Tutti Copping

6.00 AM

There’s an adage that the early bird gets the worm, but I like to think the early bird gets a less crowded gym space. I like to wake up early, go out on a run or workout, and listen to a podcast to get myself ready for the day.

8.00 AM

After some breakfast and a relatively pain-free bus ride into the city, I’m ready to start the day. Most of my team are early birds so it’s nice to see the office already bustling when I get in. Some of my team are night owls, and that’s ok too! Sparke Helmore prioritises flexibility and working to your best schedule, which is something I value.

8.30 AM

After some catch-ups with my team and a coffee, I’m ready to start my day. I planned out my task list before I left the office the day before, which I recommend for anyone who hates feeling unorganised and overwhelmed in the morning.

I start by attending to the emails that I need to action reading some of the advice and hearing reports that members of our national team have sent out. As I’ve only just started my career, I enjoy reading how other lawyers write and approach particularly curly situations, especially if they’re recounting something that happened in Court.

9.00 AM

I know I’ll be attending Court with one of the senior lawyers in my team today, so I spend some time reading and prepping documents before we go.

9.30 AM

I walk up to the Courts (which are a convenient 5-minute walk away from the office) with a senior lawyer in my team. We discuss the matter and tips for appearing in Court. While Court is in session, I furiously take a file note and try to jot down points for me to remember in the future. Although I’m relatively new to the legal profession, I know that soon it will be me appearing.

11.30 AM

On the walk back from Court, I debriefed with the senior lawyer about how they think the matter went. It’s a good opportunity to gain some insight into their experience in litigation. One of my favourite parts of being at Sparke Helmore is the amount of support and advice people are willing to provide. It makes, what at times can be a daunting experience, far less so.

11.45 AM

After Court, I get started on a small task that relates to an issue following on from a client meeting I attended the previous day. I have a quick discussion with one of the associates in my team about how to approach it. With some guidance, I’ve got my approach sorted and I’m able to complete the task.

12.30 PM

Lunchtime! It’s sunny, and not too humid today, so I head out with a few friends from the graduate cohort (they aren’t lying when they say you do make friends for life) to Hyde Park for lunch. It’s a nice chance to be in nature for a bit and relax before getting into the afternoon’s tasks. We discuss some upcoming events we’ve planned for our graduate cohort and try to keep work chat to a minimum.

1.30 PM

For the first part of the afternoon, I’m sitting in on a client meeting for a project we’re working on. It’s always an exciting opportunity to meet with the client face-to-face. I take notes while the associate and partner I am working closely with discuss the issues with the client. I make sure to send a file note after the meeting, so everyone has a record of what was discussed, and the next steps that need to be actioned.

2.30 PM

I look ahead and see I have some advice due in a few days. Eager to knock it out of the park, I get started.

6.00 PM

Feeling accomplished, I write my to-do list for the next day and head home for the evening. Given it is a nice evening, I take the scenic route and walk home with another lawyer from the graduate cohort. It is a nice opportunity to debrief on the day, our highs and lows, and what we’re looking forward to in the coming weeks.

If I had any advice for individuals who are interested in understanding what life in the Government Public & Regulatory team at Sparke Helmore was like, I would say that no two days are the same, which makes it hard to accurately depict what a day in the life is like. But more importantly, no matter what the day has in store for you, you know you’ve got a team of supportive and encouraging people ready to cheer you on. And for me, that makes all the difference.

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