Our Summer Intern Programme is run from mid-November through to mid-February every year.

Staff: 47 partners, 278 staff and 166 lawyers

Contact: Liberty Greenwood, Auckland Recruitment coordinator or Cheryl Cribb, Wellington HR Advisor

Bell Gully is a great place to start your career.

Areas of Expertise

Bell Gully has five different departments but also practices in a wide range of legal areas, including:

• Corporate & Commercial – Mergers & acquisitions, private equity, capital markets, competition law, and corporate governance.
• Banking & Finance – Debt financing, financial services regulation, restructuring, and insolvency.
• Litigation & Dispute Resolution – Commercial disputes, arbitration, insurance, regulatory investigations, and white-collar crime.
• Employment & Health and Safety – Workplace relations, industrial disputes, and compliance.
• Real Estate & Construction – Property transactions, leasing, development, and infrastructure projects.
• Resource Management & Environment – Planning, consenting, and environmental compliance.
• Tax – Corporate tax, GST, international tax, and disputes.
• Technology & IP – IT contracts, data privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property protection.
• Public & Administrative Law – Government relations, regulatory law, and judicial reviews.
• Pro Bono & Community – Providing legal support to charitable and non-profit organizations.

Opportunities for students

Bell Gully’s Summer Intern Programme (mid-November to mid-February) offers hands-on legal experience rotating through across three departments. Alongside mentorship from partners and senior associates and lawyers support from HR and a buddy, during this time you will have the opportunity to work with real clients and pro bono projects, access to learning resources and leadership programs, and a chance to build lasting professional connections in a supportive, well-equipped environment.

Meet Katherine Chang

Graduate

“As a summer intern, I rotated through two different litigation teams and corporate. I am really glad that I had the chance to see what it was like to work in different areas of law because looking back now, you don’t really know what working in a particular specialisation will be like until you try it.”

What inspired you to pursue a career in law?

When I first started studying at University, I was interested in pursuing a career in health policy and since I was studying a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the time, I changed to a Law conjoint. I ended up having a couple more years of law papers after I finished the health sciences part of my degree and the more law papers I did, the more interested I became in other areas of law.

How did you choose your area of specialisation?

As a summer intern, I rotated through two different litigation teams and corporate. I am really glad that I had the chance to see what it was like to work in different areas of law because looking back now, you don’t really know what working in a particular specialisation will be like until you try it. Near the end of my summer internship, I found that I enjoyed all of the rotations and when I was struggling to decide which team I wanted to go into, someone helpfully told me that at the end of the day, it’s about doing work that interests you and getting along with the people you work with.

Can you describe a typical day at your firm?

Every day is different, but one of the things I like about my team is that we always start the day by going out for team coffee! I feel like I’ve been introduced to a wide range of work and that I get to learn something new every day.

What skills do you find most valuable in your current role?

I think it comes down to the basics: being able to communicate well with your team, attention to detail, and a good attitude.

How does your firm support professional development and career growth?

We have regular training from the seniors at the firm on a wide range of topics throughout the year. It’s a great way to work on my legal skills, keep up to date on recent deals and to learn more about other areas of law. Apart from the training, in my day-to-day I feel like I get to learn the way things are done from some of the best lawyers in town.

What are the firm’s values and how do they influence your work?

I think the firm values its people at its core. From the daily coffees with my team, various functions throughout the year to Friday drinks, I feel like get to be part of a team and do my best work.

How does the firm stay ahead of industry trends and changes?

Our lawyers are often setting the trends, working at the bleeding edge of industries as clients develop and adapt to new market or regulatory conditions. We run regular engaging internal and external training and education programmes which focus on ensuring all our people and our clients benefit from our knowledge of current commercial and legal environments.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career at your firm?

Give it a go! You never know what working somewhere, or in a particular area of law, is going to be like until you try it.  I’ve found the people at Bell Gully to be down to earth and I have really enjoyed my time here so far.

How does the firm handle work-life balance for its employees?

Bell Gully offers staff various social activities from annual balls, events for family and kids to firm sponsored sports events. This allows us to bring our whole selves to the workplace. There’s also flexible working as well as a generous parental leave policy.

What opportunities for advancement exist within the firm?

Bell Gully has clear progression steps for legal staff as they build their experience and skillsets. This includes policies and processes relating to associate promotion, senior associate promotion and joining the partnership. Bell Gully’s learning and development programmes ensure that lawyers are continuously building their knowledge and that they advance accordingly.