A day in the life of a Summer Clerk by Gary Lou

Gary Lou - Sydney University

7:00AM
My alarm goes off and I quickly wake up to get ready for the day. I usually like to do a quick 5-minute exercise routine, I tend to find that it makes me more energetic and productive for the rest of the day. After getting dressed for work and eating breakfast, I then make my way to the bus stop to catch the bus to the office.

8:30AM
After arriving, I like to quickly greet my team. I check my emails to see if there are any further actions required from the tasks which I worked on yesterday. I meet with some other clerks to grab a coffee on Level 9 from our in-house barista. Not only is the coffee free, but there are so many options which all taste delicious, and the barista is super friendly toot.

9:30AM
Today we have a team weekly meeting where we catch up on all of our capacities, current matters, projects we are working on, and also share if we have done anything interesting in our spare time throughout the week. It is not only a good way to learn about how the team operates and how we as clerk might help but it is also a wonderful opportunity to bond and have a bit of a laugh together.

10:30AM
As part of our clerkship training, we had the opportunity to meet the executives and partners of the firm. It was really inspirational to hear about their journeys and experiences, and it was a great way to gain a better understanding about the firm’s history and achievements. Learning more about the firm’s future plans, goals and innovations gave us a lot of motivation and made me really excited for what is to come.

12:30PM 
This is our usual time for lunch. Me and some of the other Clerks head downstairs to grab some food at MLC Centre. It is always a great time to mingle and catch-up with the cohort.

1:30PM
After lunch, I’m meeting with my Clerkship Innovation Project group to ideate and discuss our progress. Every year, the clerkship cohort participates in the Innovation Project, where we pitch an idea that helps solve a business challenge for the firm. This really encouraged us to think entrepreneurially and allowed us to think of ways to use interdisciplinary skills to help improve the firm.

3:00PM
My supervising lawyer comes to my desk with a task for me to complete in the afternoon. It involves reviewing our client’s draft Data Retention Policy document to ensure that they are complying with the Australian privacy landscape and each State and Territory’s’ relevant legislation. Ashurst has a robust database that is super accessible and easy to navigate. Combining this with the Federal Register of Legislation, not only did I learn how to draft related clauses professionally, but I also learnt so much about privacy law and how we can help clients best avoid the legal issues that might arise.

4:00PM
My team invites me to attend a meeting with Counsel to discuss the evidence strategy for litigation and how to respond to the opposing parties’ potential arguments. It was incredible to see just how talented and experienced the team is with their different thought processes as they hypothesised on how the court proceedings will play out. It really motivated me to think more deeply on behalf of the client to ensure that we can provide them the best value and outcome.

5:00PM
I send my draft Data Retention Policy document and update my supervising lawyer on my findings. After doing this, the partners come over and ask if we want to join for after-work drinks. It is really great to see how friendly and welcoming the team is, as they constantly think of ways to gather and socialise.

6:00PM
After socials, I start to head home. I take some time to unwind and spend the night with my family.

10:30PM
It’s time to get some sleep. Since every day is different, I cannot wait to see what matters I will get to work on and what events we will be participating in tomorrow.