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Corrs Chambers Westgarth

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4.6
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Corrs Chambers Westgarth Reviews

Based on 9 surveyed graduates working at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. Read on to get an insider’s view on life as a graduate.
4.6
Based on 9 reviews

Pros & Cons

  • The deep commitment to learning and development at all levels. Corrs provides extensive formal training across workshops for graduate cohorts across the firm, within each practice group, and between practice groups. They also provide significant informal learning opportunities, developed through a culture of actively engaging juniors on matters, trusting us with real responsibility early on, and providing substantial mentoring.
  • I have been exposed to a wide range of legal matters at the cutting edge of my practice area. Not only this, but the opportunity to work on such matters also includes getting involved in the decision-making and strategy of a matter. This ties in with the mentorship and support aspect of lawyer development; my seniors are able and willing to work collaboratively, teach, and help improve my work. Not only this, they are receptive to my interests and capacity. The firm has supported me in pursuing the work of my choosing, so I am able to source work from a variety of sources and interests. The firm's commitment to nurturing talent and helping us grow as legal professionals is truly commendable.
  • The people on my team are great. I love coming to work and feel very grateful that I get to work every day with people I can have fun with and consider friends.
  • - Great remuneration and leave entitlements; - Excellent learning and development opportunities; - Interesting work and some of the best matters/client exposure in the industry; - Sociable, and the firm makes a real effort to build a positive culture; - Flexibility.
  • Clear growth and ambition for the firm; diverse opportunities to get involved with; generally collegiate attitude
  • As with all similar firms, the hours can be demanding. You will often work on other people's schedules at a junior level.
  • The unfortunate result of being in one of the highest offices (with the best views) is that the sun can heat up the office quickly; thankfully, we have pretty good air conditioning!
  • As expected of being part of a workplace performing at the highest tier of legal work, the work can be challenging and the hours long. The workload can be quite variable, with certain periods requiring intense effort, especially when dealing with complex cases or projects. Balancing these peaks in workload with personal life commitments can be a struggle at times, even though the firm actively promotes work-life balance. I believe that this is a personal challenge that all lawyers face or will face. While it is an inevitable corollary of the standard of work we provide, it is one that seniors (at least in my experience at Corrs) are hyper-aware and considerate of.
  • The workload can be unpredictable and, at times, can be very busy.
  • There can be times of stress.

What Insiders Say

9.1
Career Prospects
9.1
Career Prospects
There are clearly articulated policies that set timelines and requirements for promotion that are eminently achievable. There are many examples of young lawyers being promoted 'ahead of time', and the firm provides ample opportunity for juniors to prove themselves in what is also a very supportive environment.
9.0
Corporate Social Responsibility
9.0
Corporate Social Responsibility
I think Corrs absolutely excels in this area in two ways: 1) the legal work we do, and 2) the initiatives Corrs runs. 1) Corrs' approach to the law is incredibly well-rounded and holistic. Our focus on ESG, business, and human rights is, in my opinion, unmatched by any other Australian firm. We have developed strong skills in these areas and have a dedicated team of highly experienced lawyers and advisers who work through a variety of different matters. We advise our clients on how to improve their ESG processes and systems, and I think the implication of this is that we are working to encourage CSR outside of the firm through improving our clients' practices. This is incredibly rewarding. 2) The initiatives we run through Corrs' Melbourne Community Committee are varied and occur regularly. Through initiatives such as STEPtember, Easter fundraisers, Christmas appeals, netball games, and Movember (to name just a few), Corrs supports many organisations making positive contributions to our community.
8.3
Culture
8.3
Culture
Corr's culture is fantastic. In addition to its strong commitment to learning and development, the firm has a strong culture of being incredibly friendly, supportive, and encouraging. Socialising is encouraged with free daily breakfasts, monthly office drinks, and more regular informal opportunities to socialise within and across practice groups. The firm has a flat structure, and I work very closely with partners on most matters, receiving extensive feedback and support. There is a strong emphasis on teamwork and collegiality.
8.4
Diversity
8.4
Diversity
Strong focus on diversity, with supportive policies and multiple working groups that are very active and engaged.
9.2
Satisfaction
9.2
Satisfaction
I am involved in a number of matters across a different number of teams. I have been supported by my seniors, and I have been able to pursue a variety of work. I interact with clients daily and engage in the actual strategy of matters. In some cases, I work on matters directly with my mentor partner. However, I am also able to work directly with other partners if I have expressed interest in their areas. Day-to-day, I am also involved in a number of non-matter-related initiatives that the firm supports: private international law opportunities, public and constitutional law, and cultural diversity programs. Responsibilities include organising committee meetings, carrying out decisions, holding feedback sessions, and liaising with partners.
8.8
Management
8.8
Management
My direct supervisors are other lawyers, and my mentor partner is just brilliant. We have annual reviews usually, but we have two each 'rotation' as part of our graduate program. Our HR team is also approachable, but sometimes reaching a resolution takes a lot of persistence and pushing from the employee.
9.0
Office Work Environment
9.0
Office Work Environment
Office space is beautiful and in an excellent location. Has fantastic views. The dress code varies between teams, but business casual is fine, unless attending meetings or court.
9.1
Recruitment
9.1
Recruitment
Corrs has a simple and direct process: you complete the application, upload your CV, and then attend a single interview. If you have been selected to interview, you are invited to a dinner at the firm, which was a really fun night that included a wine tasting and presentations from panels of lawyers. You are also invited to a cocktail night to celebrate the end of the interview process, which provided another opportunity to get to know the firm
8.3
Salary
8.3
Salary
Very reasonable. We have a very competitive base pay (right near the top of the market) and a very reasonable annual billable target. If that target is exceeded (to a level that, at many other firms, would be the base billable target), we are entitled to bonuses of 10–20%. Further, there is also the opportunity to receive additional discretionary bonuses.
9.2
Training
9.2
Training
Generally, training and development are excellent. There are a few key things that set the firm apart. Firstly, the firm runs regular and extensive learning sessions for juniors. These are taught by partners and are designed to impart their practical expertise. It covers all practice areas, which can obviously be more or less relevant depending on your current work; however, it provides broad knowledge. The intention, I believe, is to make juniors holistic lawyers in addition to their specialised areas of work. Secondly, in the category of more informal training and mentorship, is the firm's rotation, which I believe is unique. The firm offers a first rotation of 12 months. The point of this is to ensure a graduate is able to fully immerse themselves in the team and learn the skills and knowledge effectively while the learning curve is at its highest. It also enables the mentor partner (to whom each graduate is assigned) to be able to properly mentor over an extended period and invest in teaching their mentee. I have been able to get involved in matters from beginning to end (in a lot of cases) and increase my familiarity and competency as a result. This is as opposed to short-term 6-month graduates who rotate out just as soon as they get familiar with a new practice area or supervisor. Further, this initial mentorship, because of its length and the design of the programme, is supposed to extend into all subsequent rotations. I have formed a good relationship with my partner. I have sought his advice on many issues, and I am glad that it can continue even if I rotate out of his team.
8.0
Work Hours
8.0
Work Hours
There are standard business hours, but the firm can be flexible. The work hours depend on each team within the firm.
7.3
Sustainability
7.3
Sustainability
We have introduced keep cups and Tupperware in kitchens to improve our environmental footprint. On a larger scale, I spoke with the CEO at an event recently, and we were discussing ways in which Corrs seeks to minimise its carbon footprint. It is at the forefront of the executives agenda, which is notable and exciting. The CEO has been in talks with carbon-neutral firms and has been bringing his learnings back to the firm and implementing changes.