Madison Bone

Clayton Utz graduate in 2012

I was lucky enough to start my "CU" experience at the end of my high school years. In 2006, I received the Clayton Utz Corporate Scholarship for Bond University. Being a corporate scholar meant I was able to begin a relationship with CU throughout my law degree, and have exposure to the firm and its people from an early stage.

I followed the regular clerkship process and applied for the CU clerkship. The application experience was simple and supportive, and CU kept us informed the whole time as to what we needed to do to ensure we had the best opportunity to succeed in the process. I was shortlisted for an interview for the clerkship, and then headed up to Brisbane for a meet and greet and information session. From there, the process of interviewing began. The interview process was nerve-wracking but overall the experience was enjoyable. The interviewers ensured you knew exactly what was required of you and asked questions that allowed you to speak of your achievements and 'sell yourself'. I was lucky enough to secure a clerkship, and in September 2009, I began what I now know was the beginning of my career at CU Brisbane.

The clerkship experience was a great opportunity to understand the firm, its culture, the work expected of juniors and what is required to really succeed in a top-tier law firm. I was placed in the Environment and Planning team during my clerkship. This was an area that I have never studied before, so I had little to no knowledge to back me up heading in. However, you will quickly learn that everyone expects that you know relatively nothing about the particular area or a task you are doing. What they do expect is that you will use all the resources available and your abilities to locate an answer to the task and that you will be interested, ask questions and be willing to learn.

Throughout the clerkship, I did a little bit of everything - drafting case updates for clients, drafting initial advices on environmental issues pertaining to developments, researching and summarising government papers and many other weird and wonderful tasks. I was also lucky enough to get sent up to a Government Inquiry into one of the biggest financial collapses in Australia at the time to take a transcript of a particular witness (although this was nothing to do with Environment and Planning, I put my hand up for a task from a partner in Litigation, and it turned out to be one of the most interesting experiences of my clerkship!).

Like all law firms, CU has a fantastic social culture. We were wined and dined during the clerkship experience, and even though our clerkship was in September we were all invited along to the Firm Christmas Party at the end of the year too. The trainees who were our 'buddies' also made sure we got out and about and introduced us to the hallowed "Friday Night Drinks". We were also invited to get involved in the CU touch team, and any other social activities going around at the time.

Following the clerkship experience, we then entered the even more terrifying "graduate recruitment" process. Every law student knows how cut-throat it is to secure a graduate position, so the assistance CU gave to all their clerks in understanding the process and making it as smooth as possible really helped to make it a little less scary. I interviewed in March 2010 for a graduate position for February 2012, as I didn't graduate from Bond until May 2011. I was lucky enough to be offered a 'deferred' position for the 2012 intake, and so began my career as a trainee lawyer at CU. Doing the clerkship with CU is crucial to having first rights on an interview for a graduate position. It is much easier to show a firm they should hire you after working with them for 3 whole weeks. At the end of the day, we all have law degrees, but what sets you apart from everyone else applying?! If they have worked with you and know you are capable, easy to get along with and switched on, you will have a much better chance of success in graduate recruitment.

I have completed my PLT and am about to be admitted to be a lawyer in December this year. CU has a great culture, and every week there is something to get involved in (particularly our Clayton Shootz netball team!!). I am absolutely loving the work I do at CU - it is exciting, challenging and pushes me to my limits but I am learning so much and developing my skills every day.