Meet Madeline Torrisi, Graduate at Hamilton Locke, and read her insights on Graduate life and how to prepare for that all-important interview.
Madeline Torrisi, Graduate at Hamilton Locke
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I graduated from Griffith University in December 2021 with a double degree in Law (Honours) and Criminology and Criminal Justice. I completed a year as an Associate to a District Court Judge in 2022 before commencing as a Graduate Lawyer at Hamilton Locke in March 2023. I have just completed my first rotation in Intellectual Property and Technology and am now completing my final in Litigation.
What helped you to make the decision to apply for a graduate position at Hamilton Locke?
When deciding where to apply, the main things I was looking for in a firm were opportunities for professional development, challenging legal work and most importantly a positive work culture. When I was researching Hamilton Locke, I was drawn to the firms ‘culture-led’ approach and focus on fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. I was excited about the idea of working for a firm that put their people first and focused on personal and professional development.
How did you prepare for your interviews?
When preparing for my interviews, I spent time researching the company in general as well as the partners that were interviewing me. I wrote down a list of common interview questions and thought about my key points to answer those questions. I also prepared several questions to ask during my interview.
Can you share a bit about what your day looks like and the sorts of things you learn in your first year on the job?
As a graduate, no one day is the same. I usually start the day by checking my emails, to-do list and prioritising tasks for the day. For some matters, I work alongside different teams (including those in different offices) and will often liaise with multiple people to receive instructions and provide progress updates. I have had the opportunity to work on a range of interesting legal work including undertaking research, reviewing contracts, drafting affidavits, letters and privacy/policy related documents, completing due diligence and supporting the team on larger projects. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in the firm’s business development through article drafting, drafting presentations and assisting with the Technology Scale-up Awards.
During my first year at Hamilton Locke, I have finally been able to learn the practical side of what I spent 6 years studying. I have learnt that asking questions is not only okay, but important and that mistakes are how you learn. Having had the opportunity to undertake rotations as a graduate, I have also been able to learn what areas of law interest me and where I may like to settle.
What do you enjoy most about your role with the firm?
One of the things I have enjoyed about being a graduate at Hamilton Locke is the opportunity to work on a range of challenging legal work and business-development work for the firm. This includes the opportunity to collaborate with teams in Melbourne and Sydney and getting to know colleagues across the firm’s offices. I also really enjoyed the opportunity to undertake a secondment with Source Legal in their commercial contracts team where I was responsible for reviewing and negotiating research and grants contracts for a university.
Do you have any advice for students preparing for seasonal clerkship or graduate opportunities this year?
Some helpful advice I received when preparing for clerkship and graduate opportunities was to:
- make the most of opportunities to gain legal experience, including volunteering and university placements;
- be yourself during interviews; and
- take the time to look after yourself during what can be a stressful process.
Bonus: Here are a few extra tips from my team:
- In your application, make sure you know and understand the firm you are applying for and tailor your CV to cover why you are interested in them.
- Before your interview, read up on their journey and vision and make sure that the firm is aligned with your own vision and values. Have an understanding of their practice groups, clients and the work they do. Be prepared to answer questions centred around our values, practice groups and your own goals and ambitions.
- On the interview day, plan your trip, present yourself well, arrive early, re-read your application and the firm’s expectations of you, centre yourself in the moment and relax.