July 2025: Part 3: We asked current Australia graduates Klyde, Kate, Daniel and Emily to tell us about their day-to-day work and share career advice for aspiring lawyers interested in working in their area of the law.
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Project Development – Klyde Yang Tell us about your practice area. "Our Project Development team assists both public and private sector clients, including project sponsors, developers and contractors across a vast range of industry groups, such as large-scale infrastructure, transportation and renewable energy." |
What makes this an interesting area to work in?
"Project development is an interesting field because of the enduring demand and continuous innovation. Within this practice area, the renewable sector is particularly fast-evolving, with constant advancements in solar, wind, hydro and energy storage technologies playing a pivotal role in accelerating the global energy transition. Similarly, in major infrastructure projects, complex contracting models—such as the Incentivized Target Cost (ICT) model and harmonized public-private partnership (PPP) contracts—are continually being tested and developed."
What's most challenging about your work?
"The Project Development practice often involves highly technical contexts that can be unfamiliar to junior lawyers, particularly those without prior industry exposure. While understanding the client's industry is always important in legal practice, this need presents special challenges for lawyers working in this practice area."
What skills do you need to succeed in your team?
"Graduates with curiosity and a strong willingness to learn will stand out in this ever-evolving practice. Attention to detail is also critical due to the intricacy and high complexity involved in project documents and contracts."
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Project Finance – Kate Moriarty Tell us about your practice area. "The Project Finance team has a worldwide reputation for assisting sponsors and developers in achieving complex and ambitious financings in relation to major energy, infrastructure and industrial projects. The team covers the full spectrum of project finance work, from negotiation and drafting to the execution of key finance documents and management of ongoing legal risks." |
What makes this an interesting area to work in?
"Project finance involves high-impact, globally significant projects, with trends in renewable energy and sustainable development more broadly. It offers lawyers a bird's eye view of how these projects are developed and the chance to engage in complex legal and financial structures."
What's most challenging about your work?
"As a junior, juggling deal responsibilities while learning the ins and outs of a complex financing can be challenging. It takes great time management and a commitment to continuous learning."
What skills do you need to succeed in your team?
"Strong organizational skills and effective communication are essential, particularly for juniors who are responsible for tracking deal deliverables and working with all parties to ensure successful completion."
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Real Estate – Daniel Smith Tell us about your practice area. "The Real Estate team is a transactional and advisory practice, primarily focusing on renewable energy and related projects. We provide clients with expert advice on tenure risk, navigate and draft complex land arrangement documentation, and address a wide range of other land-related matters." |
What makes this an interesting area to work in?
"I find this practice area interesting because each deal or project presents a unique set of legal challenges, influenced by the specific jurisdiction and/or type of project. This variation ensures that you are always learning and building your technical legal skills."
What's most challenging about your work?
"The most challenging aspect of real estate is navigating and researching the complex legal/tenure issues that arise from working on novel projects and deals across various Australian jurisdictions. However, understanding these issues and assisting clients through them is also the most rewarding part of the job."
What skills do you need to succeed in your team?
"Graduates within the Real Estate team are involved in a wide range of legal work, such as drafting land documents, preparing due diligence reports and conducting legal research. To perform these tasks effectively, a graduate needs to possess strong organizational skills, high levels of attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with their team and clients."
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Tax – Emily Theseira Tell us about your practice area. |
What makes this an interesting area to work in?
"Taxation policy and legislation is constantly subject to scrutiny and change, meaning expert tax advice and representation is always in high demand. Statutory interpretations can vary widely between parties and in different contexts, meaning your approach to each tax question is unique and often requires a high degree of critical thinking and problem-solving."
What's most challenging about your work?
"Due to the frequent evolution of tax policy and legislation, you need to stay up-to-date on enacted changes and those being considered by policymakers. Because these changes can have significant implications for clients, there is often a demand for readily available solutions without the availability of precedents."
What skills do you need to succeed in your team?
"To succeed in the team, you need to be creative, analytical, detail-oriented, have strong research and problem-solving skills, and a commitment to ongoing education and professional development."
