Simpson Grierson
Law Graduate - Litigation (Rolling Intake)
Wellington
Opportunity expired
Opportunity details
- Graduate Job or Program
- Apply by 10 Oct 2024
- Start date Ongoing
Your role
As a graduate of the Wellington litigation team, the individual works across a range of litigation and advisory matters. On litigation matters, they are involved in a lot of document management, evidence preparation, and drafting of court documents. Advisory matters involve a lot of legal research and drafting practical advice for their clients.
As a graduate in the commercial litigation team, the individual worked on various cases, including contractual disputes, property disputes, and more. Their role varied in each case, from research to managing smaller disputes. Scroll down on this page to learn more about the graduate program.
About you
Requirements:
- Work experience is not required. They don’t expect law graduates to have previous legal experience.
Benefits
Simpson Grierson encourages its employees to bring their whole selves to work. They believe that diversity enhances their business. That’s why they strive to give everyone a sense of inclusion, belonging, and recognition, so employees can be comfortable expressing their individuality, contributing new ideas and delivering their best work. Here are some of the benefits you'll receive:
- A flexible hybrid working policy that covers flexible work hours, working from home, leave of absence, part-time and job-sharing options
- Flexi leave, allowing you to acquire additional holiday leave
- A TOIL policy for legal staff, providing rest periods based on a calculation against hours recorded, and an overtime policy for some employees
- Generous sick leave (up to an extra 10 days), equality across remuneration, and leadership development
- An annual wellbeing payment of $500 to put towards your health, sport or wellbeing goals
- Parenting Support
Training & development
The law graduate cohort is a mixture of individuals who have summer clerked with them and students they hire into law graduate roles.
New law graduates will start by doing their professional legal studies for the first three months. In April, they will join their respective teams, where they will be placed permanently and have the opportunity to get involved in meaningful client work.
Law graduates will gain access to a comprehensive two-year training program that has been described externally as 'leaps ahead' of their competition. None of their law graduates have fee budgets, which means they can settle into their new roles without too much pressure.
Sources
The following sources were used in researching this page
- simpsongrierson.com
- simpsongrierson.com/careers
- simpsongrierson.com/graduates-summer-clerks
Hiring criteria
- No experience required
- New Zealand Citizen +more
- Law, Legal Studies & Justice +more
- Bachelor or higher
Reviews
As a junior in a litigation team, I do a lot of the administrative work associated with litigation, i.e. document management. I also research different legal issues and produce memos on my research, alongside summarising legal developments that I think my team should be aware of.
Communicating with clients, managing files, updating team member's on progress of matters, working independently and in a team,
My day-to-day is relatively varied, as my team generally works on fast paced, smaller tasks rather than litigation that can last years. I am tasked with drafting a lot of work which is reviewed and discussed with a senior before sending to clients.
About the employer
Simpson Grierson
4.2
100 - 500 employees
Law
Invested in the future of their people, their clients, and New Zealand.
Pros and cons of working at Simpson Grierson
Pros
The culture and the people. The environment is so supportive and nothing like what the stereotype of a top-tier law firm is.
I get to work on all kinds of interesting matters involving high-profile individuals and organisations! I generally enjoy the work I do on a day-to-day basis.
Simpson Grierson has a seriously impressive work culture. The people here are warm, and welcoming and the firm really prides itself on inclusion.
The high level of support and the great team culture. I am inspired by the people who I work with and they do so much to help me in my career.
Cons
As a law graduate, you start of doing more administrative tasks which can make you second guess working in a commercial law firm. It is important to look at what more senior team members are doing, as an insight into what future work will be like.
The usual issues that may arise at a big firm.
Just like any other law firm, you have to get stuck in relatively mundane work before you get to the good stuff as a solicitor.
It is a large company so there is a bit less flexibility when it comes to career progression. As a junior, there is also a little bit less hands-on experience.