clients, conducting legal research and other interesting tasks.
“My experience at CLM has already been hugely beneficial in my studies so far. I can only imagine how beneficial it will be having two years of experience under my belt going into my final year at university. Having been in the family team this summer, I am really looking forward to starting my family law course and applying the skills and knowledge I have gained.”
Sophie Fraser-Mackenzie, from Mount Maunganui, enjoyed her time with our Dispute Resolution & Local Government team focusing on civil litigation employment law. “I got to do a range of things such as drafting court documents, affidavits, letters of advice and a lot of legal research,” she explains.
“The biggest surprise for me was probably the amount of responsibility we are given despite being just students. You know the work you are doing is directly benefiting a client and that’s a great feeling.
“I feel a lot more confident in my legal research skills now and I think that will be helpful going into my final year of study. I feel like I’ll be able to apply that to go beyond the course materials we are provided and give me a deeper understanding of the law I am being taught in lectures.”
Sophie will graduate later this year with a Bachelor of Laws conjoint with a Bachelor of Science majoring in genetics. “The highlights of this clerkship have probably been the people. The other summer clerks were a great group of people to work and spend time with. Everyone has been so welcoming. I really feel like a part of the firm.”
Eloise Sharpe also hails from Tauranga and has really enjoyed spending the past three months working with our Dispute Resolution & Local Government team. “I have been given a variety of tasks ranging from researching and writing opinions for clients, to preparing bundles for court and writing articles for the CLM website,” she says. “My highlights have been working with such a lovely bunch of people, learning from some of the best lawyers in the Bay and putting my skills into practice!”
Adjusting to the firm’s systems at the beginning of the clerkship was quite challenging as Eloise learned how to navigate her way around the huge volume of data available. But she was surprised with just how comfortable she felt after such a short amount of time and the variety of work and responsibility she was given.
“It is easy to get swept up in the vacuum that is law school, so experiencing how the law works in the real world within a bigger picture is useful, especially when it comes to thinking about legal issues within university papers,” she says.
Mount Maunganui’s Oscar van der Beek was assigned to the firm’s busy Property & Development team. He found the research work involved incredibly rewarding and was given a lot of independence to pursue and solve problems. “I then had the satisfaction of seeing my findings taken on by my seniors and presented to the clients,” he says.
“In terms of firm culture, the openness and social atmosphere has been excellent. People have been hospitable and generous workmates, ready to give advice and are very friendly. Additionally, the firm provided several workshops throughout the first weeks that introduced us to the practical side of lawyering, as opposed to the purely academic side of things we see at law school.”
Oscar will complete his Bachelor of Laws in the coming months and says his summer clerkship has highlighted how important flexibility and adaptability are in the workplace.
“It has informed my ideals of the kind of environment that I would like to work in once I finish my studies. The work I have been given has been varied and given me a realistic idea of the kind of work I can expect in this field of law. I have also been impressed by the firm’s commitment to the local community which, having grown up in the area, is something that has resonated with me a lot. I have found my time here thoroughly rewarding.”
Courtney Thomas is also impressed with the support and mentorship she has received at CLM while working in our Corporate & Commercial team. She has delved into a wide variety of tasks relating to clients of all types – from individuals and families, to companies, trusts and shareholders.
“What surprised me the most was how much trust and responsibility we were given. I was expecting a large percent of the role to be menial, administrative tasks, and for the valuable experience to be largely from observing others. However, right from the start we were thrown in the deep end and doing what felt like real, meaningful work for clients, learning as we went along. It was encouraging to be given this much responsibility, and the hands-on approach to tasks really helped me grasp the concepts so much faster, and understand the work for clients in a wider context.”
Courtney’s highlight was CLM’s workplace culture. “It was amazing just to be a part of regular meetings, social activities, celebrations, morning teas, and just getting to know everyone… I think this is something that could only have been possible because of the medium size of the firm, which enables relationships between staff of all different areas.
Being a summer clerk is invaluable experience as she works towards a conjoint Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Science, majoring in environmental studies. “It has really encouraged me to consider the ‘why’ behind the law, and how it applies to people in their day-to-day lives and transactions. We leave this programme with crucial experience, connections, mentorship, support and a sense of belonging here, which really gives us the full experience of working in the firm.”
This is the fifth year Cooneys has run a summer clerk programme. We are proud to help support the next generation of lawyers coming through, and look forward to seeing this year’s clerks embark on successful careers in the months and years ahead!
Latest Update: 26 Jan 2024
