A stand-out feature of the HSF interview process is that it’s one on one, with a partner. It’s much more casual than many other firms in my experience, and you tend to talk about things outside of your CV. Before the interview repeatedly read the firm's website, and any news articles about HSF, and looked up cases in HSF was involved. Although this helped me get a sense of what the firm was about, and the types of matters they worked on, those things were never the focus of my interviews. Talked about where I grew up, what it was like living away from home when bin night was in Canberra, and home renovation.
Everyone I spoke to during the process not only seemed interested in who I was, and why I wanted to come to HSF, but they also genuinely loved the law and what they did.
On offer day, two things helped me decide that HSF was the best place for me to go. The first was the vibe. During the clerkship process, this was the most frustrating thing to hear – because how on earth can you understand the vibe of such a huge company? But it’s a cliché because it’s true. The firms will start to feel different. While the big commercial law firms do similar work – but there will be one whose mentoring, team structure, and beliefs fit better with you.
The second thing that stood out to me was how many people I spoke to that had clerked and stayed at HSF, from solicitors to partners. It was a clear marker of the investment that HSF makes in you. The people I spoke to were from such varied backgrounds and they had all found their niche in one way or another and found an area of the law where they could be creative and enthusiastic.
Although at times quite stressful, the clerkship application process can be rewarding even before offering a day through the people you meet and what you can learn. On Offer Day I had the opportunity to speak to anyone that I needed, to help cement my decision. Over this summer I have had the opportunity to meet people from so many teams, work with lawyers from different offices and have always been made to feel part of the team. An the the the the clerkship will be one of the most fun, engaging and coffee and sport-filled summers that you can have.