Corrs Chambers Westgarth is Australia’s leading independent law firm. We provide exceptional legal services across the full spectrum of matters, including major transactions, projects and significant disputes, offering strategic advice on our clients’ most challenging issues.
With more than 175 years of history and a talented and diverse team of over 1000 people, we pride ourselves on our client-focused approach and commitment to excellence. Our fundamental ambition is the success of our clients, and this is reflected in everything we do.
We advise on the most significant global matters and connect with the best lawyers internationally to provide our clients with the right team for every engagement. We are also at the forefront of some of the most high-profile public international law matters in our region, assisting governments and corporations with the resolution of highly complex cross-border disputes.
We are the firm of choice for many of the world’s leading organisations, with our people consistently recognised for providing outstanding client service and delivering exceptional results. Our vision as a world-class law firm is to drive Australia’s competitiveness and economic engagement with Asia. We are based in Australia and operate internationally, wherever our clients need our services.
Areas of practice
The firm has 17 main operating practice groups:
From your first day at Corrs, you will have the opportunity to accelerate your career in a high-performing and supportive environment. Our lawyers work together across practise groups to deliver exceptional results and support you in building your future, wherever you want to take it. Corrs offers graduates:
Work & Life
At Corrs we encourage staff to be socially active and participate in yoga, pilates meditation, touch football, cricket, netball, firm social events including family days, trivia nights, Chinese New Year, End of Financial Year party and Christmas Party.
Corrs also provides flexible work arrangements, paid study leave, purchased leave, salary sacrificing and opportunities to give back to the community. Most recently in July 2018 Corrs provided staff with an additional week of bonus leave and dropped the daily billable hours targets.
Global Network
Our quality, integrity and independence have enabled us to form strong long-term relationships with leading law firms around the world.
We participate in the most significant global matters and connect with the best lawyers internationally to provide our clients with the right team for every engagement.
We are also at the forefront of some of the most high-profile public international law matters in our region, assisting governments and corporations with the resolution of highly complex cross-border disputes.
International Opportunities
Our lawyers strengthen our global network and their own careers by participating in the firm’s leading secondment and scholarship programs. We invest in unique international experiences to help our lawyers grow their skills, cultural understanding and relationships worldwide.
Secondments - We offer international secondment opportunities to financial hubs including New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. The Corrs global network includes over 45 firms in 20 countries.
Scholarships - Corrs offers paid scholarships to study at leading international universities including Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard.
Our people are committed, and actively encouraged, to support disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and groups, charities and not-for-profit organisations through pro bono legal work, volunteering and workplace giving, all of which form part of our dedicated Pro Bono and Community program.
We are the principal legal partner for the United Nations Refugee Agency in Australia, and other organisations we work with and support as part of our Pro Bono & Community program include Hagar Australia, Justice Connect, The Salvation Army, The Big Issue, Very Special Kids, Oxfam and more.
In the last year alone, our people have performed more than 19,000 hours of pro bono and volunteer work for those who need it most.
We continuously seek new and better ways to deliver real value for our clients – whether it be a ground-breaking transactional structure, an innovative application of law, or harnessing new technology.
Our commitment to innovation is embedded in our client service and the way we work.
We’ve created a range of cutting-edge web-based solutions for clients that streamline business processes to improve efficiency and productivity, provide confidence in data quality, and reduce costs. Our developments are consistently recognised by the market and industry awards. Our clients actively use our solutions to make enhanced business decisions, efficiently manage repetitive tasks, and focus their resources on value creation. Our market-leading platforms also provide clients with insightful market information not provided by other law firms.
We embrace and celebrate diversity in all its forms. Our supportive and inclusive culture sustains our diverse, engaged and high performing team.
Individuals don’t fit into neat categories, and no one group within our community is more or less important than another. As a result, our commitment to diversity and inclusion includes gender equality, indigenous inclusion, cultural diversity, LGBTIQ+ inclusion, flexible working and accessibility. Corrs has been consistently named as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) and was awarded Diversity Firm of the Year at the 2015 Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards (Corrs was a finalist in 2016, 2017 and 2018).
Corrs is a member of the Diversity Council of Australia and Pride in Diversity and achieved Bronze Employer status in Pride in Diversity’s 2017 and 2018 Australian Workplace Equality Index.
Corrs is a place that celebrates individuals. We’re looking for spirited, determined graduates who think big and like doing things a little differently. In exchange for your energy and commitment, we’ll provide extraordinary learning and work opportunities here and on an international stage.
We don’t look for a Corrs ‘type’ when we interview potential graduates. Corrs people are individuals, but they do share some traits.
Because Corrs is a high-performance organisation, Corrs people are good at what they do. They are able to work in a team and bring out the best in the people around them. They want to achieve the best results for the client as well as the firm and they take pride in their work and achievements. Corrs people like to find new ways of doing things and aren’t afraid to be independent and bold in their actions.
This is a firm with a sense of purpose, so we’ll probably look for that in you, too.
The Corrs Seasonal Clerkship Program is a great opportunity for you to experience the people, clients, work and culture that differentiates Corrs from other law firms.
You’ll have the opportunity to work with some of Australia’s leading lawyers on high-profile work for major Australian and international clients across all industries. You’ll soon discover the standards of quality and commitment to clients required to succeed at this level.
You’ll be exposed to a broad range of interesting matters. You may also conduct research, review and present documents, as well as attend client meetings, mediations and settlements. The variety is enormous, so it’s the perfect way to discover the firm and the area of law that excites you most.
Clerks are also encouraged to 'shadow' partners and lawyers on activities such as meetings with clients, barristers or witnesses; client phone calls; and mediations, settlements and court appearances. The clerkship program promotes a more hands-on approach to developing your knowledge and skills.
Our commitment to developing exceptional lawyers starts at day one. Our Graduate Development Program lays this foundation by providing rich, on the job training with a greater opportunity to work directly with partners and senior lawyers and includes structured learning, mentoring and regular feedback.
The program begins with Graduate Academy, a national event designed to bring the national cohort together to get to know each other, while also learning key skills through matter simulations, and writing and drafting workshops. Then you will commence your Practical Legal Training (PLT) studies and begin your local office orientation.
Supervised by partners and mentors, you will complete three different rotations across transactional and dispute-focussed practice groups before settling in your final practice group at the end of the 16-month program.