I joined Jackson McDonald in May 2022 as a law graduate, shortly after finishing my law degree from the University of Western Australia. One year on, I can confidently say that I have had a great experience with the firm.
Before attending UWA Law School, I completed a degree in accounting from the University of Melbourne. So, I always knew I wanted to get into professional services and do commercial law.
Currently, I work in the Real Estate team at Jac Mac, where our primary focus is on front-end (transactional) work. The benefit of doing transactional work is that most of the clients and lawyers I come into contact with are relaxed and cooperative, presumably because there are no bitter disputes involved (shout-out to all the litigators out there). In my team, we draft, review, and negotiate different kinds of contracts and agreements, mostly related to lands or properties. The objective of transactional practice is what some people call 'preventive lawyering' – the point is not so much about solving a problem once it arises but rather to think ahead and pre-emptively address any potential problems that might emerge down the track. For instance, if a client signs a contract in 2023, what will be the consequences in 2028 if they concede on a clause that seems insignificant for now? This is where clients need our advice. Personally, this aspect also trains me to think long-term and more strategically.
Outside of work, Jackson McDonald has a lot to offer. The firm routinely invites external guests to the office to speak on topics ranging from energy transition, data security, property investment, to financial regulations, and other trendy topics. We can also attend CPD events hosted in the firm by different practice groups. I find these events particularly insightful because they make me more informed about the market and 'the system.' I believe this is crucial for a commercial lawyer.
Law graduates at Jackson McDonald also get to participate in secondments. My cohort has been seconding with Law Access for the past six months. Every several weeks, we spend a day working at Law Access, dealing with matters involving family law, migration law, and criminal law. The secondment helps us gain more exposure to other areas of law, and it is also a good way to help vulnerable people in need of legal assistance.
Overall, I find my experience as a commercial lawyer at Jackson McDonald rewarding, and I look forward to the many years ahead.