Areas of expertise: We have 8 practice areas at Lane Neave: Litigation, Employment, Resource Management, Commercial Property, Life Law, Building and Construction, Immigration and Corporate.

Staff: We have 28 partners and approximately 125 employees.

Contact: Jo Clementson

Opportunities for students

Lane Neave is looking for Summer Clerks in their penultimate year of study for our Christchurch, Auckland and Queenstown offices. Applications open early March.

Working at the firm

As a Summer Clerk, you will be buddied with a junior to show you the ropes, and ensure you are supported while you complete your two placements, either side of Christmas. At Lane Neave, you will be doing great work and have an enjoyable time doing it. Your work will include connecting with great clients, and you’ll have the opportunity to be involved in complex cases. We have an active social network including events and staff parties, plus the opportunity to volunteer for initiatives and charities.

Meet Brittany Muiznieks 

Law Clerk, Corporate team at Lane Neave

“I am grateful for my time at Lane Neave thus far as I have been able to experience a wide range of work that has been both interesting and educational.”

Where do you work now?

I am working as a Law Clerk in the Corporate team at Lane Neave.

What career steps have you taken to get to this point? 

I think many other graduates may agree that it is quite the journey to become a solicitor, but one that is worthwhile in the end. One of the steps that I have taken in my career to get to this point would be getting involved with as many extra-curricular opportunities as possible. These are essential as they help you to network, provide you with a portfolio of skills and experiences and help give you direction as to where your interests may lie. Some of my extra-curriculars have included getting involved with University Club Student Executives, volunteering at Community Law Canterbury and interning at Lane Neave. Another key step I took in my journey was making sure to complete my LLB first alongside my other degree so that whilst I completed my last semester of my Bachelor of Arts, I was able to do my professionals course with IPLS. This has allowed me to fully immerse myself into my law clerkship and hit the ground running in my career.

What kind of work have you been involved with at Lane Neave?   

I am grateful for my time at Lane Neave thus far as I have been able to experience a wide range of work that has been both interesting and educational. In my Summer Clerkship I completed two rotations in litigation and commercial property. The work in litigation was more research based and included finding answers to many legal questions and helping draft legal advice to clients based on the research I found.

In contrast, the work in commercial property included drafting legal documents, providing assistance in the settlement process and doing research as well. I found the work that I did in my summer clerkship provided me with the practical experience that prepared me for my professional’s course with IPLS as well as how things operate in the workplace.

As I have moved onto my law clerkship in the corporate team, my work has been wide-ranging and the level of responsibility of my work has elevated. Some examples are trademarking tasks for our IP team, helping with tasks in mergers and acquisitions, research for legal issues, drafting legal advice, and drafting clauses and agreements in corporate transactions. What I love most about the work that we do is how technical yet creative it is.

What do you enjoy about working at Lane Neave?

What I enjoy most about working at Lane Neave is being able to do work that I enjoy alongside people I enjoy working with. I am grateful to be a part of a team that is so supportive of one another. Everyone always checks in with me to make sure that I am enjoying my work, and they take the time to give me feedback and show me how I can develop and improve. Additionally, I appreciate how our team always makes assertive effort to initiate team bonding activities such as coffee trips and Burger Wednesday for the first Wednesday of every month.

What has been the most challenging part of working at Lane Neave?

The thing that I have found most challenging about working at Lane Neave has been trying to avoid the coffee machines that make such nice coffees. As a student, being able to have barista style coffees is such a treat and so I have been trying to limit the number I have in one day, but it really has been a challenge.

What is unique about working at Lane Neave?

Something that I have found unique to Lane Neave is that for our Christmas function, the firm flies everyone to Christchurch to celebrate the end of year festivities. I find it to be quite special as it allows the whole national firm to come together to meet each other and create good connections. It also allows you to put faces to the names that you have been emailing throughout the year and provides us the opportunity to celebrate the years successes together. 

What is the social life like at Lane Neave?

 One of the things that drew me to Lane Neave is how much we value and encourage the social life in the firm. The Social Committee put so much work and effort into ensuring that there are consistent events throughout the year that cater to all interests and allows everyone to get involved and have fun. Recently we had a table tennis competition, but we also have events such as bring your dog to work day, the mid-winter event, and around Christmas we either have pod or tree decorating competitions, a Santa run and Christmas cookie decorating.

Did anything surprise you while working at Lane Neave?

Something that surprised me while working at Lane Neave is how much continuous support they have provided for me to become a solicitor. The admission process can be challenging as it is expensive and time consuming. Lane Neave have walked through the journey with me and have ensured that I have everything I need to get admitted and be able to practice.  In addition to this, I was excited to hear that on the day of my admission, I can invite my family to the firm who will then hold an afternoon celebration for me as they recognise how special and important the occasion is. It is things like this that make me feel valued and supported in the firm which has been invaluable in my career.

What has been your favourite experience at Lane Neave?

My favourite experience at Lane Neave thus far has been going through the journey as a Summer Clerk to a Law Clerk. I was part of a strong cohort of Summer Clerks who were able to create lifelong friendships and support and each other in our career progression as we were offered roles as graduates with the firm. We have all found our places in the different teams in the firm and it has been both fun and interesting being able to compare our work and experiences together. It is also exciting to have the opportunity to be a buddy and mentor to upcoming Summer Clerks who will be joining the firm.

What is your advice to other students who would like to work with Lane Neave?

Some advice I would provide to other students who would like to work at Lane Neave is to put together a portfolio of experiences that are able to show that you have a good attitude and a good work ethic/work standard. Of course, it is crucial to read up on Lane Neave, our values and what we look for in a Clerk and put together some information on why you want to work at the firm specifically. I would also recommend indicating which areas of law you have interest in, but also keep an open mind that practicing law is not the same as studying the course at university. You may find that you have a passion in an area you never expected to and so it is good to have an open mind and a good attitude from the start.