March 2024: Melbourne graduate Julian Grimm tells us about his first week at the Firm. Read about the start of the 18-month graduate program and discover his new starter highlights.
Day 1: The journey begins
The sun was shining as I strolled along the Yarra River on my way to the office. I was keen to start the Graduate Program and meet the Sydney graduates, after getting to know my Melbourne cohort over the past two weeks of practical legal training (PLT).
We kicked off with some icebreakers to start the day, then were formally welcomed to the Firm by three partners, who shared their advice on how to thrive as grads. We left inspired and curious, ready to embrace the next 18 months of the White & Case Graduate Program.
In the evening, we had drinks with people from across the Firm. I met my mentor and my buddy ahead of my first rotation in the Disputes team. It was great to hear the diverse range of matters they were working on and get a glimpse of what was to come!
Day 2: Making your mark
Today we focused on our personal branding. We were encouraged to drive our careers, take ownership of our growth, and bring our personality and own interests to work. Entrepreneurship was reiterated throughout the week, and I'm excited to forge my own path.
Mid-morning, we heard from partners across the Asia-Pacific region. Learning about the unique cultures and opportunities across the Firm's offices was fascinating, and I was impressed by how they worked together to stay at the frontier of law and new industries.
I loved hearing the perspectives from across the region, and I can't wait for my six-month overseas rotation!
In the afternoon, the grads did a wonderfully chaotic team-building exercise run by Be Challenged. We pelted back and forth by the banks of the Yarra River, relaying instructions and blindly trying to recreate a design from one end of the field to the other. We had specific roles that stretched our communication to the limits and had us cracking up with laughter.
Day 2 wrapped up with a delicious dinner with my cohort, some of the Melbourne partners and the Early Careers team. What a day!
Day 3: Working as a team
This morning, we heard from the Firm's committees—ALLiance (gender equality); Pro Bono; Reconciliation Action Plan; Social; and Spectrum (LGBTQ+). The Pro Bono Committee's work on refugee matters really resonated with me, and I'm also keen to get involved with the Reconciliation Action Plan committee. I signed up for both, and I hope to make a difference.
That afternoon, the ALLiance Committee organized an International Women's Day event. I learned a huge amount, and it was great to see the Firm's commitment to addressing social and gender inequality.
Day 4: Honing our skills
Thursday was dedicated to practical legal training. We began with a crash course on contract drafting, which was incredibly useful.
Throughout the rest of the day, we learned about practical matters like contract execution, DocuSign skills and the discovery process, interspersed with a delicious lunch and snacks to keep us energized.
Today was all about honing our core legal skills, and forming a strong foundation as we start our legal careers.
Day 5: The practice of law
We had a panel event on the "Lifecycle of a Project" with speakers from all the Australia practice groups. It was impressive seeing how the teams seamlessly collaborated to manage major projects from beginning to end. I was blown away by the range of expertise.
Later, we learned about the practical realities of litigation from an associate and a professional support lawyer, Jennifer Butler. Their perspectives were transparent and refreshing.
We celebrated the end of the week with drinks and said our goodbyes to the Sydney grads before they jetted off home.
It was a jam-packed first week with plenty of laughs and learnings. I feel lucky to have such a friendly grad cohort and am excited to be embarking on this journey all together. The induction provided us with the tools for success, and the Firm welcomed us with open arms. I can't wait to see what's next!
