Australian Government Solicitor the leading lawyers to government

ContentsWho is AGS? 2

Why choose AGS? 2

Areas of practice 3

Our graduates 3–10

AGS at work 5–9

How to apply 11

Graduate employment in 2014

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Why choose AGS?Starting your legal career with AGS means working with some of Australia’s foremost legal minds on matters of national significance.

AGS’s lawyers are involved in approximately 40 specialised areas of law directly related to the work of government. We have an unmatched practice in the High Court as well as representing our clients in the Federal Court and other jurisdictions.

We work on many significant matters in relation to the constitution, taxation, national security, energy, environment and climate change, public finance and spending, governance and corporations, migration, recoveries and insolvency, native title and major commercial procurement and contracting. For a more detailed explanation of the range of matters our lawyers are engaged in, including high-profile matters, please see our 2011–12 annual report on our website. We offer our graduates and lawyers exciting career opportunities by providing:

— varied and stimulating work with the opportunity to work on high-profile matters

— the opportunity to work closely with clients from the very start of your career

— outposts to a range of practice areas and locations

— access to some of the foremost legal minds in the country

— supportive colleagues and excellent working conditions

— a development program tailored to hone your legal practice and business skills

— progress based on talent rather than years of experience

— competitive remuneration packages, including the potential to earn generous performance bonuses.

For more information on how to apply for a graduate or summer clerk placement, see page 11.

From the CEOWorking at AGS can set you up for a dynamic career in Australian law. We are unique among legal service providers in Australia because we are a government agency set up to provide legal services to the Australian Government and its various departments, entities and agencies. With over 100 years of experience and corporate memory, we believe we have the resources and the expertise to perform this role in a way that no one else can.

We work in government and public law and specialise in constitutional and legislative interpretation across all the portfolios of the Australian Government. We also have an unmatched High Court practice and provide extensive commercial law services to government.

Should you start your career with our graduate program, you will have the opportunity to be involved in matters of national significance and to work with many of Australia’s best government lawyers including our 3 in-house Queens Counsel.

You will be supported by our excellent graduate development program, which is devoted to laying a strong foundation for your legal career. The program includes training and workshops to develop your leadership, legal and business skills – capabilities to help you become more effective and successful throughout your career.

During your graduate year, you will be exposed to 1 or more of the 3 AGS practice areas: the Office of General Counsel, Dispute Resolution and Commercial. Your skill base as a lawyer will be further broadened with an opportunity to participate in the AGS pro bono program and to be outposted to one of our clients to gain in-house government experience.

We offer a supportive environment, with a personal supervisor and a buddy on each rotation to ensure you get the coaching and mentoring you need to succeed and a dedicated Lawyer Development Adviser who offers broader mentoring support on your training and development. We want to see you become the best lawyer you possibly can be and, as part of the AGS team supporting our government clients, dedicated to pursuing the national interest.

I invite you to apply to join our National Graduate Program.

Ian GoveyChief Executive Officer

Who is AGS?AGS is by far the greatest single provider of legal and related services to Australian Government agencies. We are one of Australia’s largest national law practices, with an office in every capital city.

AGS is a statutory authority and a government business enterprise operating on a fully commercial and competitive basis. We successfully compete for much of our work against Australia’s top-tier law firms. We also undertake tied work (non-contestable) in the areas of constitutional, national security and public international law as well as in relation to Cabinet matters.

As the leading lawyers to government and wholly dedicated to government, we assist the Attorney-General as First Law Officer to ensure that the Australian Government has access to high-quality legal and related services that will advance the national interest.

We have more than 300 lawyers across Australia. We act primarily for Australian Government agencies and for entities in which the government has an interest, domestically and internationally.

AGS conducts the Australian Government’s constitutional litigation. Constitutional litigation involves essential and core aspects of Australia’s system of government, which can have enduring and whole-of government implications extending beyond the interests of any particular portfolio. These considerations require an exceptionally high and specialised level of legal expertise and central coordination.

Why I chose AGS I always had a particular interest in public law and AGS stands out in this field. This is not only because of its many solicitors and in-house counsel, acknowledged throughout Australia as experts in their respective areas of practice, but also because of the numerous topical matters of significant public importance that AGS deals with on a daily basis.

On top of this, AGS has an enviable reputation as an efficient and highly professional legal practice and, for any recent law graduate, stepping into such an environment provides an invaluable and unique opportunity to develop an excellent legal skill set.

Best thing about AGS For me, it is the scope and variety of the work undertaken at AGS that sets it apart. Work can be as diverse and complex as constitutional litigation, intellectual property advice, procurement and probity, workers compensation litigation and statutory interpretation. In this respect AGS is truly unique, and it is in this context that AGS lawyers develop an extensive and holistic understanding of Australian law.

Best thing about AGS’s grad program For me, the most valuable element of the AGS graduate program has been the opportunity to make individual and thoughtful contributions to matters. The value of this approach is realised as the graduate year progresses and our knowledge and confidence in legal practice develops.

Learning and development Learning and development is a key part of the AGS graduate year. The graduate program starts with an intensive week-long orientation which includes seminars that introduce graduates to AGS’s business and the complex legal environment in which it operates. In addition to this, throughout the year, graduates are required to attend in-house legal training seminars that address core-legal skills and encouraged to make it to the many other speeches and discussions that AGS runs both internally and for clients, that address the latest legal issues.

Overseeing our involvement in all of this is AGS’s Lawyer Development Adviser, with whom each graduate liaises with regularly, and who monitors and advises on our personal and professional development.

Highlight of my grad yearThe definite highlight of my graduate year was assisting in the various cases associated with the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products. This is such an important area of public policy, and I found the opportunity to contribute to this to be immensely satisfying. For me this typifies the opportunities that AGS presents for graduates. While not all of our matters are so prominent and topical, there is a public interest element in all of AGS’s work that provides an underlying layer of interest and importance that cannot be matched in private practice.

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Areas of practice

— Administrative law — Asset sales and privatisation— Commonwealth financial law — Communications and media— Competition and consumer law — Constitutional law— Consultancy agreements— Contract drafting and management — Corporate law and governance— Courts and tribunals — Criminal law — Customs and trade— Due diligence — Employment and workplace relations — Energy and resources— Environment — Free-trade agreements — Grants and funding agreements— Health — Information and communications technology — Insolvency and recovery — Intellectual property — International law — Machinery of government — Migration — Native title and Indigenous law — Negligence and other claims — Privacy and freedom of information — Probity services — Property and leasing — Purchase and sales of goods and services — Royal commissions and inquiries— Science and technology — Security — Social policy and entitlements — Tax — Tendering — Transport and infrastructure

Brett Gulley

our graduates

AGS Commercial in a snap shotAGS advises government agencies on the full range of corporate and commercial legal matters. We work on more than 3,000 commercial matters each year ranging from high-volume conveyancing, leasing and securities matters to complex agreements supporting major government initiatives. Our work spans support to government in relation to defence (such as the procurement of aircraft and ships), immigration and border protection (such as construction contracts for Manus Island and Nauru), to initiatives associated with major economic, regulatory and social reforms (such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme).

Many of our commercial lawyers bring a special perspective to their work gained from many years’ experience in the public and private sectors. They balance an understanding of how to best operate in the global commercial marketplace with their knowledge of government regulation and the need for compliance with Commonwealth accountability requirements. AGS Commercial lawyers are expert in advising on areas such as technology projects, grants and funding, intellectual property, media and communications, intergovernmental agreements, infrastructure, construction, property and leasing, insurance, banking and finance, procurement, tendering and contracting, probity, process and risk management.

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Why I chose AGSNothing I’d heard about the work, culture or clients at corporate firms sounded particularly appealing to me, but in my last few years at law school it began to seem like the only option. When a friend told me about AGS, it seemed too good to be true – a firm that practised public law rather than theorising about it, and that acted only for government in the public interest, but with the rigour and efficiency that tend to come with operating commercially.

Best thing about AGSAGS is a fantastic place to work, and a large part of that is due to the people. AGS boasts some of the foremost legal minds in Australia, but the working environment remains very encouraging and supportive for young lawyers. I’ve always been well-supervised and the lawyers I’ve worked with manage to be simultaneously brilliant and available. We also had buddies in all our rotations to answer our questions and get us aquainted with life at AGS.

The other great thing has been having a small and tightly knit grad group. There were 6 of us based in Canberra and 3 interstate and we all became very close. The support we were able to give each other at various times made the whole experience far less anxious than it could have been, and made our grad year a lot of fun.

Best thing about AGS’s grad programAGS’s grad program offers grads a unique and varied experience that provides an exceptional foundation on which to begin a legal career. The program allows you to rotate through different practice areas (covering a broad range of subject matter and work) and to do some pro bono work. I’ve had the opportunity to conduct research, write advices on constitutional law and statutory interpretation, prepare matters for litigation, attend hearings, conduct client interviews and draft leases.

Learning and developmentAGS provides a huge amount of training and development to ensure that young lawyers have a strong grounding in the basics of government law, and that more senior lawyers keep abreast of important developments in the law. On top of this, a lot of the most valuable learning and development comes from observing and assisting very senior lawyers with their work.

Highlight of my grad yearThe highlight of my grad year was my outpost to the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism. I worked on energy market reform with a senior AGS lawyer who was also outposted there. It is an incredibly technical and complex area of law, and seeing her expertise and the dedication she had to her work was inspiring. I also learned a lot from the way she interacted with our clients.

Nithya Ramesh

Our graduates

Why I chose AGSI chose AGS as an alternative to a corporate law career path and because I had a keen interest in public law, particularly administrative and constitutional law. AGS has unmatched experience and expertise in these areas and houses some of the best legal minds in the country. AGS is also involved in some of the most interesting and significant legal matters in Australia – you can’t open a major newspaper and not come across something that AGS has been involved in.

Best thing about AGSThe best thing about AGS is the people and the collegiate work environment. Everyone at AGS is incredibly friendly, supportive and encouraging. The lawyers I have worked with at AGS have had a genuine interest in my professional development and learning and always been willing to take the time to answer my questions and provide me with valuable feedback on my work.Throughout my grad year, I have received excellent guidance from dedicated supervisors and buddies who answered all my questions and helped me settle in.

Best thing about AGS’s grad programThe AGS Graduate Program is great in that it provides new lawyers with the opportunity to work on a wide range of stimulating and high-profile matters and with a number of different lawyers in different offices and at different levels. Undertaking an outpost was another aspect to the graduate program that I really enjoyed in that it provided me with a unique opportunity to understand how clients operate and perceive legal services. I also had the opportunity to undertake pro bono work at a community legal centre which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Learning and developmentAGS’s commitment to learning and development is second to none. A dedicated team organise ongoing training as part of the Lawyer Development Program, which ensures that graduates and younger lawyers develop the necessary skills to be a successful lawyer and to keep up-to-date with changes in the law. In addition, there are seminars on current and significant legal issues that allow lawyers from all offices to discuss their experiences and share their knowledge.

Highlight of my grad yearThe highlight of my grad year was being able to observe a number of hearings in the High Court during the 3 months I spent working in the Constitutional Litigation Unit in the Office of General Counsel. I was lucky enough to see some of Australia’s top Counsel in action, meet the Acting Solicitor General and see him represent the Commonwealth in his first case in that role. I also had the opportunity to work on a number of these cases, including researching, attending meetings with Counsel and clients, and assisting in the preparation for hearing.

Wendy Green

AGS at work

Anna Lukeman

Clean energy legislationIn November and December 2011, a package of 18 Bills implementing the carbon price received the Royal Assent. This was the culmination of a number of years of intensive work in which AGS assisted, commencing in 2008.

With the revival of the proposal to enact carbon pricing legislation in 2011, firstly Senior General Counsel Susie Brown and subsequently Senior General Counsel Jenny Burnett and Counsel Adam Kirk were outposted to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency from OGC to advise on the development and drafting of the legislation. Robert Orr QC again provided support.

At the same time, Counsel Anna Lukeman was outposted to the Department to advise on the development and drafting of the legislation establishing the carbon farming initiative (which involves generation of carbon credits which can be used in the carbon pricing scheme) and the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units (which is the registry for all emissions units held in Australia and is an essential component of the carbon pricing and carbon farming schemes).

After the enactment of the legislation, Jenny Burnett and Anna Lukeman remained outposted to the Department to provide advice on the drafting of regulations to support the carbon pricing and carbon farming schemes and on the interpretation of the primary legislation.

Susie Brown

Jenny Burnett

Adam Kirk

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Tobacco plain packagingOne of the high-profile cases which involved a number of AGS lawyers recently was the litigation subsequent to the legislation for the plain packaging of tobacco products.

AGS’s Susan Reye provided advice to, and worked closely with, the Department of Health and Ageing in the development of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 and associated regulations. The legislation will prohibit tobacco industry logos, brand imagery, colours and promotional text other than brand and variant names in a standard colour, position, font size and style.

At the same time AGS provided advice on the development of the Competition and Consumer (Tobacco) Information Standard 2011 under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 which requires new, larger graphic health warnings on all tobacco products from 1 December 2012 in line with plain packaging.

In 4 separate cases, a number of tobacco companies challenged the validity of the Act on the basis that it acquires property otherwise than on just terms contrary to s 51(xxxi) of the Constitution. The tobacco companies commenced proceedings in the High Court, with 2 of these cases being referred to the Full Court of the High Court (British American Tobacco Australasia Ltd v Commonwealth and JT International SA v Commonwealth). Those cases were heard on 17–19 April 2012.

AGS’s Andrew Buckland and Gavin Loughton, assisted by David Bennett QC, Deputy Government Solicitor, led a team of lawyers (including a number of graduate lawyers) and legal support staff acting for the Commonwealth in defending the validity of the Act.

The then Commonwealth Solicitor-General, Stephen Gageler SC, wrote to CEO Ian Govey to express his gratitude for the work AGS performed in the tobacco plain packaging cases. ‘The Commonwealth’s case at every stage in this hard fought litigation – pleadings, evidence and submissions – was presented with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail,’ he said.

‘The Commonwealth, represented by AGS, was matched against 4 well-resourced multinational corporations represented by 4 of the largest commercial law firms in the country. It was not found wanting.’

The Court has subsequently handed-down orders upholding the validity of the Plain Packaging Act, announcing that, by at least a majority, the Act is not contrary to s 51(xxxi) of the Constitution. The outcome is a key achievement for the government and the then Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon, who described the decision as a watershed moment for tobacco control, with Australia’s actions being closely watched by governments around the world. The Attorney-General thanked the AGS legal team for their hard work on the case.

Gavin Loughton

David Bennett QC

Susan Reye

Andrew Buckland

Simon Daley PSM

Justine Knowles

AGS at work

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In addition to the High Court litigation, AGS’s Simon Daley PSM – Chief Solicitor Dispute Resolution – is leading a team of AGS lawyers working on the ongoing investment treaty arbitration brought by Philip Morris Asia against the Commonwealth under the 1993 Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of Hong Kong for the Promotion and Protection of Investments. Philip Morris Asia asserts in its Notice of Arbitration that the plain packaging legislation constitutes a breach of a number of Australia’s obligations under the agreement with Hong Kong. The arbitral tribunal was constituted on 15 May 2012.

The AGS team is working closely with the Office of International Law in the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of Health and Ageing as well as a counsel team led by the Solicitor-General.

Laura Armstrong Alison Thompson Anna Hartl

Joanna Blair Odette Adams James Anderson

Irene Sekler Christopher Behrens Claudia Oakshott Catherine Kelso

From left to right, the Commonwealth’s legal team at the High Court, at the conclusion of the hearing of the plain packaging challenge: Ron Merkel QC, Andrew Buckland, Danielle Forrester, David Bennett QC, Susan Reye, Gavin Loughton, Megan Caristo, Stephen Lloyd SC, Stephen Gageler SC (former Solicitor-General of Australia), David Hume, Justine Knowles, Jeremy Kirk SC, Anna Mitchelmore, Simon Thornton, Ashleigh Tilbrook, Julian Cooke.

Gareth McCasker

Simon Sherwood

Why I chose AGSI chose AGS because it offered the unique opportunity to be part of an organisation which is the largest single provider of legal and related services to Australian Government agencies, all whilst still allowing me to practice law in a law-firm environment.

Best thing about AGSAt the beginning of my graduate program I was struck by how many times I heard the phrase ‘the best thing about AGS is the people.’ I wasn’t sure if everyone was trying to convince the graduates that AGS is a great place to work or if it was actually true. Now, as my graduate year is coming to a conclusion, I can confidently say – the best thing about AGS is the people. A comfortable and supportive working environment is cultivated across all AGS offices.

Best thing about the AGS’s grad programThe best thing about this program is the numerous opportunities afforded in this position. The opportunity to work in a number of practice groups is wonderful, as it offers grads a chance to become familiar with what different practice groups specialise in and to discover, specifically, where their interest lies. The opportunity to work with a client agency – in my case with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission – has also been a fantastic experience. Pro bono work is something that AGS prides itself on encouraging all its lawyers to participate in, including graduate lawyers. Through this valuable facet of the program, I engaged in work with the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and Darwin Community Legal Service.

Learning and developmentAs a graduate, I quickly learnt the priority AGS places on investing in the development of its graduates. Regular presentations and training seminars are delivered by senior AGS lawyers on a variety of topics, including lawyer development issues; emerging legal issues; and current topical, high-profile cases. These presentations are offered to all AGS lawyers and I was encouraged to attend as many as I could. I found these sessions to be invaluable. Through this mechanism, along with being provided a graduate mentor, I felt extremely supported in my position.

Highlight of my grad yearOne of the highlights of my grad year was during the pro bono component of the graduate program when I worked at NAAJA. NAAJA provides Aboriginal Legal Services both in Darwin and to remote locations and it was during my placement there that I got to fly over to the Tiwi Islands to assist with a bush clinic to assist members of the local community. Upon arriving and setting up our office in a spare room in the local council office, local residents were encouraged to approach us about any legal issue they wanted to discuss. I found the entire experience extremely informative and rewarding, and was proud to be a part of it.

Peta Parsons

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Why I chose AGSWhen I started my law degree, I wasn’t sure that I wanted to practice. However, after completing a legal clerkship at the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations, during which time I got to read AGS advices and work with AGS lawyers, I developed an understanding of AGS’s unique position within the Commonwealth legal environment. At the end of my clerkship, I knew I loved working in the law and that to do high-end government legal work, to do work that mattered, if I wanted to work somewhere where I would be challenged and could excel, AGS was the place I had to go.

Best thing about AGSApart from being exposed to the most interesting government legal work, having the chance to work with some of the best legal minds in the country, and getting to see the matters you’re working on turn up in the news with surprising regularity, the best thing about working at AGS is that, however small your role is, you feel like you’re giving back to the community. I’m proud to work at AGS because of its commitment to the public good.

Best thing about AGS’s grad programAGS’s grad program is unique in that it gives you the chance to see all of AGS’s business, not just a segment of it. By the end of the grad year, you’ll have a basic understanding of what each of the practice groups do and you’ll have a good idea of how all the pieces fit together. Having had some exposure to the gamut of AGS’s work – ‘a legal taste test’, if you will – I feel more confident that I will be able to select and pursue the areas of law that I really want to work in.

Learning and developmentContinuing legal education is extremely well-organised at AGS. A program of core legal skills workshops is provided for junior lawyers, and lunch-time seminars are regularly organised. I’ve also found the leadership group at AGS to be extremely proactive in making sure that grads are exposed to development opportunities – its not unusual to receive an email encouraging you to sit in on a contract negotiation, attend an expert forum or spend an afternoon at the High Court.

Highlight of my grad yearThe highlight of my grad year was watching the Solicitor-General deliver the Commonwealth’s submissions in the plain packaging litigation in the High Court. Most of the grads had some exposure to the preparation of the case and we all appreciated the opportunity to witness its conclusion.

Brendan Watts

Our graduates

Gov 2.0 and negotiating ‘the cloud’This year AGS has continued to develop its Gov 2.0 and social media expertise. Recent work has ranged from drafting disclaimers for government Facebook pages and working on risk assessments for YouTube channels, through to delivering training on social media moderation strategies and advising an agency on cybersmearing and cyberstalking issues associated with use of a blogging site.

Our lawyers have provided urgent advice regarding various legal issues associated with closed Facebook groups, open Facebook pages and iPhone ‘apps’ that interface with official Australian government computer systems. We have also provided advice on the legal implications of the recent changes to Google’s standard Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

AGS is also working in partnership with various departments on groundbreaking projects that make use of new media to improve government services. This has included working with the Attorney-General’s Department on the free Disasterwatch smartphone application now available through iTunes, and developing a better practice guide for the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) on the legal issues associated with the government’s growing use of ‘cloud computing’.

Cloud computing is best defined as the provision of computing as a service over a network (such as the internet) and is currently touted as the future way of providing most information technology products and services.

The Better Practice Guide, entitled Negotiating the cloud – legal issues in cloud computing agreements, is designed to help agencies to navigate typical legal issues in cloud computing agreements. Some of these issues will be familiar to those who deal regularly with information technology contracts. However, the nature of cloud computing can create new or different risks and agencies may need to consider these issues afresh in the cloud computing context.

Like cloud computing itself, cloud computing agreements appear in a wide variety of forms. These can range from simple standardised click-wrap agreements to multilayered sets of terms and conditions. There are, however, a core set of legal issues that agencies should consider in any cloud computing agreement, whether or not the agreement expressly deals with those issues.

CEO Ian Govey hosted a well-attended Government Law Group event on the legal issues associated with cloud computing in late 2011. He opened with a foray into early and interesting advices on telecommunications provided by Attorneys-General including one from Robert Garran (then Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department) on the possibility of provision by the Commonwealth of remotely monitored electric burglar alarm services – an early example of a cloud service!

AGS Senior Executive Lawyer, Adrian Snooks, spoke on the legal issues in cloud computing with particular reference to the Better Practice Guide on these issues. He was followed by Ross Dobson, Assistant Director, Governance and Policy Branch from AGIMO, who discussed the Government’s cloud computing strategy in detail.

The Guide, developed by AGS lawyers including Adrian Snooks and Andrew Schatz, is currently available on the AGIMO website. A short podcast from Adrian discussing some of these issues is also available on the AGS website.

Director AGS Brisbane Jane Lye and AGS Senior General Counsel Tara McNeilly also spoke on various legal issues associated with cloud computing at the ‘What’s in the clouds?’ forum held in Brisbane in November 2011. This forum was hosted jointly by AGS, Queensland Crown Law and the Queensland Law Society. Jane spoke about a recent investigation by the Privacy Commissioner which examined issues associated with the use of cloud solutions and Tara spoke about restrictions on transborder data flow and considering the operation and impact of local laws in the cloud computing context.

Andrew Schatz

Adrian Snooks

Swee-Kim Tan

Tony Beal

Stuart Hilton

Joanna Piva

Alexander Readford

Jane Lye

Justin Davidson

Tara McNeilly

AGS at work

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Our graduates

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Moving to CanberraLeaving home for a new job and new city can be a daunting experience. Although I was apprehensive about moving from Melbourne to Canberra, my graduate year has been a whirlwind journey that far exceeded all my expectations.While Canberra has a reputation for being quiet, there is an active community of APS graduates bubbling just below the surface which makes for a ready-made social life. Whether you’re into polictics, current affairs, skiing, musical theatre or wine tasting, Canberra is a choose-your-own-adventure waiting to happen. The highlight of the Canberra lifestyle is the ability to commute from work to home in 10 minutes flat. It is also easy to wander down to watch question time in Parliament or the delivery of a judgment at the High Court. Living in the heart of the seat of political power makes for an exciting and stimulating atmosphere.

National graduate orientation programAGS holds a comprehensive 4-day orientation program at the start of the Graduate Program which includes a crash course in the Commonwealth legal environment and access to some of the practice’s leading legal minds. Apart from information about how AGS works, there are useful sessions on softer skills — such as branding and networking. The program also includes plenty of team building activities to give blooming friendships (including with graduates who will be based in interstate offices), a helping hand. By the end of the week, graduates have a strong understanding of the unique nature of AGS and what to expect from the year ahead.

AGS graduate cultureBeing part of a comparatively small graduate group means you are never just a number in a crowd. Your development is tailored and supported by a dedicated Lawyer Development Adviser throughout the program, as well as a buddy and supervisor through each rotation. Graduates are also included in AGS’s Lawyer Development Program, which gives you access to an array of core legal skills training modules, as well as the opportunity to socialise with other junior lawyers at varying stages of their careers. This is a great way to find out about what lies ahead and pick-up career development tips.No friendships will be more meaningful and enduring than those you share with your fellow grads. Your first year in legal practice can be overwhelming, but experiencing it all together means your pool of both technical and practical knowledge is instantly expanded. The practice area rotations, including an outpost, means that grads are always picking up new and useful insights to share. This makes for a fast-paced and exciting grad network that expands to include graduates from other government departments.

AGS workplace cultureAlthough AGS operates on a fully competitive and commercial basis, public interest concerns and the needs of government are at the forefront of everyone’s mind. This makes for an open and collegial environment with high job satisfaction. Reasonable billable targets mean that you get to leave the office at a normal time.Of course, if you are assisting with litigation on the eve of a High Court hearing, there will be large workloads, high pressure and possible late nights. However, knowing that you will be assisting the Solicitor-General defend a government policy or argue a novel point of law makes your efforts worthwhile. I will never forget attending a function celebrating the tobacco plain packaging win, where the (now) Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler personally thanked the AGS legal team for their efforts. This sort of moment can only be experienced at AGS.

Jennifer Lim

Why I chose AGSI chose the AGS Graduate Program because it provided me with the opportunity to work alongside bright legal minds and develop valuable legal skills, all while offering interesting, high-profile work, affecting the lives of everyday Australians. In my mind, no other graduate program offered all these features.

Best thing about AGSThere are many great things about working at AGS but, perhaps most importantly, I have found everyone to be very supportive, encouraging and friendly. I have always felt comfortable approaching my supervisors and colleagues for assistance or advice and this, along with the interesting nature of the work, has made coming to work every day enjoyable and rewarding.

Best thing about AGS’s grad programI really enjoyed the variety of work available as a graduate at AGS. The graduate program allows you to work across several practice areas to get a ‘taste’ of the work that different practice groups are involved in. In addition, an outpost is offered, which is a great opportunity to understand how the client works, learn about a different and potentially specialised area of law, and make new contacts. Each rotation has been distinct, which has allowed me to develop new skills and learn about unique and interesting areas of law.

Learning and developmentThere are many learning and development opportunities provided to graduates – from formal induction programs to tailored skill-based training sessions to informal learning opportunities through observation and practice. The variety of learning opportunities has been impressive and the active interest taken by lawyers and HR staff in my learning and development has been hugely encouraging and inspiring.

Highlight of my grad yearIt’s hard to pick one highlight of my graduate year as I enjoyed many aspects. I really enjoyed my outpost to the Australian Federal Police, Proceeds of Crime Litigation team, as it allowed me to learn a lot about a very specific piece of legislation and I also had the opportunity to do my first court appearance. I also enjoyed working alongside many of the lawyers in AGS Dispute Resolution and working on preparing a case for trial. It was rewarding to see all the pieces fall into place after having been involved in the early stages.

Kate Hehir

www.ags.gov.au

How to applyIf you are interested in applying for a graduate placement or summer clerkship, you need to apply online using the specific application form in the careers section on our website www.ags.gov.au.

We encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to apply for the summer clerkships and graduate placements.

Tips for completing the application formThe application form asks that you provide 3 reasons why you are applying for employment with AGS and to state the areas of law in which you have the strongest interest. It also asks about your 3 key qualities which, with further training and development, would enable you to perform as an exceptional lawyer at AGS. Please note that these form a substantive part of our assessment of your application.

We are looking for brief but succinct answers that show an understanding of our work. We encourage you to use our website to become familiar with the areas of law in which we practise and to read some of our publications and research papers for the practice areas in which you are particularly interested.

Summer clerkship or graduate position with AGSAGS employs a number of summer clerks and graduates. We keep our programs small for 2 main reasons: we take high-calibre candidates who can be allocated immediately to teams dealing with complex matters; and we want to ensure our students and graduates have access to supervision and mentoring by some of Australia’s best government lawyers.

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AGS National Graduate Program The National Graduate Program is a 12-month training and development program which, upon successful completion, is expected to culminate with a placement as a practising lawyer within AGS. The program typically has the following components:– orientation program commencement– exposure to 1 or more of the 3 internal AGS practice areas of Dispute

Resolution, Commercial and Office of General Counsel – an outpost to a government department or agency– an opportunity to pursue a pro bono placement– sponsorship towards an external program of practical legal training (PLT)

necessary to complete the requirements for admission to legal practice– prescribed in-house training on topics of substantive law and client service

together with other AGS seminars and forums

– peer support and mentoring, including a structured supervisor and buddy system together with wider mentoring support of our Lawyer Development Adviser.

AGS’s outpost practice AGS has a substantial outpost practice – where AGS lawyers at all levels work exclusively with a particular client either in-house or from AGS in the short, medium or long-term and usually on a fixed daily rate.

The exposure AGS gets from having so many of our best people placed at the coalface with our clients is invaluable. Outposted lawyers play a vital role in developing better client relationships and generating work from clients.

In recognition of this contribution, AGS is committed to supporting our lawyers in this important role and has developed a range of support systems to ensure that all outposted lawyers remain connected to AGS and are provided with guidance and professional development opportunities.

Our outposted lawyers have worked on some of the most challenging matters for the Commonwealth Government. They have worked in-house with clients on major commercial and litigation matters and in the development of legislative proposals and on all recent major reforms, including the: – Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, Carbon Tax and the new legislative

regime for carbon capture and storage – reforms to water use and management in Australia and the development

and implementation of the Commonwealth Water Act 2007 – National Energy Market Reform and the creation of the Australian Energy

Market Operator – massive response to the global financial crisis.

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s 0

28–2

011

3/11

Canberra 50 Blackall Street, Barton ACT 2600

Sydney Level 42, MLC Centre, 19 Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000

Melbourne Level 21, 200 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

Brisbane Level 12, 340 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000

Perth Level 19, Exchange Plaza, 2 The Esplanade, Perth WA 6000

Adelaide Level 18, 25 Grenfell Street, Adelaide SA 5000

Hobart Level 8, 188 Collins Street, Hobart TAS 7000

Darwin Level 3, 9–11 Cavenagh Street, Darwin NT 0800

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