The Better Call Sarah panel has tackled what to expect with the “Hunger Games” styled clerkship career path and dished out candid advice in its latest event at Law Society House.
With guests Mel Story and Midja Fisher, host and former Queensland Law Society (QLS) Future Leaders Committee President Sarah Plasto broke down what law students and aspiring lawyers need to be looking at as they eye up their entry into the profession.
Mel, who in 2023 was awarded QLS In-House Counsel of the Year, told the crowd of predominately law students to be prepared for some tough competition for clerkships.
“I speak with students every day who are preparing for that like it’s the Olympics,” she said.
“Not only is the GPA 5.5 out of 7 at a minimum or you’ll get cut off by AI, but there’s also the extracurriculars, there’s like feeding an orphanage or doing something ridiculous in a yurt in Mongolia.
“The intensity of the caliber of the candidates for these positions is getting just wild because it can and the firms are not incentivised to think outside of the usual hiring practices because it’s worked for a long time.
“I call this the clerkship ‘Hunger Games’ for a reason, because the odds have to be in your favour if you want to do that.”
But Mel emphasised this was not the only path available to up-and-coming lawyers.
“There is an incredible array of ways of practice, so many things that you don’t even know exist yet, and I think we should spend more time at university talking about those pathways,” she said.
Sarah urged the crowd not to wait till their final year of study to get experience within the industry.
“Go now, go and fold someone’s mail, go and be a legal secretary. Take one of those really unsexy jobs that you think is beneath you, because it doesn’t sound like it aligns with being a lawyer,” she said.
“If you can find someone who is an old school lawyer that still does dictation, stick with them for four years.
“You will learn so much because they can’t use a computer and you’re going to type all their stuff.”
With more than two decades in the corporate world as a legal partner, Midja turned to leadership and career coaching.
Midja said she tries to bridge the gap between generations in her consulting business.
“There’s a lot of talk I’m doing with partners and directors and kind of going, ‘hey, I know you did that, but they aren’t going to do it’ and nor should they,” she said.
“If you want to attract great people and keep them, you have got to treat them well.”
Mel agreed and added that, despite a competitive graduate job market, employers also need to step up or risk losing out on top talent.
“The talent is speaking with their feet, and they can go and be a YouTube vlogger and make more money, so why are they going to stay here and do this work?” she asked.
“There better be a better reason and it better be with a great culture and genuinely good people.”
She said things are set to change, with the millennial workforce progressing up organisational hierarchies.
“I think we’re in this really fascinating generational shift where my crew, the millennials and elder millennials, are coming into actual positions of influence and power somewhat,” she said.
“We want to change things and break the generational trauma, honestly, we do, and I think we will.
“For the next generation coming through, I hope they’ll be able to do their work in a more psychologically safe way and in a way that’s more sustainable because your career is a marathon, not a sprint.”
Better Call Sarah is a free event series designed by QLS to help aspiring lawyers explore career options and get advice from industry leaders.
It is free for QLS student members.
Not a student member? QLS Student membership is only $10 per year for those studying law in Queensland. Contact the Membership team at student@qls.com.au to confirm your eligibility and find out more.
Share this article