Careers.
Pathways program
We love litigation, do you think you might too?
At last count we had 250 lawyers helping insurers resolve disputes spanning massive business-threatening cyber hacks, Royal Commissions and professional negligence liability claims to the almost daily work involved in resolving disputes arising from product liability, class actions and natural disasters.
No sector provides more civil litigation than insurance and we work exclusively with this multitrillion dollar industry. We resolve disputes arising from insurance products that protect built, environmental, digital and human assets. These disputes raise every legal issue imaginable. Sometimes the issues are so hard they make our heads hurt. That’s ok. Putting our heads together to find solutions to big issues is what makes our hearts race.
If this sounds like fun to you then W+K could be the best place for your career to start.
What’s it like working with litigators?
The best litigators have big brains, people skills, a love of learning, huge respect for others, work hard and are passionate about winning. That’s all true. In our firm we also enjoy what makes us all different. Everyone’s diverse backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives help us find better solutions to challenging legal problems.
We’re obsessive about achieving the best results for our clients and just as obsessive about bringing out the best in our people. Flexibility is a big part of achieving that because it gives us all the individual freedom to manage the juggling act of life, career, study, family, health, friendships and community. Winning!
Our clients are super smart. They live and breathe the insurance industry and many of them are experienced lawyers, certified claims professionals and technical experts. We need to be at the top of our game because our clients are too.
How does Pathways work?
It’s called Pathways because it’s a pathway to a career at W+K. We don’t do clerkships. Pathways takes some of the hot-house elements of internal competition out of the clerkship model because it happens while you’re working as a part-time paralegal during your final year of law. We think this is a better way for you to experience the cut and thrust of how things happen in real-time and over a longish time, not in a compressed clerkship bubble. “Crazy interesting” is how many younger lawyers describe the work we do. Take a look at the diversity of our expertise offerings.
Through Pathways we’ll get to know you and do our best to match your interests, under-graduate degree, other work experiences and preferences into the teams you work with during Pathways. You’ll be doing real work for real clients alongside senior lawyers and partners who are among the best in the business. You’ll also have a buddy to be there to help you as much or as little as you want.
If you’re the type of person we’re looking for then you’ve got lots of choices. You might think a clerkship is right for you. And it might be. What we offer is something different but, like a clerkship, it’s a direct path to a graduate offer.
What we’re looking for?
You’ve got to want to be a litigator. No point considering us if that’s not in your life plan. We aim to be the best and to help every lawyer become their best. That means you need to want that too, otherwise we’re not going to get along.
The pathway to becoming the best takes endless curiosity, a commitment to being a life-long learner and to being the type of person clients, colleagues and peers know they can trust. Legal expertise matters a lot but so too does the ability to form and maintain positive relationships and not just with your colleagues and clients but also with your peers, opponents and the broader community.
What to expect from W+K?
When you join us you’re joining a community that’s much bigger than W+K; it’s a relationship ecosystem of our people, clients, industry groups, professional bodies and the community. It’s all inter-connected, inter-related and of equal importance.
If we offer you a start at W+K we think you’re an exceptional talent. Our “contract” with you is to help you fulfil your potential. We are invested in your success. We want you to learn from the best and become the best. The way we help make that happen is by:
- Matching the range. variety and complexity of work to your evolving skillset and interests.
- Enabling client interaction from the outset.
- Setting clear expectations and support to help you meet them.
- Constantly giving feedback, encouragement and practical, timely and actionable feedback.
- Educating you on everything from insurance law to skills training to mental health and wellness.
- Giving you a “buddy” to help guide you through your first months and beyond.
- Providing flexibility about the how, what, when and where of working.
- Placing a big emphasis on people being comfortable being themselves at work.
- Encouraging you to get involved on community and pro bono initiatives that address tough issues such as inequality (in its many forms), climate change and human rights.
Together, we’ll help you build the foundations needed to become a great litigator, a lawyer our clients want on their side and the type of workmate everyone enjoys working with and chilling with too.
How to apply
Applications for W+K’s 2022 Pathways Program are now open.
Visit the links below for more information and to apply:
Contact us
For assistance, please contact: pathways@wottonkearney.com.au
How to apply
Applications for W+K’s 2022 Pathways Program are now open. Visit the links below for more information and to apply:
For assistance, please contact: pathways@wottonkearney.com.au