If you are highly motivated, interested in litigation and have an excellent academic record, Gilbert Walker would like to hear from you.
Areas of expertise: Corporate and Commercial Dispute Resolution
Staff: 4 partners, 7 Associates and a team of research assistants and administrators
Contact: Send your curriculum vitae and transcript to our Practice Manager at applications@gilbertwalker.com
Join us for a part-time legal internship and learn from a team of highly regarded lawyers with specialist expertise in commercial advocacy.
Working at Gilbert Walker
We are a specialist dispute resolution and advisory firm, with expertise as advocates in complex litigation, regulatory and insurance matters. Our clients include major corporates, financial institutions, insurers and professional firms. That means you’ll be exposed to complex litigation and contested regulatory matters every day.
We have been named as Litigation and Dispute Resolution Specialist Law Firm of the Year at five recent New Zealand Law Awards.
Being part of the Gilbert Walker team offers the opportunity to work in a truly open, collaborative environment, with a dedicated team of highly regarded lawyers with specialist expertise.
Our point of difference is that we operate a model of small, closely-engaged teams. Our lawyers are involved in all aspects of their files and work closely together. That means you won’t be siloed on small pieces of work but will get to see the full picture of a file. You will have opportunities to work directly with all of the Associates and Partners.
- You will get a good understanding of dispute resolution processes.
- You will get exposure to a wide range of corporate and commercial issues, which could include class actions, banking and finance, insurance matters, judicial reviews and regulatory investigations.
- You will experience working on a range of disputes, from the day-to day through to high-profile and strategically significant cases.
Get to know us, understand how we work, and whether commercial and corporate litigation is the career for you.
Opportunities for students
You’ll be involved in client-facing work, with hands-on experience working on stimulating and topical legal issues in a collaborative environment.
Find out more information about Gilbert Walker and our legal internship opportunities visit: https://www.gilbertwalker.com/careers/our-legal-internship/
We also welcome applications from people looking for graduate positions.
Our part-time Legal Internship opportunity
We offer two part-time internship opportunities throughout the year. One takes place over the summer break, and the second during semester 1 and 2 of the university year.
The Internship is designed to provide a unique opportunity for you to get hands-on commercial litigation experience in a specialist litigation firm.
You’ll be actively involved in reviewing documents, researching legal issues, preparing opinions, drafting documents, and observing mediation or court hearings if they are scheduled.
The role will involve a combination of working on your own and working with our Partners, Associates and support staff.
You will need to commit to three consecutive days a week, to get the most out of the role.
Meet James Rosendale
Law Clerk
“The firm is filled with intelligent and curious people who’d love to hear your views. I found that this curiosity helped me gel with the team, but also motivated me to work hard.”
I don’t think I can point to a single moment where I became inspired to pursue a career in law. Since high school, I’ve had various small moments or interactions which have pointed me in the direction of being a lawyer – whether that be learning about how the law interacts with my personal life when signing an employment agreement, speaking with a lawyer, hearing about cases in the news, or enjoying reading. When put together, these smaller life experiences have led me to a career that I deeply enjoy.
How did you choose your area of specialisation?
I chose litigation because it gave me the widest range of people to work with and matters to work on. For example, in litigation you might work with a longstanding client who needs advice about the way they’re planning on doing things. Or you get a totally new client needing help with something unexpected that has gone wrong.
Can you describe a typical day at your firm?
I have been directly involved in legal work and have worked with all of the partners and associates at the firm. This means that my days can be quite different. For example, on one day, I worked with data forensics specialists to retrieve information from a client’s computer, before reviewing that data to draft a factual chronology. On another, I reviewed Commerce Commission cases against financial institutions for breaches of disclosure obligations under the CCCFA legislation and created a table to compare them. Some other work included preparing research notes on specific points of law, drafting court documents, and liaising with clients on basic matters.
What skills do you find most valuable in your current role?
Strong written communication is always valuable in law. But I’ve personally found that versatility and adaptability are particularly important. To me, versatility is about being able to do many different things competently, whereas adaptability is about being able to respond well to change. For example, I felt that being versatile helped with learning new areas of law and being adaptable helped me handle the unexpected things that sometimes come up in legal practice.
How does your firm support professional development and career growth?
The firm is supporting me through my professional legal studies course and encourages participation in CPD and training opportunities offered by the legal community.
What are the firm’s values and how do they influence your work?
Gilbert Walker operates as a single team and has a flat structure. We all sit in an open plan office, which creates a collegial atmosphere. The firm values client relationships, being up-to-date and agile, and delivering legal advice without legalese. It is professional but modern. The team are valued and well-respected. There are 10am coffees deliveries, regular team morning teas, Friday afternoon drinks, and a social committee who plan dinners and events throughout the year.
How does the firm handle work-life balance for its employees?
Work-life balance is important to the firm. While the firm expects you to get work done, there is no requirement to remain at your desk late at night. Most of the team have a “work from home” day each week, and the firm ensures that you’re equipped to perform just as well at home as in the office if need be.
What opportunities for advancement exist within the firm?
I was lucky enough to be offered a graduate role with the firm. I’m looking forward to joining the team as an associate after completing Profs!
How does the firm stay ahead of industry trends and changes?
Gilbert Walker has monthly internal CPD training and is committed to ensuring everyone is up to date with the latest cases and legislation in the areas the firm operates in. Everyone is very outward looking, with a strong interest in current events both in New Zealand and internationally. Many of the lawyers at Gilbert Walker have spent time studying overseas, which brings a fresh perspective and new expertise.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career at your firm?
It’s worth being genuinely interested in the law and the role it plays in clients’ businesses. The firm is filled with intelligent and curious people who’d love to hear your views. I found that this curiosity helped me gel with the team, but also motivated me to work hard.