Application Process & Interviews at Clayton Utz

My interview was in two stages with a first interview with a SA and then a follow up interview with two partners. I had situational questions asked which due to my preparation I was able to answer

The interview process is filled with typical behaviour questions, e.g., "tell us about a time where you dealt with a difficult legal problem in work or in university" or "tell us when you have dealt with competing interests so we can appreciate how you might deal with that same problem from clients in a law firm". These questions are dated and I worry are essentially a "beer test".

2 rounds of interviews. 1st round interview was 1 partner, 1 person from HR. 2nd round was 1 partner and 1 senior associate. There was also online psychometric testing.

The process was really comfortable and the firm made it really easy to navigate the process. There were buddies assigned to guide us along the way and no shortage of information.

I found the application process quite seamless and felt guided along the way

Overall not a bad interview process. 2 rounds. First P&D and a partner, followed by a second with 2 partners.

Interviews are friendly and welcoming, seeking to get the best from applicants.

Application, psychometric testing and two interviews.

I got my job through the clerkship process which was quite standard. Psychometric testing, answering written questions, then two interview rounds following by some assessments.

Very good. Approachable interviewers and clear management of expectations.

Interview process was very casual and comfortable. I found it similar to other firms but definitely felt most comfortable at CU.

Standard.

The interview process was very structured. May be better to have more of a conversational interview process. But great that it was 30 mins.

Not a lot of transparency in respect of clerkship/graduate offers.

Long.

Standard application and interview process for clerkships and then subsequent application for graduate position.

P and D has implemented many initiatives to make the process as comfortable as possible for new graduates and clerks.

Being a grad - I went through the typical clerk and grad process, which was fine (esp during covid).

I underwent the standard clerkship process for law firms - written application, psychometric testing, and then two rounds of interviews, with some information/networking evenings in between. Nothing notable compared to other law firms I was also applying for at the same time.

The interview process was quite some time ago, and it was at the same time as applying for multiple other clerkships, so it is hard to distil what Clayton Utz did specifically. I am fairly certain the process commenced with psychometric testing. There was then a process where we were contacted by buddies who were existing graduates who gave us advice on the upcoming interviews and answered our general questions about the firm. There was a cocktail night, which was during covid times so was over zoom and was more of an information session about the firm. And then there was the interview. There was only one round of interviews, and I was interviewed by one partner and one member of P&D. I really valued the interview buddy program. I think this is something that really set CU apart from other firms during this process. I felt like I could ask silly questions that I could not ask of P&D, and also got candid responses from a graduate which I appreciated.

One of the classics is if I got given two pieces of tasks, how do I prioritise the work order. Another one was about describing a situation where I had to deal with conflict

See above, however they mainly were: (i) "tell us about a time where you dealt with a difficult legal problem in work or in university"; (ii) "tell us when you have dealt with competing interests so we can appreciate how you might deal with that same problem from clients in a law firm"; (iii) "What law would you change and why"; and (iv) "Tell us about yourself and why you would like to work at [firm]"?

Depends on the dynamics of who is running your interview. Examples of questions include what is one law you wish you could change and why, various experiential questions, etc.

There was a mix of behavioural questions and general questions but it did depend on who was interviewing you. Experiences could differ from person to person.

I was asked general questions about myself, why I wanted to work at the firm and then some behavioural questions

1. In your work, what is the most challenging legal issue you have worked on? If you have not worked in the legal industry, can you explain the most challenging legal issue or case you have come across during your studies? 2. Describe a time when you had to solve a difficult problem with competing priorities or deadlines? 3. Describe a situation when you had to handle an unhappy customer or client. How did you resolve the situation?

Life, experience, how I would handle specific circumstances.

Mix of behavioural/why I was interested in CU specifically.

Questions about my lifestyle, my skills, my resume. Stock standard

A range of behaviour questions and general rapport building questions.

Previous work experience, why CU, why commercial law, which law would I change.

Questions regarding skills, behaviour, interest. nothing abnormal

Some situational and behavioural. A question about adversity.

Behavioural and technical

I don't remember specifically, I just remember "what is one law you would change?" which was a good one to think on the spot about (good to have a question like this that changes every year to gauge what a candidate can do without a pre-prepared answer)

Give us an example of x, y or z. Tell us about yourself. What is one area of the law you would change if you could?

*time management *prioritisation *interpersonal skills *knowledge of the law

I was asked very standard interview and behavioural questions, and a couple questions off my resume e.g. Tell us about yourself, why study law, why choose Clayton Utz, tell us about a time you overcame a challenge, what would you do in a situation where you received competing work deadlines from two different partners etc. The one curveball question I received was: If you could change/amend/create a new law, what would it be and why?

My interview was quite some time ago. The only question I specifically recall was being asked about when I have encountered a diversity and inclusion problem and how did I resolve it. Otherwise, I was just asked general questions about my CV.

From memory, it was pretty standard questions except for the question about what legislation I would introduce.

They need to understand the culture of the firm and what CU stands for, especially in Canberra. A know how about the firm and it’s place in the market will be essential

Ideally they would maintain high marks at university - it is a competitive role. Otherwise, individuals need to prepare early by developing a well rounded CV. If you have incredible university marks, you can have worse volunteering experience. If you have mediocre university marks, you need great work experience and an interesting hobby (say a national level sporting achievement). The actual job of being a lawyer is taught when you work at the firm - the hardest part is getting in and to do that you need to prove interest. I think you do this best by getting a job as a paralegal somewhere first or otherwise showing you have a keen interest in the law - e.g., volunteer at a CLC (a hard gig to find), or engage in academic writings.

Best way to prepare is to personalise all of your answers whether it is written answers or interview answers. The firm wants to know you as a person and also wants to know what compelled you to apply to Clayton Utz.

I think the best way to prepare is to have a well-rounded CV that encapsulates you as a person, whether that's in extracurriculars, jobs or academia

Know the firm well, have good questions to ask.

Be aware of the general questions you could be asked. Have your personality come across through your answers.

Really take the time to read about the firm, and reflect on how your experience could be an asset.

Be authentic to yourself. Prepare by knowing your skills and how they would translate to working in a commercial law firm. Don't make skills or experience when it isnt truly there, harness your strengths and be confident in them.

Learn about the company and the people who work there as much as you can. Tailor your questions to account for that. Also, don't be afraid of asking questions to see if they provide what you want in an employer.

Try and speak to as many CU people as you can and get a real sense of the firm. Ask about what clerks/graduates do day-to-day and why they chose CU. Review CU's instagram, linkedin and website for more information.

Learn about the Partner interviewing you and about the company.

Do practice interviews with common interview questions, read news (legal and non-legal).

Know the culture of the company - fitting in is quite important and this means being personable and easy to deal with.

By having experience they can speak about

I think that candidates should attend CU information sessions and understand what it is about the firm that is different from others e.g. it is an independent Australian law firm, allowing it to partner with the best suited law firms in other jurisdictions for a range of international matters. This was personally something that attracted me to Clayton Utz that was very different from the other big law firms. Other than that, I think that the process isn't too different from other standard application processes so just firm up your resume, practice the interview questions, have coffee with people working at the firm you meet through info sessions and so forth.

Attend firm events leading up to the application process and the interview. When doing cover letters, what firms say on their website is not really useful to put in cover letters and does not come across as genuine. Speak to people who work there and who can tell you about what the day to day is like and provide anecdotes etc., then leverage that insider knowledge in cover letters and interviews.

Try and really understand why you would like to work at CU over other law firms

My advice to candidates I have met with is to try and tie in your unique experiences where you can. You won't always have something personal for every response, but where you can show how something personal to you reflects the qualities/skills/values the firm is looking for, this can help you stand out and will often be a jumping off point for interviews.

1. learn about company and people and what they do 2. network and catch up for coffee with people 3. be yourself 4. be open-minded and willing to try new things