“I didn’t expect to be as immediately or heavily involved in the firm’s transactions. From day one, I felt like I was a valued member of the team and was making a genuine contribution.“
What team/teams did you clerk in this summer?
Mayne Wetherell does not have separate teams. As such, I was able to work on a variety of deals across different practice areas. Working with different partners, as well as other senior and junior lawyers has taught me a lot and gave me great insight into the different styles of practice and approaches that can be taken to solve our clients’ legal issues. The summer gave me great insight into what life would be like as a graduate at Mayne Wetherell.
What were the social opportunities like at Mayne Wetherell?
There are many social opportunities available at Mayne Wetherell, including a welcome function, Friday afternoon BBQ’s, the Christmas function and regular coffee catch ups. Everyone is keen to get involved and have fun, which provides a great opportunity to get to know the team outside of a work context. Even in light of COVID-19 and Auckland’s lockdown, online events and regular Teams check-ins were organised to keep everyone involved. I felt like I had a chance to build meaningful relationships with my teammates – I never felt like I was just there for the Summer.
What makes Mayne Wetherell unique?
Mayne Wetherell is unique in the way it combines the benefits of a big firm with those of a smaller firm. Summer clerks are involved in a diverse range of complex and high-profile transactions, which, combined with the supportive, collaborative and people-focused environment, fosters a great environment for professional growth. There is a real sense of community within the firm, and everyone is invested in your learning and development.
What has surprised you about working at Mayne Wetherell?
I have been surprised by the variety of work I have been tasked with. I expected the range of work to be more limited at a ‘specialist’ firm, however being able to work across all aspects of corporate and finance transactions means the work is very diverse – you never knew what you could be assigned when going into a briefing on a new matter. I also didn’t expect to be as immediately or heavily involved in the firm’s transactions; from day one, I have felt like a valued member of the team. Finally, I was surprised how non-hierarchical the firm was. I felt just as comfortable asking questions to the partners or my graduate buddy.
What has been your favourite experience of working at Mayne Wetherell?
There are several experiences that stand out, but one of my favourite experiences has been assisting with a transaction from inception to completion. From attending an initial conference call with the client, to assisting with closing, I was involved in the entire process. During this process, it was particularly interesting to see how law and business operate together. Another highlight has been working on deals that span multiple jurisdictions, as it has been interesting to collaborate with lawyers from around the world.
“Our young lawyers are involved in stimulating, high profile projects that require bespoke legal solutions and advice. Our specialist practice allows us to provide our lawyers with a quality of experience and a level of remuneration which is unsurpassed in the market.”
About the firm
Mayne Wetherell is a premier specialist corporate, finance and tax legal practice in New Zealand. We regularly act on ground breaking transactions where creativity, collaboration and an in-depth commercial understanding of our client’s business is required.
Our clients are deal makers who want practical, commercially minded solutions to their problems. They seek us out for our commercial approach to the delivery of complex legal advice and our commitment to quality of service. Our focus on delivering practical solutions ensures that our young lawyers develop business acumen and problem-solving skills to complement their legal expertise.
It is the combination of legal expertise with astute business judgement that distinguishes our alumni on the world stage. In the competitive international job market, Mayne Wetherell alumni continue to secure jobs in top international law firms, companies and banks – a testament to our reputation as a market leader in corporate and finance law.
Working at the firm
Operating as a single team, Mayne Wetherell’s solicitors have exposure to all areas of law which underpin business transactions. Our focus is our clients’ most sophisticated and complex transactional work. This means that our young lawyers are involved in stimulating, high profile projects that require bespoke legal solutions and advice. Our specialist practice allows us to provide our lawyers with a quality of experience and a level of remuneration which is unsurpassed in the market.
Our clients include New Zealand, Australian and multinational corporations, investment banks and private equity funds, including 2degrees, ANZ, ASB, Auckland International Airport, Bank of New Zealand, Deutsche Bank, Fonterra, Goldman Sachs, KKR, Macquarie, Pacific Equity Partners, Quadrant Private Equity, Transpower, UBS and Westpac.
We invest significant time and effort into training and developing our lawyers to ensure that they have the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to surpass our clients’ expectations. For our solicitors, this is the key to driving individual growth and professional development. Time and again, the opportunities provided to our solicitors and associates result in them progressing at a faster rate than their peers at other firms.
Website: https://maynewetherell.com/careers/
Email: recruitment@maynewetherell.com
Various practice areas
Tali Luamanuvae